OpenLB
Open Library of Bioscience
Advanced Search
Ambio
Feb 08, 2025;

Navigating towards strengthened climate service processes.

Lotten Wir��hn, Gustav Strandberg
Author Information
  1. Lotten Wir��hn: Department of Thematic Studies - Environmental Change, Link��ping University, 581 83, Link��ping, Sweden. Lotten.wirehn@liu.se. ORCID
  2. Gustav Strandberg: Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research, Link��ping University, 581 83, Link��ping, Sweden. ORCID
PMID: 39921805 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02136-6

Abstract

Despite the importance of salient, credible, and legitimate climate information for climate action, studies demonstrate a persistent usability gap between the information provided and what users find relevant and useful. Drawing from scientific literature and our experiences working with a Swedish national climate service, we explore and reflect on challenges and barriers with climate services using an analytical framework of four pillars. Based on this, we provide four overarching recommendations (and fundamental needs): (i) Advancing data production and analysis, (ii) Establishing a climate service collaboration forum, (iii) Fostering active users, and (iv) Prioritising long-lasting funding. These recommendations are directed to policymakers and the climate service community to transition the production and use of climate information from short-term studies and initiatives to long-lasting processes. We argue that adopting these recommendations can support climate-resilient development through strengthening climate service infrastructure and enhancing capabilities and skills of the actors involved.

Keywords

Climate change Climate projections Co-creation National climate service Recommendations Science communication

References

  1. Bauer, F., and J. Smith. 2015. The climate knowledge brokers manifesto. Vienna: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
  2. Baulenas, E., D. Bojovic, D. Urquiza, M. Terrado, S. Pickard, N. Gonz��lez, and A.L. St Clair. 2023. User selection and engagement for climate services coproduction. Weather, Climate, and Society 15: 381���392. https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-22-0112.1 . [DOI: 10.1175/WCAS-D-22-0112.1]
  3. Berg, P., T. Bosshard, W. Yang, and K. Zimmermann. 2022. MIdASv0.2.1���multi-scale bias adjustment. Geoscientific Model Development 15: 6165���6180. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6165-2022 . [DOI: 10.5194/gmd-15-6165-2022]
  4. Boon, E., S. Judith, R. Biesbroek, H. Goosen, and F. Ludwig. 2022. Successful climate services for adaptation: What we know, don���t know and need to know. Climate Services 27: 100314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2022.100314 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2022.100314]
  5. Bremer, S., A. Wardekker, S. Dessai, S. Sobolowski, R. Slaattelid, and J. van der Sluijs. 2019. Toward a multi-faceted conception of co-production of climate services. Climate Services 13: 42���50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2019.01.003 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2019.01.003]
  6. Brunner, L., R. Lorenz, M. Zumwald, and R. Knutti. 2019. Quantifying uncertainty in European climate projections using combined performance-independence weighting. Environmental Research Letters 14: 124010. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab492f . [DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab492f]
  7. Buontempo, C., H.M. Hanlon, M. Bruno Soares, I. Christel, J.-M. Soubeyroux, C. Viel, S. Calmanti, L. Bosi, et al. 2018. What have we learnt from EUPORIAS climate service prototypes? Climate Services 9: 21���32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2017.06.003 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2017.06.003]
  8. CSP. 2024. Climate services partnership. https://www.climate-services.org/index.php.en (Webpage) Accessed 2024-11-04.
  9. Dilling, L., and M.C. Lemos. 2011. Creating usable science: Opportunities and constraints for climate knowledge use and their implications for science policy. Global Environmental Change 21: 680���689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2010.11.006 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2010.11.006]
  10. DMI. 2024. Klimatatlas. Nationalt Center for Klimaforskning, Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut. (Webpage) https://www.dmi.dk/klimaatlas/ Accessed 2024-11-06.
  11. Donnelly, C., K. Ernst, and B. Arheimer. 2018. A comparison of hydrological climate services at different scales by users and scientists. Climate Services 11: 24���35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2018.06.002 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2018.06.002]
  12. DWD. 2024. Climate Predictions for Germany. ESGF Node at Deutscher Wetterdienst. (Webpage) https://esgf.dwd.de/projects/climatepredictionsde/ Accessed 2024-11-06.
  13. Ernst, K.M., ��.G. Swartling, K. Andr��, B.L. Preston, and R.J.T. Klein. 2019. Identifying climate service production constraints to adaptation decision-making in Sweden. Environmental Science and Policy 93: 83���91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2018.11.023 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2018.11.023]
  14. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, R. Street, M. Parry, J. Scott, D. Jacob, and T. Runge. 2015. A European research and innovation roadmap for climate services. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2777/702151 .
  15. Fast Track Action Committee on Climate Services. 2023. A federal framework and action plan for climate services. Washington: The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
  16. Filho, W.L. 2020. Introducing climate services and their applications. In Handbook of climte services, eds. W. Leal Filho, D. Jacob, 3���9.
  17. Findlater, K., S. Webber, M. Kandlikar, and S. Donner. 2021. Climate services promise better decisions but mainly focus on better data. Nature Climate Change 11: 731���737. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-021-01125-3 . [DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01125-3]
  18. Grossi, A., and T. Dinku. 2022. Enhancing national climate services: How systems thinking can accelerate locally led adaptation. One Earth 5: 74���83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.12.007 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2021.12.007]
  19. Guido, Z., C. Knudson, D. Campbell, and J. Tomlinson. 2020. Climate information services for adaptation: What does it mean to know the context? Climate and Development 12: 395���407. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2019.1630352 . [DOI: 10.1080/17565529.2019.1630352]
  20. Hansen, J.W., C. Vaughan, D.M. Kagabo, T. Dinku, E.R. Carr, J. K��rner, and R.B. Zougmor��. 2019. Climate services can support African farmers��� context-specific adaptation needs at scale. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 3: 21. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00021 . [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00021]
  21. Hawkins, E., and R. Sutton. 2009. The potential to narrow uncertainty in regional climate predictions. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 90: 1095���1108. https://doi.org/10.1175/2009BAMS2607.1 . [DOI: 10.1175/2009BAMS2607.1]
  22. Hewitt, C.D., F. Guglielmo, S. Joussaume, J. Bessembinder, I. Christel, F.J. Doblas-Reyes, V. Djurdjevic, N. Garrett, et al. 2021. Recommendations for future research priorities for climate modeling and climate services. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 102: E578���E588. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0103.1 . [DOI: 10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0103.1]
  23. IPCC. 2021. Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the sixth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Edited by V Masson-Delmotte, P Zhai, A Piani, S.L Connors, C. P��an, S. Berger, N. Caud, L. Goldfarb, et al. Cambridge: Cambride University Press.
  24. IPCC. 2022. Climate change 2022���impacts, adaptation and vulnerability: Working group II contribution to the sixth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Edited by H.-O H.-O. P��rtner, D.C. Roberts, M. Tignor, E.S. Poloczanska, K Mintenbeck, A Alegr��a, S Craig, S Landsdorf, et al. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844 .
  25. IRI. 2024. Adapting agriculture to climate today, for tomorrow. International Research Institute for Climate and Society. (Webpage) https://iri.columbia.edu/actoday/ Accessed 2024-05-27.
  26. Jacob, D., C. Teichmann, S. Sobolowski, E. Katragkou, I. Anders, M. Belda, R. Benestad, F. Boberg, et al. 2020. Regional climate downscaling over Europe: Perspectives from the EURO-CORDEX community. Regional Environmental Change 20: 51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-020-01606-9 . [DOI: 10.1007/s10113-020-01606-9]
  27. Jacobs, K.L., and R.B. Street. 2020. The next generation of climate services. Climate Services 20: 100199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2020.100199 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2020.100199]
  28. Jebeile, J. 2024. From regional climate models to usable information. Climatic Change 177: 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-024-03693-7 . [DOI: 10.1007/s10584-024-03693-7]
  29. Kalsnes, B., A. Oen, R. Frauenfelder, I. Heggelund, M. Vasbotten, B. Vollstedt, J. Koerth, N. Vafeidis, et al. 2023. Stakeholder evaluation of the co-production process of climate services. Experiences from two case studies in Larvik (Norway) and Flensburg (Germany). Climate Services 32: 100409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2023.100409 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2023.100409]
  30. Kirchhoff, C.J., M.C. Lemos, and S. Dessai. 2013. Actionable knowledge for environmental decision making: Broadening the usability of climate science. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 38: 393���414. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-022112-112828 . [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-environ-022112-112828]
  31. Kjellstr��m, E., L. B��rring, G. Nikulin, C. Nilsson, G. Persson, and G. Strandberg. 2016. Production and use of regional climate model projections ��� A Swedish perspective on building climate services. Climate Services 2���3: 15���29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2016.06.004 .
  32. Kundzewicz, Z.W., E.J. F��rland, and M. Piniewski. 2017. Challenges for developing national climate services���Poland and Norway. Climate Services 8: 17���25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2017.10.004 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2017.10.004]
  33. Lemos, M.C., C.J. Kirchhoff, and V. Ramprasad. 2012. Narrowing the climate information usability gap. Nature Climate Change 2: 789���794. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1614 . [DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1614]
  34. Mahon, R., C. Greene, S.A. Cox, Z. Guido, A.K. Gerlak, J.A. Petrie, A. Trotman, D. Liverman, C.J. Van Meerbeeck, W. Scott, and D. Farrell. 2019. Fit for purpose? transforming national meteorological and hydrological services into national climate service centers. Climate Services 13: 14���23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2019.01.002 .
  35. Malakar, Y., S. Snow, A. Fleming, S. Fielke, E. Jakku, C. Tozer, and R. Darbyshire. 2024. Multi-decadal climate services help farmers assess and manage future risks. Nature Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02021-2 . [DOI: 10.1038/s41558-024-02021-2]
  36. M����ez Costa, M., A. M. P. Oen, T.-S. Neset, L. Celliers, M. Suhari, J.-T. Huang-Lachmann, R. Pimentel, B. Blair, et al. 2021. Co-production of climate services. CSPR Report Series. Centre for climate Science and Policy Research. https://doi.org/10.3384/9789179291990 .
  37. Mauser, W., G. Klepper, M. Rice, B.S. Schmalzbauer, H. Hackmann, R. Leemans, and H. Moore. 2013. Transdisciplinary global change research: the co-creation of knowledge for sustainability. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 5: 420���431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.07.001 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cosust.2013.07.001]
  38. McNie, E.C. 2013. Delivering climate services: Organizational strategies and approaches for producing useful climate-science information. Weather, Climate, and Society 5: 14���26. https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-11-00034.1 . [DOI: 10.1175/WCAS-D-11-00034.1]
  39. NCCIS. 2024. National climate change information system. Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Republic of South Africa. (Webpage) https://gisportal.saeon.ac.za/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2d572dcf9c5f47c484540f8c934e03f4 Accessed 2024-11-06.
  40. Nissan, H., L. Goddard, E.C. de Perez, J. Furlow, W. Baethgen, M.C. Thomson, and S.J. Mason. 2019. On the use and misuse of climate change projections in international development. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change 10: 1���16. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.579 . [DOI: 10.1002/wcc.579]
  41. SMHI. 2024. Advanced climate change scenario service. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute Research Department. (Webpage) https://www.smhi.se/en/climate/future-climate/advanced-climate-change-scenario-service/met Accessed 2024-05-20.
  42. Smid, M., and A.C. Costa. 2018. Climate projections and downscaling techniques: A discussion for impact studies in urban systems. International Journal of Urban Sciences 22: 277���307. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2017.1409132 . [DOI: 10.1080/12265934.2017.1409132]
  43. Soares, P.M.M., J.A.M. Careto, R.M. Cardoso, K. Goergen, E. Katragkou, S. Sobolowski, E. Coppola, N. Ban, et al. 2022. The added value of km-scale simulations to describe temperature over complex orography: The CORDEX FPS-convection multi-model ensemble runs over the Alps. Climate Dynamics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06593-7 . [DOI: 10.1007/s00382-022-06593-7]
  44. Strandberg, G., P. Blomqvist, N. Fransson, L. G��ransson, J. Hansson, S. Hellsten, E. Kjellstr��m, C. Lin, et al. 2024. Bespoke climate indicators for the Swedish energy sector���a stakeholder focused approach. Climate Services 34: 100486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2024.100486 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2024.100486]
  45. Suckall, N., and M.B. Soares. 2022. Evaluating the benefits of weather and climate services in South Asia: A systematic review. Regional Environmental Change 22: 104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-022-01947-7 . [DOI: 10.1007/s10113-022-01947-7]
  46. Tanimu, B., A.-A. Danladi Bello, S.A. Abdullahi, M.A. Ajibike, M.K. Idlan Bin Muhammad, and S. Shahid. 2024. Enhancing reliability in climate projections: A novel approach for selecting global climate models. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 134: 103598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2024.103598 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.pce.2024.103598]
  47. Tebaldi, C., and R. Knutti. 2007. The use of the multi-model ensemble in probabilistic climate projections. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society a: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 365: 2053���2075. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2007.2076 . [DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2007.2076]
  48. Vaughan, C., and S. Dessai. 2014. Climate services for society: Origins, institutional arrangements, and design elements for an evaluation framework. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change 5: 587���603. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.290 . [DOI: 10.1002/wcc.290]
  49. Vautard, R., N. Kadygrov, C. Iles, F. Boberg, E. Buonomo, K. B��low, E. Coppola, L. Corre, et al. 2021. Evaluation of the large EURO-CORDEX regional climate model ensemble. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 126: e2019JD032344. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD032344 . [DOI: 10.1029/2019JD032344]
  50. Vincent, K., M. Daly, C. Scannell, and B. Leathes. 2018. What can climate services learn from theory and practice of co-production? Climate Services 12: 48���58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2018.11.001 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2018.11.001]
  51. Wir��hn, L. 2024. From relevant to usable: Swedish agricultural extension officers��� perspectives on climate change projections. Climate Services 33: 100441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2023.100441 . [DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2023.100441]
  52. WMO. 2014. Implementation plan of the global framework for climate services. Wmo. vol. 2. WMO.
  53. WMO. 2018. Step-by-step guidelines for establishing a national framework for climate services. Vol. 2018. 1206. Geneva, Switzerland: World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Grants

  1. 2019-01560/Svenska Forskningsr��det Formas
Journal Article
Article has an altmetric score of 4

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0climateserviceinformationrecommendationsstudiesusersfourproductionlong-lastingprocessesClimateDespiteimportancesalientcrediblelegitimateactiondemonstratepersistentusabilitygapprovidedfindrelevantusefulDrawingscientificliteratureexperiencesworkingSwedishnationalexplorereflectchallengesbarriersservicesusinganalyticalframeworkpillarsBasedprovideoverarchingfundamentalneeds:AdvancingdataanalysisiiEstablishingcollaborationforumiiiFosteringactiveivPrioritisingfundingdirectedpolicymakerscommunitytransitionuseshort-terminitiativesargueadoptingcansupportclimate-resilientdevelopmentstrengtheninginfrastructureenhancingcapabilitiesskillsactorsinvolvedNavigatingtowardsstrengthenedchangeprojectionsCo-creationNationalRecommendationsSciencecommunication

Similar Articles

Cited By

No available data.