Editor’s choice
Editor’s choice
In the framework of the ClimVis project user surveys were conducted in 6 countries, coordinated and summarized via country coordinating partners. We also conducted focus group discussions with key stakeholders.
With those steps we wanted to explore needs and demands of potential end users, and to learn how they perceive climate information of existing tools. We also learned more about the potential to improve the existing data foundation and about technical opportunities to create a user-friendly, but reliable tool.
Journal article / Adaptable and user-friendly climate information tools offer valuable insights for mitigating climate risks and supporting adaptation efforts.
SEI brief / The ClimVis Europe project shows that climate information must be presented in more effective ways to users to reduce climate risks and support adaptation.
Web-based climate-related tools, atlases, portals or platforms have been increasingly published over the years, being able to convey climate data, derived climate information and sector- or user-specified climate services to a large range of users.
ClimVis conducted a comprehensive list of currently available climate tools relevant for the Pan-European area (international tools) and for certain countries (national tools) – via a thorough web screening and expert queries using the network of European hydrometeorological institutions.
The current available version was revised and expanded in August 2022.
ClimVis conducted a user survey in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Germany and Estonia to receive a deeper understanding of the priorities and preferences of potential users of a future ClimVis application. The questionnaire consisted of two main parts:
1) existing user experiences with web-tools providing climate information, and
2) user requirements of a useful web-tool providing climate information – followed by several statistical questions helping us judging and evaluating the collected responses.
390 users participated in our survey, running (mainly) from December 2020 to February 2021.
ClimVis performed virtual focus group discussions in Germany, Estonia, Russia, Poland and Ukraine to explore which climate information key users need, in which complexity, spatio-temporal detail, actuality, explanation level and visualisation style. This activity helped us strengthening our scientific focus while striving towards identifying our “niche” in comparison to other existing tools. 48 users participated in our sessions, mainly during April and May 2021.
Hereafter, user feedback on three tested climate visualisation tools, as well as general user recommendations grouped by topics are summarised across all sessions and countries.
This study was funded by the SEED funding programme of the Swedish Institute, grant no. 01546/2020 (ClimVis Europe).
Andreas Hoy
Senior Expert (Climate Systems and Energy Policy Unit)
Project / Adaptation AGORA will support the adaptation to climate change by leveraging and step-forwarding best practices, innovative approaches and policy instruments.
Project / This project investigates the feasibility of developing a radar climatology in the Baltic Sea region.
SEI brief / The ClimVis Europe project shows that climate information must be presented in more effective ways to users to reduce climate risks and support adaptation.
