Does AI mean we need to do climate services differently?

The primary needs for climate services in China, in the form of climate information for decision-making, are to better prepare for and manage meteorological-related disasters, adaptation to climate change, and sustainable development. In this paper, the vision, structure, content, and governance of the China Framework for Climate Services, which is designed to respond to these primary needs, is described. This paper reflects on practice, lessons, and experience developing and delivering climate services in China for disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water, energy, urbanization, and major engineering projects. Four key aspects of successful climate services are highlighted: the transition of climate research to operational climate services; delivering relevant, tailored, and usable climate information; effective engagement between users and providers of climate services; and building interdisciplinary professional teams. Key challenges and opportunities for climate services are recognized in this paper: a growing gap between climate science and services capability and societal need, a lack of awareness in user communities of the climate service value for their activities, and the important need for closer and more meaningful interactions between users and providers of climate services. The delivery and uptake of high-quality, relevant, usable, and effective climate services will facilitate climate-smart decisions that will reduce climate risks and improve Chinese societal resilience.

<p>The Belgian expertise with respect to climate research is very fragmented and led by both federal (like the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, hereafter RMI) as well as regional scientific research institutions and universities. Furthermore, both in societal, research as well as policy context there is an increasing need for detailed, quantitative, reliable and consistent climate information and services, in particular linked to the expected climate changes and its impacts in different sectors (e.g. water, agriculture, energy, health, transport).</p><p>To make all this scientific expertise and climate information available in a coordinated and, above all, user-friendly way, a Belgian climate centre or a one-stop shop for climate research and services would fully address the needs. With its long-standing scientific expertise and service provision, RMI plays a crucial role in fulfilling this growing need for climate information and services.</p><p>Hence, RMI has elaborated a proposal on the creation of a Belgian climate centre. For the creation of such centre it is preferable to use existing collaborations from previous or ongoing research and service-provision activities in Belgium, requiring a structural cooperation in which each members’ expertise can be fully deployed. In the context of a previous research project, a large consortium of Belgian research institutions active in regional climate modelling, calculated for the first time a consistent set of high-resolution climate projections and sectoral impacts for Belgium. Nevertheless, it should be emphasized that the number of models used was far too limited to develop reliable information of the future climate. Moreover, this was a one-time project and there is currently an urgent need to update the climate projections to meet the new scientific requirements of the IPCC's new sixth Assessment Report.</p><p>One of the activities of the centre would thus be the coordination of the climate research based on scientific research projects. Furthermore, in order to ensure the continuous development and provision of climate services based on this objective and scientifically based expertise coming from Belgian climate scientists, the climate centre would carry out two main core tasks: (i) the production and storage of climate information and (ii) the support for the development of climate services.</p><p>The financing and implementation of a Belgian climate centre, would provide a structural framework for climate research and services, establishing partnerships with the various regions and communities, at both policy and research levels. In this way, RMI, as national meteorological institute and at the start of the climate services value chain, can guarantee a continuous scientific expertise and respond to the major needs for climate information and services at national and international level.</p>

<p> </p><p>Climate change increasingly affects all parts of society. Different economic sectors such as the agricultural sector have to adapt to climate change. More and more climate services are being developed in order to support this adaptation to climate change with accurate and suitable products. Good practises for the design of climate services include transdisciplinary approaches and co-creation of climate service products. The development of usable and useful climate service products and effective adaptation measures requires constant interactions between climate service providers and users of the products. To assess the effectiveness of these co-creation endeavours, continuous evaluation is crucial. At present, output and outcome assessments are conducted occasionally in this research field. However, these <em>summative</em> evaluations that are preformed ex-post do not help to adjust the ongoing process of co-creation. Therefore, the focus of the presented work is on <em>formative</em> evaluation of the co-creative development of science-based climate service products. A <em>formative</em> evaluation is done during the run-time of a project with the intention to reflect and readjust it. For this purpose, we analysed in detail the process of co-creation of climate service products in the knowledge transfer project ADAPTER (ADAPT tERrestrial systems, https://adapter-projekt.org/) and combine this analysis with a systematic literature review. In ADAPTER, simulation-based climate service products are developed together with key partners and practitioners from the agricultural sector, with the aim of supporting decision making in the context of climate change adaptation.</p><p>As a first step, main characteristics of the product development process were identified empirically and six sub-processes of product development were determined. Secondly , questions for a <em>formative</em> evaluation were assigned to the different steps and sub-processes. Thirdly, a literature review including fields other than climate services delivered additional qualitative aspects. As a result, a scheme of quality criteria and related assessment questions for the different sub-processes in climate service development was created, based on both empirical and theoretical work. Subsequently, this scheme needs validation and testing. The resulting <em>formative</em> evaluation scheme will be particularly helpful to reflect on and to improve the co-creation processes in climate services and beyond.</p><p> </p>

<p>This presentation is analysing a modern evolution in research and development from specific urban air quality systems to multi-hazard and integrated urban weather, environment and climate systems and services and provides an overview of joint results of large EU FP FUMAPEX, MEGAPOLI, EuMetChem and MarcoPolo projects and international WMO GURME and IUS teams. </p><p>Urban air pollution is still one of the key environmental issues for many cities around the world. A number of recent and previous international studies have been initiated to explore these issues. In particular relevant experience from several European projects will be demonstrated. MEGAPOLI studies aimed to assess the impacts of megacities and large air-pollution hotspots on local, regional and global air quality; to quantify feedback mechanisms linking megacity air quality, local and regional climates, and global climate change; and to develop improved tools for predicting air pollution levels in megacities (doi:10.5194/asr-4-115-2010). FUMAPEX developed for the first time an integrated system encompassing emissions, urban meteorology and population exposure for urban air pollution episode forecasting, the assessment of urban air quality and health effects, and for emergency preparedness issues for urban areas (UAQIFS: Urban Air Quality Forecasting and Information System; doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-2005-2006; doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-855-2007).</p><p>While important advances have been made, new interdisciplinary research studies are needed to increase our understanding of the interactions between emissions, air quality, and regional and global climates. Studies need to address both basic and applied research and bridge the spatial and temporal scales connecting local emissions, air quality and weather with climate and global atmospheric chemistry. WMO has established the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Urban Research Meteorology and Environment (GURME) project which provides an important research contribution to the integrated urban services.</p><p>Most of the disasters affecting urban areas are of a hydro-meteorological nature and these have increased due to climate change. Cities are also responsible not only for air pollution emissions, but also for generating up to 70% of GHG emissions that drive large scale climate change. Thus, there is a strong feedback between contributions of cities to environmental health, climate change and the impacts of climate change on cities and these phases of the problem should not be considered separately. There is a critical need to consider the problem in a complex manner with interactions of climate change and disaster risk reduction for urban areas (doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.11.059, doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2017.05.004).</p><p>WMO is promoting safe, healthy and resilient cities through the development of Integrated Urban Weather, Environment and Climate Services (IUS). The aim is to build urban services that meet the special needs of cities through a combination of dense observation networks, high-resolution forecasts, multi-hazard early warning systems, disaster management plans and climate services. This approach gives cities the tools they need to reduce emissions, build thriving and resilient communities and implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Guidance on IUS, developed by a WMO inter-programme working group, documents and shares the good practices that will allow countries and cities to improve the resilience of urban areas to a great variety of natural and other hazards (https://library.wmo.int/doc_num.php?explnum_id=9903).</p>

The match between climate services demands and Earth System Models supplies

The establishment of a National Framework for Climate Services in Ireland followed a low risk, yet high impact “project-first” approach to understand the national relevance and appetite for a coordinated approach to climate services. Rather than begin with a National Framework for Climate Services, and be unsure of its interest or value, this “project-first” approach allowed Met Éireann to identify relevant stakeholders, evaluate engagement and discover potential problems. As projects are time bound, this was a low-risk method of determining appetite for a more permanent national solution to provision and sharing of climate information.Following the publication of the National Adaptation Plan and recommendations from the Irish Climate Change Advisory Council, there was an unprecedented requirement for accessible and robust climate information to support decision making and adaptation planning. At this time the Irish climate services landscape was fragmented and climate information for Ireland was developed in an ad hoc, project-to-project basis. There were no clear mechanisms or structures in place for establishing and maintaining sustainable climate services and partnerships between researchers, providers, policy makers and end users. Met Éireann saw the need for both the development of a common set of climate projections to help Irish society speak the same climate language and the establishment of a permanent national framework for climate services. This led to a national research call (to build national capability), from Met Éireann and in 2021 the TRANSLATE project was founded. TRANSLATE became the seed that led to the establishment of this permanent national framework.National collaboration, knowledge sharing, and co-production of data and services are central to the TRANSLATE ethos. A key challenge of this project was bringing the whole Irish climate science and services community together and subscribe to a collaborative approach. Rather than work in isolation and leveraging Met Éireann’s position as the National Met Service, an organisation that naturally bridges the science-policy-user interface, Met Éireann brought together the national community – (all of whom would be required under a successful national framework) - under the TRANSLATE banner. This “all-Ireland” approach was so effective that it has led to the establishment of a permanent National Framework for Climate Services.Here we describe an “all-Government” approach to building permanent mechanisms and structures for developing and maintaining sustainable and scalable climate services and partnerships across the science-policy-user interface by establishing an inclusive National Framework for Climate Services. We explore the challenges, barriers and successes in establishing and operationalising of a National Framework for Climate Services in Ireland.

<div> </div><div> <p>Climate services provide information to help better manage climate-related risks and opportunities in different sectors around the world. This requires work at the interface between scientific research and decision-making. Studies have found that climate services are most effective when they are co-developed and co-produced with the intended users of the services. To achieve this, climate service developments often involve scientists engaging with users and potential users, which traditionally has been most productive face-to-face, at least in the early stages of engagement and co-development to build relationships.  </p> <p>In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically restricted face-to-face engagement, particularly for international activities. Climate service providers and users had to suddenly adapt and find methods to engage with each other virtually. Here we discuss the software and methods that are being used to ensure that provider-user engagement could continue, despite international travel restrictions, with a specific focus on working with users in China as part of the Climate Science for Services Partnership China project; a collaboration between the UK Met Office and other UK partners, the China Meteorological Administration, and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. Using examples from work on food security with the agriculture sector in Northeast China, we will showcase different climate service prototype products, such as brochures, information packs, and comic book storylines which are helping us to engage with and understand the requirements of multiple audiences despite the lack of in-person engagement.  </p> <p>Through this work, we have discovered additional benefits to virtual engagement, such as more frequent interactions with users, the ability to involve participants who wouldn’t usually be able to travel to attend events, and new metrics for evaluating climate services. These benefits will likely make virtual provider-user engagement a more common tool for developing and refining climate services with international partners in the future. We hope that the tools and methods presented here will help other climate service providers to conduct productive virtual provider-user engagement in the future, both in China and in other countries around the world. </p> </div>

A growing body of scientific work is focused on the evaluation of climate services. This literature has helped to characterize the relative success of individual services; it has also helped weigh the pros and cons of particular evaluation methods in context. This literature has been less useful in providing a snapshot of the extent to which evaluation has become a regular practice among climate service providers, nor what that regular practice might look like. This study addresses this gap by reviewing the practices of evaluation associated with 19 seasonal climate information services offered regionally across the Americas.All but one of the climate services included in the study have undergone some form of evaluation, though evaluation practices vary from case to case. The paper traces this variation to the different evaluation goals that climate services providers articulate, as well as the challenges those providers face in implementing their preferred evaluation plans. Interpreting the results of this analysis, this paper argues that regional climate service providers should consider a three-phase approach to evaluation, beginning with (1) rigorous efforts to understand who accesses their information; developing (2) a nuanced understanding of how that information is used; and culminating with (3) a characterization of the utility and value of the information in context.This study also identifies the role that long-term partnerships might play in helping regional climate service providers access the capacity needed to advance evaluation with respect to these goals, and concludes by discussing the implications of this work for those organizations seeking to build climate service capacity at regional scales.

The increased focus on climate change impacts over recent years and the recognised need for adaptation across society has led to a rise in the use of climate information such as the Climate Projections (UKCP18) in the UK. However, while public sector engagement with the Projections has been explored, there is very limited knowledge on how the private sector engages with and uses climate information to provide services to their end-users. The REVEAL project aimed to understand how these climate service purveyors use UKCP18 and other climate data, their relationships with both producers and users, and emerging climate information needs. For the purposes of this study, purveyors were defined as “Organisations beyond government bodies that use, enhance or add value to UKCP18 climate information to address specific users' needs.” Building upon initial Met Office research conducted in 2023 the project initially carried out a landscape assessment of purveyors in the UK who would likely use climate data and information. A total of 31 semi-structured interviews were then conducted with purveyor organisations to explore in more in-depth themes around: organisational and client profile; current and future use of UKCP18; barriers to using UKCP18; suggested developments for the next UK Projections; and wider recommendations for climate services in the UK. This study highlighted key findings around the expanding and heterogeneous landscape of purveyors in the UK, their perceptions and current use of UKCP18, the type of activities pursued and their clients, requirements for improving the next phase of projections as well as recommendations for linking up with other derived products such as the recently launched Local Authority Climate Service and Climate Risk Indicators. The study also offers insights into the expanding role of these intermediaries in the climate services value chain over the last few years as well as wider considerations on the governance of climate information and services in the context of climate adaptation efforts in the UK and Europe.

The Greater Horn of Africa is prone to extreme climatic conditions, thus, making climate services increasingly important in supporting decision-making processes across a range of climate sensitive sectors. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the recent advances, gaps and challenges in the provision of climate services over the region, for each of the components of the Global Framework for Climate Services. The study explores various milestones that have been achieved toward climate service delivery. The achievements include improvement of station network coverage, and enhancing the capacity of member states to utilize various tools in data analysis and generate routine climate products. The advancement in science, and availability of High-Performance Computing has made it possible for forecast information to be provided from nowcasting to seasonal timescales. Moreover, operationalizing of the objective forecasting method for monthly and seasonal forecasts has made it possible to translate tercile forecasts for applications models. Additionally, innovative approaches to user engagement through co-production, communication channels, user-friendly interfaces, and dissemination of climate information have also been developed. Despite the significant progress that has been made in the provision of climate services, there are still many challenges and gaps that need to be overcome in order to ensure that these services are effectively meeting the needs of users. The research of the science underpinning climate variability, capacity building and stakeholder engagement, as well as improved data management and quality control processes are some of the gaps that exist over the region. Additionally, communication and dissemination of climate information, including timely warnings and risk communication, require improvement to reach diverse user groups effectively. Addressing these challenges will require strengthened partnerships, increased investment in capacity building, enhanced collaboration between the climate information producers and stakeholders, and the development of user-friendly climate products. Bridging these gaps will foster greater resilience to climate-related hazards and disasters in the Greater Horn of Africa and support sustainable development in the region.

Quantitative market analysis of the European Climate Services sector – The application of the kMatrix big data market analytical tool to provide robust market intelligence

Science communication and dissemination play a key role in research projects aimed at addressing critical societal challenges such as climate change and air pollution. By effectively conveying scientific knowledge to diverse audiences, these efforts contribute to transformative change and foster public awareness and engagement.An essential aspect of effective science communication is the strategic selection of communication formats and channels tailored to the needs and preferences of different audiences. In this poster we would like to pay special attention to the role of innovative approaches such as storytelling, art, and visual elements in communication and engagement strategies. These elements are key to evoke emotions, appeal to the audience's interest and enhance their learning by making complex scientific information more accessible and relatable. In addition, data visualisation, art, and multimedia representations are important components in making scientific information more accessible and understandable to non-specialist audiences.This poster illustrates several examples of communication products and activities that have proven to be effective and innovative in explaining complex issues related to climate and air quality services, among them: The use of scrolling narratives and augmented reality as communication and education tools is an effective way to raise awareness and allow users to interact with the basic concepts of air quality. These innovative approaches not only inform users about the intricate dynamics of air quality, but also demonstrate how such knowledge can inform regulatory and planning decisions. Through immersive experiences, individuals gain insight into the complexity of environmental issues and are empowered to take informed action towards sustainable solutions. A scientific digital comic that introduces the science of climate services co-production to a broad audience and the importance of services for climate change adaptation and mitigation. A theatre play developed as a result of a co-production process between artists and scientists, which contributes to increase the scientific literacy of the general public on how climate science is done and what are their opportunities and limitations.A roadshow to showcase a digital art project in 5 different locations in Southeast Europe, exploring the potential of data, research and climate services. This innovative approach aims to broaden the community of climate service users in this currently under-represented European region, whereas increasing the resilience of the area through the promotion of climate services.

Co-production pathway of an end-to-end climate service for improved decision-making in the wine sector

Visualisations are often the entry point to information that supports stakeholders’ decision- and policy-making processes. Visual displays can employ either static, dynamic or interactive formats as well as various types of representations and visual encodings, which differently affect the attention, recognition and working memory of users. Despite being well-suited for expert audiences, current climate data visualisations need to be further improved to make communication of climate information more inclusive for broader audiences, including people with disabilities. However, the lack of evidence-based guidelines and tools makes the creation of accessible visualisations challenging, potentially leading to misunderstanding and misuse of climate information by users. Taking stock of visualisation challenges identified in a workshop by climate service providers, we review good practices commonly applied by other visualisation-related disciplines strongly based on users’ needs that could be applied to the climate services context. We show how lessons learned in the fields of user experience, data visualisation, graphic design and psychology make useful recommendations for the development of more effective climate service visualisations. This includes applying a user-centred design approach, using interaction in a suitable way in visualisations, paying attention to information architecture or selecting the right type of representation and visual encoding. The recommendations proposed here can help climate service providers reduce users’ cognitive load and improve their overall experience when using a service. These recommendations can be useful for the development of the next generation of climate services, increasing their usability while ensuring that their visual components are inclusive and do not leave anyone behind.

Climate services’ main function has been to provide technical scientific evidence for decision-making in formal institutions. This article makes a case for recognising the diverse functions and meanings of climate services across the spectrum of institutions constituting climate governance. The article reports on research that identified climate services needs for building resilience in Bergen city (Norway) through a collaborative back-casting workshop with actors variously engaged in climate governance. Participants’ discussions raised four key observations on climate services. First, they saw the potential for using climate information in a diverse set of formal and informal institutions. Second, they considered how to adapt information to these diverse settings. Third, they looked at how information could enhance existing initiatives, rather than demanding ‘new’ products. And fourth, participants’ proposed climate services highlighted their diverse functions, and led the authors to suggest classifying services according to their principal functions. The article finishes by proposing a field of ‘social climate services’ that configures relationships between scientists and social actors, built on technologies of humility, for enriching the ongoing culturally and politically charged debates and practices around climatic change in informal institutional settings. Social climate services function can include enabling people to voice their concerns, learn, critically reflect on changes to culture and identity, build social networks, and try out new practices.