Though many platforms and tools provide information on climate change adaptation, they lack the standardized data and interoperability that can effectively integrate such information. This leads to “knowledge silos” and to inefficiencies that make it difficult to find information needed to tailor strategies for specific contexts and needs.
The FAIR2Adapt project aims to address these issues by creating a collaborative framework that promotes the integration and sharing of needed data. It seeks to bridge gaps between scientific knowledge, practical application, and resource sharing to support better climate resilience strategies. The project will seek to advance efforts that can enhance cross-sectoral knowledge coordination and improve data accessibility for diverse stakeholders. To that end, the project seeks to bring in a wide variety of needed information, not only climate-specific data, but also relevant socioeconomic and environmental information, such as insurance data and infrastructure assessments, which are essential for developing comprehensive strategies
The project will be underpinned by case studies that are linked to the wider EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. These case studies are intended to help the project demonstrate how to implement equitable, effective, and data-driven climate adaptation strategies at national, regional, and local levels.
The project intends to build on the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), described as an “effort to provide European researchers, innovators, companies and citizens with a federated and open multi-disciplinary environment where they can publish, find and reuse data, tools and services for research, innovation and educational purposes”. As such, the FAIR2adapt project will seek to help enhance machine-assisted discovery, selection, access, and use of relevant climate adaptation data, knowledge, and services. By facilitating efficient knowledge sharing and reuse, FAIR2Adapt seeks to empower European regional and local authorities to build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The three key objectives are:
A focal point of the FAIR2Adapt is the implementation of FAIR digital objects (FDOs) — a term that describes data, software and other research resources that can be seamlessly exchanged and reused across diverse platforms and tools.
The FAIR Digital Objects Forum defines an FDO as the “technical essence of a ‘thing’ in cyberspace“.
As the forum explains, “FAIR Digital Objects … bind all critical information about an entity in one place and create a new kind of actionable, meaningful and technology independent object that pervades every aspect of life today”.
The Research Data Alliance describes FDOs as a concept that represent virtual objects that are “uniquely identified by a Persistent Identifier (PID) and metadata rich enough to enable them to be reliably found, used and cited”. Interest in FDOs is growing as part of a wider effort to make it possible integrative data in ways that help people (and artificial intelligence software) find and use what is available and needed.
Why are FDOs important?
The Fair Digital Objects Forum says that FDOs “provide a conceptual and implementation framework” to do the following:
FAIR2Adapt is a Research & Innovation Action Project funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme. The project brings together a consortium of partners, including SEI Oxford.
SEI will map European adaptation decision-making processes. It will also collect knowledge requirements on enablers and barriers to creating comprehensive and scientifically sound climate adaptation strategies and plans using FAIR data. In addition, SEI Oxford will also lead a case study involving weADAPT, SEI’s signature, participatory climate adaptation platform, and the Climate Connectivity Hub, an interactive tool that links data on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
Partners in the consortium are:
Tool / weADAPT is SEI's pioneering, user-led platform and network for climate change adaptation.
Tool / The Climate Connectivity Hub a search-and-discovery tool on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and climate change mitigation.
Feature / SEI and partners created a climate village at a historic arts festival in Hungary to bring youth views and artistic expression into climate policy discussions.
Event on 18 May – 21 May in Cavtat / Luke Gooding will present a new paper which focuses on scaling participatory retrofit across diverse housing stocks.
Other publication / Retrofitting can be about more than just energy efficiency; it can enhance nature connectedness, circularity and can heighten a sense of ecological citizenship.
