Actionable Climate Information to take decisions: Firts insights of the co-created climate indices for cultural outdoor activities in Catalonia

Climate change impacts every aspect of human and ecological systems, yet its effects on cultural outdoor activities remain underexplored, an oversight this project aims to start correcting. Specifically, this research focuses on the Catalan tradition of "Castellers," which involves constructing human towers, a deeply rooted cultural practice in some Catalan regions symbolising community strength and cooperation. Recognizing the potential vulnerability of this tradition to changing climate conditions, this study develops a tailored analytical framework to assess these impacts, building upon the co-creation of climate service methodology by local agents outlined in Font et al. (2021).

To capture the specific impacts of climate change on the "castellers," we conducted workshops with different "colles" (the groups that build the towers) to adapt the existing methodology better to fit the unique needs of this cultural practice. These collaborations have led to the creation of a specific indicator designed to measure the sensitivity of the "castellers" to environmental changes.

A key component of our research methodology involved measuring Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) during tower-building exhibitions, among the general description based on station and reanalysis data. Instruments were set up in the “places” where these events typically take place to collect real-time environmental data, such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed, during the performances. This approach allowed for the accurate capturing of the climatic conditions faced by participants during their performances, providing a robust dataset for analysing the potential impacts of climate variability on this activity.

The initial findings from this data collection indicate that even slight changes in ECVs can influence the performance and safety conditions of the "castellers." With these insights, the project seeks to equip organizers, participants, local government bodies in their capacity as risk managers, and the audience with valuable information to make informed decisions that help mitigate risks and ensure the sustainability of this intangible cultural heritage. This study highlights the vulnerability of cultural practices to climate change and sets a precedent for similar research into other areas of intangible heritage.