Bridging user needs and climate data for local adaptation in Norway

In Norway, municipalities hold a significant responsibility for adapting to climate change. As local planning authorities, service providers, owners of critical infrastructure, and community developers they exercise significant local autonomy. Yet many of the 357 Norwegian municipalities (especially the small and medium sized) lack capacity to find, interpret, and apply climate information. The Norwegian Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) provides national fine-scale climate projections, as the knowledge base for climate change adaptation in Norway. County-wise factsheets have been in use for almost a decade, describing future changes in climate, hydrology, and effects on natural hazards at the county level. With the publication of new climate projections in 2025, NCCS set out to deliver municipality-wise climate fact sheets to support local decision makers, by aligning climate data to the expressed needs of local decision-makers.

To achieve this, a co-production framework was developed in collaboration with three pilot municipalities, Rakkestad, Skjåk, and Vestvågøy, selected for their diverse geographies, hazards, and experiences (e.g., drought and agriculture in Rakkestad; floods/avalanches and glacier tourism in Skjåk; storm surge and sea level rise in Vestvågøy). Through written surveys, iterative user testing, digital and in-person workshops, user stories were refined to align with municipal roles and responsibilities. The goal was to design a prototype profile format and content structure that links climate indices and information to users' workflows, decision-making processes, and local risk management. 

Central to this co-production process are challenges inherent in balancing simplicity and scientific integrity. For example, how can climate information be filtered to ensure relevance for specific municipalities? How should uncertainty in the data be communicated? When is it necessary to use general statements instead of precise figures? The balance between clarity and credibility is essential.

This talk shares the co-production process, lessons learned, and a replicable model for turning climate data into actionable, mandate-aligned information that strengthens local climate adaptation - particularly in municipalities with limited resources.