Communication framework for climate information services – ClearClimate project

Abstract

Climate adaptation strategies are widely implemented globally to address the impacts of climate change. The crucial role in these adaptation strategies belong to Climate Information Services (hereafter CIS or Climate services; Paparrizos et al. 2021). Thus, climate-sensitive decision-making is enabled using reliable climate information, tools, and methodologies delivered by Climate Services. Thereby CIS can significantly improve the quality of decisions by making climate-relevant information accessible, usable, and useful, (Findlater et al., 2021). However, the effectiveness of CIS mostly depends on how information is designed, communicated, and perceived by the public. Despite the advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs), challenges persist in the usability and trust in CIS—particularly in Southeastern Europe (SEE) and the Balkans. Compared to Western Europe, residents in this region show greater skepticism toward climate change and information services. However, the majority still recognize climate change as a real and pressing threat aligning with the models predict that the region will face an increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heat and drought events by the end of the century (Sutanto et al., 2020; Douville et al., 2023). Findings underscore the need for inclusive, locally adapted CIS, and targeted climate education, especially among youth, to foster informed and proactive climate action across the region. That is why the ClearClimate is aiming to create an International and Intersectoral and Interdisciplinary network to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and skills and to progress developments in CIS in the area where those services do not exist or are very limited – Southeast Europe.  ClearClimate is pushing forward the current research in CIS development to co-develop, co-create and co-disseminate the interventions, artefacts and strategies for promoting the uptake of CIS products in SEE and thus adapt to climate change negative effects.