Bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and local implementation of climate change adaptation. Results from a user survey of Norwegian climate services.

With strong local autonomy, Norwegian municipalities hold a significant responsibility for adapting to climate change at the local level (Gram-Hanssen et al., 2023). 

The Norwegian Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) provides national fine-scale climate projections, as the knowledge base for climate change adaptation in Norway. With the aim to support local decision makers to implement adaptation measures, NCCS has developed county-specific fact sheets, describing  future changes in climate, hydrology, and effects on natural hazards (Nilsen et al., 2022). The fact sheets contain recommendations for climate change allowances for flooding, heavy rainfall and sea level rise, and constitutes an important part of the knowledge base to be used in local and regional planning ("Statlige planretningslinjer for klima- og energiplanlegging og klimatilpasning," 2018).  

However, previous feedback from users indicates a gap between the services provided by NCCS and the user needs of Norwegian municipalities. 

In the wake of IPCC AR6, the fine-scale climate projections for Norway are updated, and will be published in the report “Climate in Norway 2100” (exp. 2025). In the development of new and updated services, the NCCS-project Klimakverna (The climate mill), aims to make climate projections easier to find and easier to use. 

Our research examines the utilization of climate projections in adaptation efforts, among small and medium-sized Norwegian municipalities. In-depth interviews have been conducted, with 9 municipalities with populations under 20,000. To complement the municipalities' perspectives, 4 directorates have also been interviewed, as well as the The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS), all of which supports municipalities in their climate adaptation efforts, through mediation or authority. 

The presentation will focus on how the scientific resources for climate adaptation are conveyed and employed, and how the accessibility and applicability of climate services can be improved to meet the municipalities requirements. 

By bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and local implementation, NCCS aims to empower municipalities to build more resilient communities in the face of climate change.

References

Gram-Hanssen, I., Aall, C., Drews, M., Juhola, S., Jurgilevich, A., Klein, R. J. T., Mikaelsson, M. A., & Lyngtorp Mik-Meyer, V. (2023). Comparison and analysis of national climate change adaptation policies in the Nordic region. 

Nilsen, I. B., Hanssen-Bauer, I., Dyrrdal, A. V., Hisdal, H., Lawrence, D., Haddeland, I., & Wong, W. K. (2022). From Climate Model Output to Actionable Climate Information in Norway. Frontiers in climate, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2022.866563 

Statlige planretningslinjer for klima- og energiplanlegging og klimatilpasning, Kommunal- og distriktsdepartementet (2018). (In Norwegian - Central government planning guidelines) https://lovdata.no/pro/SF/forskrift/2018-09-28-1469