cen:proj:82844

Climate Services – Principles, requirements, and guidelines

Scope

The term “climate services” is a complex concept encompassing multiple components, including the selection, processing and integration of diverse types of data, information and knowledge. It also involves various processes requiring collaboration among multiple actors and all elements necessary for delivering an effective service. Climate services are often confused with climate data and climate information, yet these are only one element. In reality, climate services focus on using climate data, contextualising knowledge about climate variability and change into specific decision-making contexts.
This standard covers the entire scope of climate services as described in the components (below), including their technical, procedural and performance characteristics, while defining the standardisable aspects of climate services. It also identifies relevant governance mechanisms and existing standards applicable to climate services.
Timeframes in Climate Services
There are differing interpretations of the timeframes that climate services should cover. This standardization deliverable addresses climate variability and change and applies to services tailored for both short-term and long-term needs:
• Short term climate services: early-warning support the prevention and management of adverse impacts or opportunities emerging from interannual climate variability and extreme weather events.
• Long term climate services: Assist with building resilience and adaptation strategies across society, including all economic sectors, in response to decadal climate variability and slow onset events climate change impacts.
Components of climate services
The standardization deliverable will define the essential components of climate services, aligning with the broad definition provided above. These components aim to set boundaries for climate services while breaking down their complexity into recognizable categories of data, processes, products and actors.
The key components include:
1. Decision-making context - Climate services must deliver value within a specific decision-making framework, which includes the geographical, social, and political context in which the service operates.
2. Ecosystem of actors and co-creation processes - Identifies the actors involved in co-producing, evaluating, and using climate services, as well as those who may become relevant in a specific decision context. This component also covers co-production processes across different stages of climate service development and implementation.
3. Knowledge systems, information, and processes – Climate service rely on more than just climate data. This component includes environmental, social, economic, technical, and engineering data, as well as local knowledge or domain expertise critical for developing adaptation and mitigation strategies. This component also covers selection, evaluation, and translation processes, alongside data accessibility, storage and stewardship.
4. Delivery mode and co-evaluation - Defines how a climate service is delivered and evaluated. This includes tailored aggregation and integration of data and processes to align with the needs of the decision-making context and the service user.