This p ojec has ecei ed unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon Eu ope esea ch and inno a ion
p og amme unde g an ag eemen No 101056933.
Recommended app oach o he applica ion o
assessmen me hods, and pilo applica ions case
s udies
Deli e able 3.3
Au ho s: Ca men Gonzalez Rome o (BSC), Ta iana Fe a i (DTU), Philip J McB ide (DTU), Chia a
Calde a o (CMCC), Simone Taddeo (CMCC), Adeola Jaiyeola (LGI), Anna Klose (F aunho e ),
Flo ian Eckel (F aunho e ), Jakob Hömbe g (F aunho e ), Dana S upa u (Del a es), Adam
Jabłoński (WSB), and And eas Villwock (HEREON)
Wi h con ibu ions om: Ful io Biddau (CMCC)
Re . A es(2025)6243020 - 31/07/2025
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 2
Documen In o ma ion
GRANT AGREEMENT
101056933
PROJECT TITLE
Suppo ing and s anda dizing clima e se ices in Eu ope and beyond
PROJECT ACRONYM
Clima eu ope2
PROJECT START DATE
01/09/2022
RELATED WORK PACKAGE
WP3
RELATED TASK(S)
T3.1
LEAD ORGANIZATION
BSC
AUTHORS
Ca men Gonzalez Rome o (BSC), Ta iana Fe a i (DTU), Philip J McB ide (DTU),
Chia a Calde a o (CMCC), Simone Taddeo (CMCC), Adeola Jaiyeola (LGI), Anna
Klose (F aunho e ), Flo ian Eckel (F aunho e ), Jakob Hömbe g (F aunho e ),
Dana S upa u (Del a es), Adam Jabłoński (WSB), and And eas Villwock
(HEREON)
CONTRIBUTORS
Ful io Biddau (CMCC)
SUBMISSION DATE
31/07/2025
DISSEMINATION LEVEL
PU-Public
His o y
DATE
SUBMITTED BY
REVIEWED BY
VISION (NOTES)
11/07/2025
Ca men Gonzalez
Asunción Le a S . Clai (BSC)
Fi s e sion
16/07/2025
BSC
Re iew ecei ed
31/07/2025
Ca men Gonzalez
Deli e able submi ed
Please ci e his epo as: Gonzalez Rome o, C., Fe a i, T., McB ide, P.J., Calde a o, C., Taddeo, S.,
Jaiyeola, A., Klose, A., Eckel, F., Hömbe g, J., S upa u, D., Jabłoński, A., Villwock, A. (2025).
Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods, and pilo applica ions case
s udies, D3.3 o he Clima eu ope2 p ojec
Disclaime : Funded by he Eu opean Union. Views and opinions exp essed a e howe e hose o he au ho (s) only and do no
necessa ily e lec hose o he Eu opean Union o he Eu opean Clima e, In as uc u e and En i onmen Execu i e Agency
(CINEA). Nei he he Eu opean Union no he g an ing au ho i y can be held esponsible o hem.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 3
Table o Con en s
1. Backg ound and Aim 8
2. Guidance on CS e alua ion 9
2.1 In oduc ion 9
2.2 Key ac o s in luencing CS alues and bene i s 10
2.2.1 Knowledge sys ems 11
2.2.2 Ecosys em o ac o s and co-p oduc ion p ocesses 13
2.2.3 Decision-con ex 16
2.2.4 E alua ion and deli e y mode 18
2.2.5 Me hodological app oaches 21
3. S akeholde consul a ion 31
3.1 In oduc ion and objec i es 31
3.2 Me hodology 32
3.3 Consul a ion me hod and p ocesses 33
3.4 Analysis 34
3.5 Resul s and Discussion 36
3.5.1 Unde s anding and demand o CS 36
3.5.2 P o ide s, challenges and needs 41
3.5.3 Impo ance and bene i s o CS 45
4. Conclusions and ecommenda ions 53
Lis o ables
Table 1. Summa y o main me hodological app oaches used o aluing CS 23
Table 2. In e iew pa icipan s 33
Lis o igu es
Figu e 1. Summa y o key ac o s in luencing CS alues and bene i s 20
Figu e 2. F amewo k s eps in CS alua ion 25
Figu e 3. Examples o iple bo om line bene i s 27
Figu e 4. Phases o be ollowed in s akeholde consul a ion 32
Figu e 5. Mind map illus a ing he hemes, sub- hemes, and he links be ween hem 35
Figu e 6. The wo mos commonly e e enced clima e isks 36
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 4
Abou Clima eu ope2
Timely deli e y and e ec i e use o clima e in o ma ion is undamen al o a g een eco e y and
a esilien , clima e neu al Eu ope, in esponse o clima e change and a iabili y. Clima e se ices
add ess his h ough he p o ision o clima e in o ma ion o use in decision-making o manage
isks and ealise oppo uni ies.
The ma ke and needs o clima e in o ma ion has seen imp essi e p og ess in ecen yea s and is
expec ed o g ow in he o eseeable u u e. Howe e , he communi ies in ol ed in he
de elopmen and p o ision o clima e se ices a e o en unawa e o each o he and lack
in e disciplina y and ansdisciplina y knowledge. In addi ion, quali y assu ance, ele an
s anda ds, and o he o ms o assu ance (such as guidelines, and good p ac ices) o clima e
se ices a e lagging behind. These a e needed o ensu e he saliency, c edibili y, legi imacy, and
au ho i a i eness o clima e se ices, and build wo-way us be ween supply and demand.
Clima eu ope2 aims o de elop u u e equi able and quali y-assu ed clima e se ices o all sec o s
o socie y by:
• De eloping s anda disa ion p ocedu es o clima e se ices.
• Suppo ing an equi able Eu opean clima e se ices communi y.
• Enhancing he up ake o quali y-assu ed clima e se ices o suppo adap a ion and
mi iga ion o clima e change and a iabili y.
The p ojec will iden i y he suppo and s anda disa ion needs o clima e se ices, including
c i e ia o ce i ica ion and labelling, as well as he use -d i en c i e ia needed o suppo clima e
ac ion. This in o ma ion will be used o p opose a axonomy o clima e se ices, sugges
communi y-based good p ac ices and guidelines, and p opose s anda ds whe e possible. A la ge
a ie y o ac i i ies o suppo he communi ies in ol ed in Eu opean clima e se ices will also be
o ganised.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 5
Execu i e Summa y
Deli e able D3.3 o he Clima eu ope2 (CE2) p ojec analyses he alues and bene i s associa ed
wi h CS in o de o p o ide ecommenda ions o ensu e long- e m iabili y and ealisa ion o he
bene i s o using CS. The analysis has been s uc u ed in o wo main pa s: i) an in-dep h
assessmen o he ele an li e a u e iden i ied in D3.1 oge he wi h an e alua ion o he me hods
and ools ha can be used o iden i y he alues and bene i s o CS , and ii) a se ies o in e iews
wi h decision-make s in he public sec o o be e unde s and how CS a e pe cei ed in p ac ice.
The in-dep h assessmen o li e a u e in es iga ed he alues and bene i s associa ed wi h he use
o CS in di e en ields. The ac o s ha in luence he alue o CS we e g ouped using he ou
componen s o CS de eloped in WP1 as base ca ego ies.
● Decision con ex . The sec o in which a CS is used g ea ly in luences how i s alue is
pe cei ed and assessed. This is because di e en sec o s ha e dis inc needs, decision
imelines, isk ole ances, ma ke s uc u es, policy and go e nance s uc u es and
capaci ies o ac on clima e in o ma ion.
● Ecosys ems o ac o s and co-p oduc ion p ocesses. CS gene a e economic alue only i
use s unde s and hei isks and ac i ely engage wi h he in o ma ion. The isk a e sion o
use s, wi h espec o managemen decisions, and he isk awa eness o he use s, wi h
espec o clima e h ea s, in luence he alue o a CS. The e is a need o an inc eased
unde s anding o he socio-cul u al cons uc ion o use eali ies, hei isk pe cep ion and
o connec his knowledge o CS de elopmen .
● Knowledge sys ems. CS include a b oade ange o clima e in o ma ion and ools o
decision making ac oss di e en sec o s. Fo ecas ing sys ems and hei cha ac e is ics
ha e been conside ed by mul iple s udies, hei added alue is in luenced by accu acy, lead
ime, speci ici y, spa ial esolu ion, and he way wea he pa ame e s a e epo ed.
● Deli e y mode and e alua ion. The alue o clima e in o ma ion will only be ealised i
app op ia e ac ion is aken om he in o ma ion p o ided. Enable s o an inc eased alue
o CS include collabo a ion, imp o ed accessibili y o clima e in o ma ion, ad ancemen s
in clima e science, ins i u ional e o ms, and oppo uni ies o build us .
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 6
Me hodological app oaches o assessing he alues and bene i s o CS ange om quan i a i e
(cos -bene i analyses, simula ions) o quali a i e (case s udies, in e iews). No ably, he lack o
s anda dised me ics and amewo ks se e ely hampe s compa ison, lea ning, and scaling o bes
p ac ices. Leading amewo ks s ess he impo ance o holis ic, con ex -sensi i e e alua ion ha
in eg a es s akeholde engagemen and co e s economic, social, and en i onmen al dimensions.
The analysis esul ing om he li e a u e e iew con i ms he need o conside bo h angible and
in angible bene i s o CS, as well as con inuous s akeholde engagemen . This epo a gues o a
delibe a e, s uc u ed app oach o CS e alua ion, oo ed in anspa en me hodology, use -
cen ed design, and explici a icula ion o bo h bene i s and limi a ions.
S akeholde consul a ion was conduc ed h ough 16 quali a i e in e iews wi h s akeholde s om
ci ies ac oss Eu ope. The in e iews wi h decision-make s we e designed o explo e hei
pe spec i e o he alues ha hey expe ience and he bene i s hey would like o gain om he
use o CS.
● Unde s anding and demand o CS. Clima e isks a e inc easingly conside ed in o e e y-day
decision making; new u ban de elopmen s, majo in as uc u e p ojec s, and changes o
zoning and land use o en need o include clima e sc eening. Wa e - ela ed ex emes,
pa icula ly loods and hea - ela ed s ess a e pe cei ed as mos impac ul. Many ci ies
explici ly men ioned he impo ance o di ec ing hei e o s owa d he mos ulne able
segmen s o hei popula ion. The in e iews exp essed he need o be e unde s and he
unce ain y associa ed wi h clima e da a and how o communica e i o a ious
s akeholde s. EU clima e audi s, unding condi ions, and ising public awa eness we e
ecognised as g adually enabling local go e nmen s o ac .
● P o ide s, Challenges and Needs. Gene ally, he esponden s had a p e e ence o in-house
p o ision o CS, a he han ex e nal sou ces. I his was no possible, he p e e ed
p o ide is usually a public ins i u ion such as na ional me eo ological ins i u es o majo
pla o ms like Clima e A las, Cope nicus, esea ch cen es o uni e si ies due o legi imacy,
us and inancial easons. None o he in e iewees epo ed o ely on any s anda d o
selec he p o ide s. A common ba ie iden i ied ac oss se e al ci ies is he lack o a clea
and cohesi e na ional guidance on CS. Also, he e a e clea ins i u ional and inancial
ba ie s including lack o s a and lack o capaci y o e ec i ely use he da a. Se e al ci ies
highligh ed he need o s anda disa ion and cen alised clima e da a. The local knowledge
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 7
was men ioned as an essen ial asse o de elop adap a ion plans ha eel ealis ic,
ac ionable, and us ed by he communi y.
● Impo ance and Bene i s o CS. The pe cei ed impo ance o clima e in o ma ion se ices
among municipali ies is a ied and shaped by a combina ion o ins i u ional s uc u es,
poli ical will, inancial conside a ions, and local p io i ies. Ci ies ace majo challenges in he
p ac ical use o CS. The lack o s anda disa ion, clea na ional guidance, and da a
accessibili y a e uni e sal complain s. Fo some municipali ies, clima e conside a ions a e
s ongly embedded in o hei planning p ocesses. Howe e , his was achie ed a e a long
pe iod o in e nal ad ocacy and o ganisa ional alignmen . Fo o he municipali ies, inancial
cons ain s and compe ing p io i ies o en ake p ecedence o e clima e ela ed p ojec s.
CS a e seen as bene icial in a eas lacking a s ong legal o egula o y amewo k. Solid
clima e da a can s eng hen he a ionale o clima e-sma policies and in as uc u e,
especially whe e legal manda es a e no ye in place. This enables e idence-based
ad ocacy and jus i ica ion o clima e- ela ed ac ions. Clea and ela able da a can also be
used o aise awa eness and d i e beha iou al change ac oss communi ies
Keywo ds
Clima e se ices, public sec o , adap a ion, s anda ds, s anda disa ion, alues, bene i s,
e alua ion me hods.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 8
1. Backg ound and Aim
Wo k package 3 (WP3) aims o ake s ock o , e iew, and analyse p ac ical examples ha
demons a e he economic, social, and en i onmen al alues and bene i s enabled by clima e
se ices (CS). A key objec i e o WP3 is o emphasise how hese alues and bene i s a e, and can
be, c ea ed and e ained o ensu e long- e m iabili y o CS and he sus ained ealisa ion o hei
bene i s. Addi ionally, WP3 also explo es he pa e ns and axonomies o business inno a ion
wi hin he domain o CS. This leads o he ecommenda ions and guidance documen s, building
upon ac i e engagemen and pa icipa ion o mul iple s akeholde s ac oss he CS communi y.
In his aming, ask 3.1 explo es he ypologies o alues and bene i s, he me hods and ools used
o po en ially used o de e mine hem, and how hese a e codesigned wi h and expe ienced by
use s and communi ies. In addi ion o economic and inancial alues and bene i s (e.g. cos sa ing,
a oided damage, e u n on in es men s), his ask will also add ess non-economic alues and
bene i s (e.g. cohesion and esilience, non-ins umen al and ela ional alues).
In he i s deli e able, D3.1, ask 3.1 conduc ed an o e iew o economic, social, and
en i onmen al alues and bene i s o CS ac oss he globe by analysing pee - e iewed and g ey
li e a u e. This scoping e iew illus a ed he posi i e e ec s o CS ac oss di e se sec o s and
di e en con ex s. Howe e , u he wo k is needed o de elop a mo e comp ehensi e
unde s anding o he alues and bene i s associa ed wi h CS. S udies p edominan ly ocus on
speci ic case s udies and lack o ha monisa ion, making i a challenge o gene alise esul s o a
b oade unde s anding. The need o a ha monised alua ion amewo k was pa icula ly e iden
when e alua ing he alues om quan i a i e pape s. In me hodological e ms, he e is a ange o
well-es ablished me hods o compu ing hese alues and bene i s. Ne e heless, s udies mus be
mo e igo ous o be e de ine he cha ac e is ics o he CS o e ed, he in o ma ion accessed, and
he local con ex s. Complemen a i ies be ween quali a i e and quan i a i e me hods emain
unde explo ed, ye hey ha e he po en ial o b ing g ea e cla i y o he es ima ion o he alues
and bene i s o CS. The conclusions o he li e a u e eed in o an ou line o a s akeholde
consul a ion, designed o explo e hei pe spec i e o he alues ha hey expe ience and would
like o gain om he use o CS.
This cu en deli e able, D3.3, u he explo es he concep o alue in ela ion o CS, wi h he aim
o p o iding insigh s ha can suppo s anda disa ion e o s ega ding he e alua ion o CS. This
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 9
in ol es an in-dep h assessmen o he ele an li e a u e iden i ied in D3.1, aimed a unco e ing
he nuances unde lying he alues and bene i s desc ibed in he li e a u e e iew (whe eas D3.1
add essed hese alues in a mo e gene al manne , emphasising wha has been epo ed and
assessed). This is complemen ed by one-on-one in e iews wi h decision-make s in he public
sec o a ena. The in e iews aimed o u he ex end and deepen he iden i ica ion o alues and
bene i s associa ed wi h CS, and o iden i y some o he non-economic bene i s iden i ied by use s
and pu eyo s o CS. Wi h his in o ma ion, WP3 will p o ide key indings and ecommenda ions
o ha monise he design and implemen a ion o e alua ion me hods.
In addi ion, he esul s o Task 3.1 will complemen he iews ob ained in Task 3.2 on business
inno a ion. The e, he pe spec i e is mo e om he p o ide side, how he alue p oposi ion is
gene a ed aking accoun he use needs. Al hough ha ask ocuses mo e on p i a e p o ide s o
CS, o ins ance Deli e able 3.4 add esses business inno a ion suppo ing he adap a ion
p ocesses needed o sus ainable and ans o ma i e socie al changes. Thus, a e cu en CS
capable o p o iding aluable in o ma ion and ad ice owa ds he ans o ma ion o clima e
esilien socie ies? O do we need di e en clima e se ices using new inno a i e me hods o
accomplish his goal? In eg a ing he iews o bo h asks o WP3 will p o ide mo e insigh s and
answe s o hese ques ions.
2. Guidance on CS e alua ion
2.1 In oduc ion
CS in ol e he gene a ion, ansla ion, analysis, and dissemina ion o clima e and socioeconomic
da a o help decision-make s in a ious sec o s manage isks, plan o he u u e, and imp o e
esilience (Vaughan and Dessai, 2014). CS ans o ms complex clima e in o ma ion in o ac ionable
insigh s ha a e accessible and ele an o speci ic use s (Vaughan and Dessai, 2014). In his, CS
hold immense alue, a beyond jus p oducing clima e in o ma ion. They se e as ools ha equip
people, businesses, and go e nmen s o make in o med decisions, enhance hei p epa edness,
and imp o e e iciency in add essing clima e- ela ed isks. In oday’s wo ld, whe e he e ec s o
clima e change and na u al a iabili y a e becoming inc easingly e iden (IPCC, 2018), ha ing
access o eliable and ele an CS is mo e impo an han e e . When we alk abou he ‘ alue’ o
CS, we look a how i can di ec ly impac he abili y o ac , whe he in he sho o long e m, as
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 16
The e is a need o an inc eased unde s anding o he socio-cul u al cons uc ion o use eali ies,
hei isk pe cep ion and hei knowledge. As such, his knowledge needs o be in eg a ed in he
de elopmen , accep abili y and u ilisa ion o CS. The e is also a lack o s anda disa ion in how o
con ex ualise CS (e.g., he ypes o ques ions o ask, ypes o in o ma ion o collec , s akeholde s
o co-p oduce wi h). The esul s o a emp s o con ex ualise CS a e sca ce and di icul o
compa e, sugges ing a lack o sha ed and clea goals and in e ac i i y. I would he e o e be
pe inen o es ablish a se o p inciples o e ec i e con ex ualisa ion o CS app oaches as hey
a e po en ially impo an o guide ans o ma ions o sus ainabili y (Ma inez e al, 2022).
2.2.3 Decision-con ex
The sec o in which a CS is used g ea ly in luences how i s alue is pe cei ed and assessed. This is
because di e en sec o s ha e dis inc needs, decision imelines, isk ole ances, ma ke
s uc u es, policy and go e nance s uc u es and capaci ies o ac on clima e in o ma ion.
Addi ionally, he le el o engagemen be ween use s and p o ide s and hei abili y o co-gene a e
ailo ed se ices may a y, which in u n a ec s hei le el o in ol emen and ul ima ely he
bene i s and alue de i ed om he se ice.
Value can be desc ibed in he o m o :
• Imp o ed decision-making (e.g. when o plan c ops)
• Reduced economic losses (e.g. a oiding lood damage)
• Enhanced esilience o clima e isks (e.g. ea ly wa ning sys ems)
• Op imisa ion o esou ces (e.g. wa e managemen s a egies)
The CE2 epo , D4.5 (Halsnæs e al. 2025), highligh s dis inc di e ences in how ci ies, he ene gy
sec o , and he inancial sec o engage wi h, and alue CS. Ci ies o en engage wi h CS o suppo
clima e adap a ion planning and isk assessmen s, de i ing alue p ima ily h ough imp o ed
esilience and compliance wi h policy amewo ks. Thei bene i s a e o en social and
en i onmen al, pe cei ed o e longe imescales. In con as , he ene gy sec o , especially in
enewables, uses CS o manage esou ce a iabili y and op imise ope a ions, making hem mo e
sensi i e o echnical accu acy and ope a ional ele ance. He e, he alue is mo e immedia e and
angible, linked o e iciency and isk educ ion. The inancial sec o , s ill eme ging in i s use o CS,
seeks da a-d i en insigh s o assess clima e- ela ed isks in in es men s. Fo hem, alue is closely
ied o quan i iable inancial isk educ ion and e u n on in es men . Based on he analysis o he
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 17
h ee sec o s in D4.5, i is clea ha he pe cei ed alue and bene i s o CS a y signi ican ly. These
di e ences in pe cep ion and use will na u ally in luence any a emp o assess he o e all alue
o CS, highligh ing he need o sec o -speci ic e alua ion amewo ks.
Conside ing he e iew p esen ed in D3.1, i is e iden ha he way ha he e alua ion CS is
p oduced and epo ed depends on he ma ke s uc u e and capaci ies o ac . Mos o he
li e a u e ocuses on he ag icul u e, o es y, and ishing sec o s, whe e he ma ke s uc u e
elies hea ily on he engagemen o nume ous indi idual ac o s who a e o en di icul o moni o
and each.
Some e alua ion me hods in his con ex use simula ion models ha compa e a baseline scena io
wi h an ideal decision-making ou come in o med by CS, assuming ha all indi iduals adop he
ecommended ac ions. O he s udies ely on su eys o unde s and how use s engage wi h CS,
assess hei usage pa e ns, and es ima e he esul ing bene i s. Howe e , his app oach is ime-
consuming and equi es conside able e o o cap u e and syn hesise he beha iou o mul iple,
di e se s akeholde s.
O en in he ag icul u e sec o use s ha e a ela i ely high capaci y o ac (in compa ison o o he
sec o s) on clima e in o ma ion, as hey a e ypically he di ec ecipien s o CS and mus make
indi idual decisions abou whe he o no o use hem. This au onomy enables a mo e immedia e
link be ween ecei ing in o ma ion and aking ac ion. Howe e , he ac ual capaci y o ac can a y
signi ican ly. Small-scale and esou ce-poo a me s, in pa icula , may ace subs an ial cons ain s,
including limi ed access o inancial esou ces, echnology, o ins i u ional suppo , ha hinde
hei abili y o e ec i ely espond o clima e in o ma ion (A che e al., 2024). These
socioeconomic and s uc u al ba ie s can educe he o e all e ec i eness and impac o CS in
hese con ex s, despi e he a ailabili y o ele an in o ma ion. Fo example, Ba ou ‑A a e al.
(2024) showed ha , in Ghana 82 % o cassa a a me s epo ed ecei ing wea he o ecas s, bu
me ely 9 % had access o sus ainable ag icul u al echnologies, and less han 14 % ecei ed
suppo om inancial, social, o go e nmen al ins i u ions, signi ican ly cons aining hei abili y
o ac on clima e ad ice.
In con as , o he sec o s o en ea u e a mo e cen alised ma ke s uc u e wi h ewe , mo e easily
iden i iable ac o s, which can simpli y he moni o ing o CS use. Howe e , in hese cases, he
complexi y o ins i u ional decision-making p ocesses can become a ba ie o ully cap u ing he
alue and bene i s gene a ed by CS - o ins ance, WMO (2024) highligh s ha he use o
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 18
me eo ological and hyd ological se ices, o en se ing sec o s like a ia ion, anspo , and disas e
esponse ope a es wi h siloed budge s, lack o in e -agency accoun abili y and agmen ed
ins i u ional amewo ks, can unde mine s eamlined deploymen and up ake o CS, e en when
he in o ma ion exis s and he ac o s a e easily iden i iable .
Thus, ins i u ional and o ganisa ional ope a ing egula ions may also limi he abili y o ac on
o ecas s. Bu eauc a ic s uc u es and egula o y amewo ks can p e en e en he mos accu a e
o ecas s om leading o meaning ul ac ion (Rayne e al., 2005). Jones e al. (2017) e iewed he
cons ain s and enable s in luencing he up ake o long- e m clima e in o ma ion in sec o al
in es men and planning decisions, pa icula ly in u ban planning, in as uc u e, and lood/coas al
managemen . Key cons ain s include a disconnec be ween p o ide s and use s, limi a ions o
app op ia e clima e da a, inancial and echnical ba ie s, as well as ins i u ional, poli ical, and
economical challenges.
2.2.4 E alua ion and deli e y mode
E alua ion
The alue o CS is di ec ly ela ed o he capaci y o he se ice o sa is y he exis ing demand, and
i is shaped by he le el o in e ac ions wi h end-use s. Pa aph asing Hope (2015), he alue o
clima e in o ma ion will only be ealised i app op ia e ac ion is aken om he in o ma ion
p o ided. Hence, he impo ance o ully unde s anding he needs and pe cep ions o he end-
use s ha unde line he demand o a CS, o deli e he CS in a imely manne and h ough he
app op ia e channels, and also o be e unde s and how CS in luences decision-making p ocesses.
Failing o p ope ly iden i y he demand hinde s he alue o CS in an objec i e and subjec i e way.
F om an objec i e poin o iew, de eloping CS ha a e no i o pu pose implies a miscalcula ion
o hei alue and a was e o esou ces. F om a subjec i e poin o iew o he decision-make ,
e en when he demand (and i s con ex and use s´ pe cep ion) is comp ehensi ely iden i ied, he e
migh be beha iou al, inancial and cul u al ac o s ha hampe he willingness and capaci y o
adop ac ions de i ed om he CS. Fo example, a me s migh no implemen ac ions as sugges ed
in ag oclima ic bulle ins because o a lack o inancial esou ces (Bo n e al., 2021).
Di e en s akeholde s pe cei e he alue o CS in a ying ways, wi h p oduce s and use s o en
ha ing dis inc pe spec i es (Mu phy, 1993). The e o e, di e en use s apply he in o ma ion
based on hei unique needs, cons ain s, and objec i es, so hey a e in luenced by decision-make
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 19
cha ac e is ics (Mu phy, 1993). Fac o s such as gende , socioeconomic class, social s a us, and
educa ion in luence how indi iduals’ access, in e p e , and apply CS (Ca & Owusu-Daaku, 2016).
O he elemen s also con ibu e o a ying le els o isk ole ance (see sec ion 2.2.1 abo e), which
in u n a ec s he pe cei ed alue o CS (Millne & Washing on, 2011).
One o he p ima y challenges ha e alua ion e o s ace in hese sec o s is he lack o baseline
da a o compa ing he ou pu and ou comes o he CS (Tall e al., 2018). Whils e alua ion ou pu s
e e o angible elemen s (p oduc s o se ices) p oduced by a CS as a esul o i s ac i i ies,
ou comes e e o he esul s o impac s o an e alua ion p ocess, indica ing whe he a CS
achie ed i s in ended goals and objec i es, es ablishing a causal ela ionship be ween he clima e
se ice and he ou come o impac . The challenges a ound he ou pu s and ou comes a e e y
di e en . The o me a e add essed by using indica o s and amewo ks ha epo di ec numbe s
o applica ion iews, ainees, and any o he da a collec ion ela ed o he success o he p ojec
o CS (Bonn e al., 2024). On he o he hand, he a ibu ion o beha iou al changes o impac o
ou comes o CS emains a challenge. The use o clima e se ices happens in complex ecosys ems,
mul ile el go e nance s uc u es and dynamic cul u al and social se ings, making i impe a i e o
unde s and he needs o he local decision-make s (including inal use s). Baseline da a can
some imes also be di icul o ob ain due o da a sca ci y o lack o g anula i y. Addi ionally, he
inhe en di icul ies o mone ising non-economic bene i s make i mo e challenging o assess he
bene i s o CS compa ed o o he in e en ions (Tall e al., 2018).
Deli e y mode
In disas e isk managemen , imely deli e y o he se ice is essen ial o make use o he
in o ma ion (B aman e al., 2013). Seydou e al. (2023) e alua ed he impac o seasonal
ag oclima ic in o ma ion used o ea ly wa ning and educing he ulne abili y o a me
communi ies in Sou hwes e n Nige . The s udy ound ha p o iding a me s wi h accu a e and
imely ag oclima ic in o ma ion signi ican ly imp o ed hei abili y o make in o med decisions
ega ding c op managemen , plan ing schedules, and esou ce alloca ion and ‘led o an inc ease in
p oduc ion and educed many o ms o disas e isks, including loods and d ough s’ (Seydou e
al., 2023). Howe e , deli e ing he se ice o a wide audience is c ucial o make use o i s ull
po en ial. By hen, he se ice was dissemina ed o indi iduals in semina s, eaching less han 10%
o he popula ion. The au ho s sugges ed ha he na ional me eo ological se ice should
‘disagg ega e seasonal ag oclima ic in o ma ion a a lowe adminis a i e subdi ision o allow
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 20
communi y adio and mobile elephone use s o dissemina e hem using he adap ed language(s)’
(Seydou e al., 2023).
Co-design o use -cen ed se ices is essen ial o g ow he demand o CS and o inc ease hei
pe cei ed and eal alue. By in es ing in a demand-d i en app oach, se ice p o ide s in es mo e
in imp o ing he anspa ency, ele ance, and us , hus he quali y o a CS, pa ing he way o a
aluable and impac ul CS.
The use o clima e in o ma ion is con ex -dependen , meaning ha he use ulness o hese CS
elies on he speci ic decision-making ci cums ances (adap ed om Lemons e al., 2002). The alue
o CS can be signi ican ly enhanced when i is ailo ed o mee he speci ic needs o he use .
Hackenb uch e al. (2017) highligh ed he g owing impo ance and he need o ailo ed clima e
in o ma ion o suppo decision-making, which mus align wi h he con ex in which he use is
ope a ing. Cogni i e ac o s as well, such as isk pe cep ion and us in scien i ic sou ces,
de e mine whe he a decision-make iews a o ecas as c edible and ac ionable (Sa a i e al.,
2024). Con e sely, enable s include collabo a ion, imp o ed accessibili y o clima e in o ma ion,
ad ancemen s in clima e science, ins i u ional e o ms, and oppo uni ies o build us .
Figu e 1. Summa y o key ac o s in luencing CS alues and bene i s
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 21
2.2.5 Me hodological app oaches
A c ucial aspec ha in luences he ou come o he alua ion o CS is he me hodology selec ed
o assess i s alues and bene i s. The li e a u e p esen s se e al dis inc app oaches o iden i ying
impac s and bene i s, which can be ca ego ised in o quali a i e and quan i a i e me hods, as well
as ex-an e and ex-pos app oaches. Each me hod has i s own s eng hs and weaknesses and may
a y in e ms o da a equi emen s, expe ise, ime, and esou ces. In his sec ion, we will explo e
he mos commonly used me hodological app oaches in he li e a u e o be e unde s and hei
selec ion and he key conside a ions ha play a c ucial ole in in luencing he es ima ed alue.
The bene i s o CS can be ca ego ised in o angible and in angible bene i s. Tangible bene i s ha e
a di ec impac and can be quan i ied in economic o nume ical e ms. Examples include inc eased
c op p oduc i i y, economic sa ings, and cos educ ion associa ed wi h disas e p epa edness.
These bene i s a e ypically assessed h ough quan i a i e me hods. As highligh ed in D3.1, wo
commonly used concep ual amewo ks o e alua ing he alue o CS a e he cos -loss app oach
and he cos -bene i analysis (CBA). Howe e , bo h app oaches ha e limi a ions, hey o en
o e look non-quan i iable bene i s, s uggle wi h unce ain y, and may ail o cap u e equi y and
long- e m socie al impac s. In con as , in angible bene i s e e o ou comes ha a e di icul o
measu e bu s ill p o ide signi ican alue. These bene i s can include impac s on well-being, he
en i onmen and communi y esilience.
Lazo e al. (2008) ca ego ised he alues and bene i s o CS using a iple bo om line app oach,
di iding hem in o social, en i onmen al, and economic dimensions. While his wo k emphasised
he impo ance o quan i ying he alue o CS, he also ecognised ha some bene i s a e di icul
o impossible o assign mone a y alues o. Acknowledging hese in angible bene i s, e en wi hou
inancial quan i ica ion, p o ides a mo e holis ic and accu a e unde s anding o he ue impac o
CS.
Building on his pe spec i e, Suckall and Soa es (2022), in hei li e a u e e iew o CS e alua ions
in Asia, ound ha cu en assessmen s a e o en na owly ocussed on sho - e m economic gains.
They conclude by ad oca ing o a b oade alua ion amewo k, one ha also cap u es in angible
and non-ma ke bene i s, ensu ing a mo e inclusi e and comp ehensi e e alua ion o CS.
D3.1 no es a g owing end in he use o quali a i e app oaches in he las yea s o unde s and he
bene i s o CS, usually made h ough in e iew me hods. Howe e , i also emphasises ha many
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 22
o hese quali a i e s udies ha e lacked su icien me hodological igo and ha e no adequa ely
add essed he h ee bo om line aspec s.
As s a ed, he es ima ion o alues and bene i s o CS can also be di ided in o ex-an e and ex-pos
app oaches. An ex-an e app oach is p ospec i e and e e s o he assessmen o he po en ial
alue o a CS p io o implemen a ion, o en making use o his o ical da a, simula ions and models
o he assessmen (Meza e al., 2008). This app oach is mo e common in quan i a i e analyses
and is especially use ul o unde s anding he po en ial impac s o a CS on speci ic ac i i ies,
allowing o mo e e ec i e esou ce alloca ion and in es men . This app oach can also be used o
explo e how u he imp o emen s o a p e-exis ing CS can impac economic e u ns and use
bene i s. One limi a ion, howe e , could be he o e simpli ica ion o he in e ac ion be ween
socie y and he clima e (Soa es e al., 2018). I use s a e no engaged, an ex-an e app oach can
o e look di e en social, ins i u ional, and geog aphic ac o s ha shape CS access and
applica ion, obscu ing he dis ibu ional impac s o he CS.
In con as , an ex-pos app oach is e ospec i e and e e s o he ac ual bene i s ha ha e
occu ed ollowing he deli e y o a CS (Meza e al., 2008). Mo e commonly seen in quali a i e
analyses, his app oach usually in ol es he analysis o obse ed da a, use eedback, and
measu able ou comes, al hough no necessa ily seeking o quan i y economic alue. An ex-pos
app oach, he e o e, o e s aluable insigh s in how CS can in luence decision-making, mainly due
o he in ol emen o use s, and is use ul o illus a ing impac and in o ming u u e plans.
Howe e , da a limi a ion is an issue (Soa es e al., 2018), as an ex-pos app oach equi es
es ablished moni o ing and long- e m da a collec ion, which may no be easible o some
alua ions.
D3.1 showed ha quali a i e es ima ions o he alue o CS ha e a wide ange o app oaches.
Es ima ion app oaches we e classi ied in o i e b oad ca ego ies ha included simula ion-based
app oaches (57%), CBA app oaches (4%), econome ic app oaches (20%), gene al equilib ium
models (2%) and willingness o pay (WTP) based echniques (17%). By a he mos popula
app oach o es ima ing he alue o CS o use s, simula ion app oaches p edomina ely use
s ochas ic modelling and his o ical da a o calcula e he expec ed alue o clima e o ecas s ac oss
di e en scena ios. Table 1 gi es a b ie summa y o he main me hods used, hei classi ica ion,
he ele an ime o hei use, hei s eng hs and limi a ions, and he ex en o which hey a e
ime consuming.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 23
Table 1. Summa y o main me hodological app oaches used o aluing CS
METHOD
TYPE
PRIMARY
USE
KEY STRENGTHS
KEY LIMITATIONS
TIME
INTENSITY
Cos -Loss
Models
Quan i a i e
/ Ex-an e
Fo ecas ing
use cases
Simple o apply;
decision-o ien ed &
use - ocused.
Igno es b oade social &
en i onmen al impac s.
Mode a e
Simula ion-
Based
Models
Quan i a i e
/ Ex-an e
Scena io
analysis
Use ul o assessing
po en ial ou comes
o e ime; lexible.
Requi es de ailed da a
inpu s.
High
Cos -Bene i
Analysis
(CBA)
Quan i a i e
/ Bo h
Economic
e alua ion
S anda dised, widely
accep ed, & sui able
o policy.
Requi es eliable da a;
unde alues in angible
bene i s.
Mode a e
Willingness-
o-Pay
(WTP)
Quan i a i e
/ Ex-an e
Valuing
p e e ences
Re eals use
p e e ences &
pe cei ed alue.
Subjec o hypo he ical
bias; cos ly o su ey.
Mode a e
Econome ic
App oaches
Quan i a i e
/ Ex-pos
Impac
assessmen
Can con ol o
mul iple a iables.
Requi es s a is ical
knowledge & da a.
High
Gene al
Equilib ium
Models
Quan i a i e
/ Bo h
Policy
e alua ion
Cap u es sys emic
in e ac ions; use ul o
la ge-scale analysis.
Highly da a-in ensi e
wi h complex
assump ions.
Ve y High
Case S udies
Quali a i e
/ Ex-pos
E alua ing
impac
P o ides in-dep h, ich
insigh s in o speci ic
con ex s.
Di icul o gene alise;
ime in ensi e.
High
In e iews
Quali a i e
/ Bo h
S akeholde
eedback
P o ides nuanced,
con ex - ich da a;
lexible.
Subjec i e, no easily
gene alisable, & equi es
skilled acili a ion.
High
The lack o s anda disa ion in he me ics used o epo economic alue is an issue. The e a e
signi ican di e ences ac oss s udies, making i di icul o es ablish ela ionships o make
compa isons be ween hem. Fo example, one s udy by Mjelde e al. (1997) epo ed he alue pe
a ea, while o he s udies by Mjelde, Thompson and Nixon (1996) and Mjelde e al. (1997;2)
epo ed ne p o i pe a m. S udies om Yu, Wang and Smi h (2008), Wang e al. (2009), and
Be e al. (2006) epo ed g oss ma gins pe hec a e pe yea , and s udies by Nidumolu e al.
(2021) and Sonka, Changnon and Ho ing (1988) ocussed on cos educ ion pe hec a e pe yea .
Addi ionally, s udies by Qued aogo e al. (2018), Awolala e al. (2023), Amegnaglo, Mensah-Bonsu
and Anaman (2022), Papa izos e al. (2021), and Kandlika (1998) used WTP as a me ic. Thus,
he e is no dominan me ic, leading o conside able a iabili y ac oss he s udies and a lack o
compa ison among CS.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 24
In summa y, he selec ion o an app op ia e e alua ion me hodology o CS depends on se e al
con ex ual ac o s, including da a a ailabili y, he in ended use o he e alua ion, s akeholde
engagemen , and he ype o bene i s being assessed. Whils quan i a i e, ex-an e me hods a e
well-sui ed o o ecas ing economic gains, quali a i e and ex-pos me hods a e be e aligned wi h
cap u ing eal-wo ld impac s and in angible ou comes. Howe e , some guidance on he economic
alue me ics epo ed should be made o enable he ex apola ion o he alues and allow o
compa ison be ween s udies.
2.2.6 E alua ion F amewo ks
Se e al amewo ks exis o guide he alua ion o CS. These amewo ks p o ide s uc u ed
app oaches o assess he bene i s, cos s, and o e all alue o CS in di e se con ex s, helping
esea che s and p ac i ione s o conduc igo ous and comp ehensi e analyses. In his sec ion, we
p esen and desc ibe h ee well-es ablished amewo ks ha se e as key e e ences and p ac ical
guides o CS alua ion p ac ices.
Lazo e al. (2008) - P ime on Economics o Na ional Me eo ological and Hyd ological Se ices
Lazo e al. (2008) p esen a decision-o ien ed economic amewo k designed o assis he Na ional
Me eo ological and Hyd ological Se ices (NMHSs) in e alua ing he bene i s o hei se ices. A
key con ibu ion o hei wo k lies in shi ing he ocus om pu ely echnical assessmen s o CS
accu acy o unde s anding he decision-making alue hese se ices gene a e. By in oducing
economic ools and p inciples, he amewo k p o ides a s uc u ed app oach o assessing he
socie al and economic impac s o NMHSs. The en-s ep amewo k is illus a ed in Figu e 2.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 25
Figu e 2. F amewo k s eps in CS alua ion
Sou ce: Lazo e al., 2008
The i s s ep aims o es ablish a baseline by iden i ying he se ices p o ided and he use s o
hose se ices, ollowed by de ining he decisions in luenced by he in o ma ion. Since alua ion
e e s o compa ing he alue in one si ua ion o ano he , he baseline se s he scena io wi h he
ou comes associa ed wi h he s a us quo, ha is, i no hing changes and no CS a e p o ided.
The second s ep in ol es de e mining he objec being alued. In his s ep, i is c ucial o desc ibe
he se ices p o ided in de ail, as changes in he quali y o o ecas s and se ices can ep esen a
ma ginal change in alue. I is he e o e impo an o unde s and exac ly wha is being e alua ed
and o desc ibe he alue chain o a CS in as much de ail as possible o cap u e he ype o
in o ma ion being alued.
The amewo k o e s a comp ehensi e me hod o iden i ying bo h cos s and bene i s,
emphasising he inclusion o all impac s ega dless o who incu s hem o whe e hey a e ealised.
Conside able a en ion is de o ed o unde s anding he di e en ypes o cos s and bene i s and
how o inco po a e hem in o he alua ion p ocess. Lazo e al. (2008) dis inguishes be ween
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 32
use opinions, ha is, we allow an open discussion co e ing hei imp essions and expe iences,
wi hou guiding hei esponses o expec ed ou comes. The e a e ou phases o implemen a
s akeholde consul a ion, as illus a ed in Figu e 4.
Figu e 4. Phases o be ollowed in s akeholde consul a ion
This guideline ou lines he c i e ia and p ocedu es o Phase 1: Selec ion o s akeholde s, Phase 2:
Consul a ion me hodology, and Phase 3: Conduc ing he consul a ion. The ollowing sec ions
desc ibe he me hodology used o he use consul a ion.
3.2 Me hodology
S akeholde consul a ion was ca ied ou using an in-dep h in e iew app oach. This me hod
enables he collec ion o in-dep h quali a i e insigh s in o decision-making p ocesses, pe cei ed
challenges, and s akeholde needs ela ed o CS. I also allows pa icipan s he lexibili y o exp ess
hei iews eely, which helps be e unde s and he alues and bene i s hey expec om, o
ha e expe ienced h ough, he use o CS.
Da a collec ion was conduc ed h ough 16 quali a i e in e iews wi h s akeholde s om ci ies
ac oss Eu ope (Table XX). Pa icipan s included ci y manage s and o he ele an decision-make s
occupying oles wi hin local go e nmen s ha equi e engagemen wi h clima e- ela ed issues,
ega dless o whe he hey a e cu en use s o CS.
The in e iews we e conduc ed online o e a ou -mon h pe iod (Feb ua y 2025 – May 2025),
wi h each session las ing app oxima ely 50 minu es. All in e iews we e eco ded, ansc ibed
e ba im, and analysed using hema ic analysis. Coding and analysis we e conduc ed in QualCode
so wa e, ollowing a p ima ily deduc i e coding app oach in o med by exis ing li e a u e and
esea ch ques ions.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 33
Table 2. In e iew pa icipan s
ID
INTERVIEWEE JOB TITLE
COUNTRY
REGION
N1
Clima e manage
No he n I eland
No he n
N2
Poli ician
No way
No he n
N3
Na u e and en i onmen specialis
Denma k
No he n
N4
Na u e and en i onmen specialis
Denma k
No he n
N5
Clima e special consul an
Denma k
No he n
E1
Spa ial planne
Slo akia
Eas e n
E2
Vice mayo
Poland
Eas e n
E3
Head o s a egic depa men
Poland
Eas e n
E4
Clima e manage
Poland
Eas e n
S1
P ojec esea che
Spain
Sou he n
S2
Head o wa e echnologies uni
Spain
Sou he n
S3
Ci il p o ec ion
I aly
Sou he n
S4
Clima e change expe
I aly
Sou he n
W1
Clima e adap a ion manage
F ance
Wes e n
W2
Ecological manage
F ance
Wes e n
W3
Clima e adap a ion manage and u ban da a manage
Ge many
Wes e n
W4
Clima e adap a ion manage
Ge many
Wes e n
3.3 Consul a ion me hod and p ocesses
WP3 pa ne s iden i ied a lis o po en ial in e iew pa icipan s based on pe sonal con ac s, public
e en s o ganised by o he Eu opean p ojec s and ne wo ks like MIP4Adap
1
, o he Communi y
o P ac ice om p ojec s such as Clima eu ope2
2
, ASPECT
3
o CLIMAAX
4
.
A o al o 40 local and egional go e nmen s om 11 coun ies ac oss Eu ope we e con ac ed ia
email and in i ed o pa icipa e in he in e iew. The in i a ion email ou lined he pu pose and
de ails o he in e iew (see Annex 1 o e e ence). O hese 40 ins i u ions, 16 accep ed he
in i a ion o an in e iew and o collabo a e wi h his deli e able. The emaining 24 ei he did no
espond o he ini ial o ollow up emails o ejec ed he in i a ion. Once pa icipa ion was
con i med, a calenda in i e was sha ed, con aining in o ma ion ele an o he in e iew, including
1
MIP4Adap
2
Clima eu ope2
3
ASPECT
4
CLIMAAX
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 34
he ag eed upon da e and ime, and ei he he in-pe son loca ion o a link o he i ual mee ing,
as pe Annex 2.
The in e iews we e led by CE2 WP3 pa ne s in he p e e ed languages o he in e iewees,
when possible, in o de o a oid po en ial misunde s andings o language ba ie s. Be o e
beginning he in e iew, WP3 pa ne s ci cula ed he CE2 consen o m o be signed by he
in e iewee. The consen s a ed ha he use was eely pa icipa ing in he ac i i y, allowed o
he in e iew o be eco ded and in o med he in e iewee o hei igh s, complying wi h GDPR.
All consen o ms, eco dings and in e iew ansc ip s we e uploaded o Teedy, he CE2
eposi o y designed o main ain GDPR compliance.
A de ailed in e iew p o ocol was de eloped be ween WP3 pa ne s o ensu e a comp ehensi e
and accu a e da a collec ion p ocess. The in e iewe ollowed he p o ocol ou lined in Annex 3.
3.4 Analysis
Thema ic analysis was employed as he analy ical echnique o iden i y, analyse, and epo
pa e ns and hemes wi hin he in e iew da a (By ne, 2022; B aun & Cla ke, 2006). This me hod
was chosen because i acili a es he sys ema ic iden i ica ion o ecu ing ideas and insigh s ac oss
quali a i e da a, allowing o a nuanced unde s anding o s akeholde pe spec i es.
The analysis ollowed he six-phase app oach ou lined by B aun and Cla ke (2006): 1)
amilia isa ion wi h he da a, 2) gene a ing ini ial codes, 3) sea ching o hemes, 4) e iewing
hemes, 5) de ining and naming hemes, and 6) p oducing he inal epo . This s uc u ed p ocess
ensu ed a igo ous and anspa en app oach o da a in e p e a ion.
As we we e wo king wi h mul iple pa ne s, we decided o use a deduc i e coding app oach, in
which codes we e es ablished a p io i based on he esea ch ques ions and ele an li e a u e. In
o al, 21 code labels we e used. A documen con aining he labels, de ini ions, desc ip ions, and
examples was p o ided o he pa ne s, who hen coded he in e iews using he same analy ical
amewo k. The pa ne s sys ema ically e iewed he da a and applied he p ede ined codes o
he ele an segmen s o he in e iews.
The hi d s ep consis s o sea ching o hemes. In his s age, he hemes c ea ed a e empo a y
and may be subjec o change (B aun and Cla ke, 2006). Thus, his s age was used o e iew he
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 35
coded segmen s in o de o iden i y pa e ns and ela ionships be ween hem. The ou h s ep
in ol es e iewing he hemes. He e, he da a associa ed wi h each heme was ead, aking in o
conside a ion i he da a suppo ed each heme o no , and i i wo ked wi hin he con ex o he
en i e da ase . In he end h ee main g oups we e c ea ed. In he i h s ep, we named and de ined
hemes and c ea ed he connec ions wi h sub- hemes and he mind map, shown in Figu e 5.
• Unde s anding and demand o CS: This heme aims o cap u e he in e iewee’s
knowledge and unde s anding o CS, wha in o ms hei usage, and wha is shaping cu en
and u u e demand.
• P o ide s, Challenges and Needs: This heme ocuses on unde s anding wha da a is used,
including how p o ide s a e selec ed, as well as ope a ional cons ain s and enable s.
• Impo ance and Bene i s o CS: This heme seeks o explo e he impo ance o clima e
in o ma ion on decision-making, and how CS is alued ac oss economic, en i onmen al,
and social dimensions.
Figu e 5. Mind map illus a ing he hemes, sub- hemes, and he links be ween hem
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 36
3.5 Resul s and Discussion
3.5.1 Unde s anding and demand o CS
The i s se o ques ions aimed a cap u ing he in e iewee’s knowledge and unde s anding o
clima e isks a ec ing hei ci y. I explo ed whe he , and in wha ways, clima e da a o o ecas s
a e used in planning and decision-making p ocesses, hei impo ance, and speci ic equi emen s
o gaps. Dialogue wi h local and egional au ho i ies e ealed ha wo clima e isks, shown in
Figu e 6, a e pa icula ly in luen ial in shaping local policy and day- o-day decision-making: wa e -
ela ed ex emes, pa icula ly looding, and hea - ela ed s ess associa ed wi h ising a e age
empe a u es and mo e equen hea wa es. To accoun o hese clima e isks, ce ain clima e
a iables s and ou as op p io i ies almos e e ywhe e. Wa e - ela ed me ics such as o al
ain all, ain all in ensi y, s o m su ge po en ial, uno a es, and lood ex en s, di ec ly shape he
design o d ainage sys ems, g een in as uc u e, and coas al de ences. Tempe a u e- ela ed
a iables, like daily maximums, hea wa e equency, ‘ opical nigh s’, and measu es like he
physiologically equi alen empe a u e ha cap u e how hea eels, a e jus as c ucial o ci ies
acing ho e , longe summe s. Less ob ious bu equally impo an a iables such as ela i e
humidi y, wind speed, soil mois u e, shading, and e apo anspi a ion help ci ies an icipa e wild i e
condi ions, d ough s ess, o hea s ess impac s on bo h people and ecosys ems.
Figu e 6. The wo mos commonly e e enced clima e isks
Wha eme ges om he in e iews is ha , among all, looding in i s many o ms is now he single
mos p essing clima e h ea . Coas al ci ies like N2, N3, and W4 epo ed his i idly, as hey ace
a dange ous combina ion o ising sea le els and mo e powe ul s o m su ges ha equen ly
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 37
coincide wi h in ense ain all e en s. When hese haza ds con e ge, hey easily o e whelm local
d ainage sys ems and es he limi s o coas al de ences. As men ioned by an in e iewee:
Bu o cou se, in he e en o hea y ain all o in he combina ion o wha we now ha e in
he Bal ic Sea - high ide, s o m su ge, isk and hea y ain - i 's a comple ely di e en
challenge, as we' e al eady had si ua ions in he pas whe e you can simply see he wa e
lowing di ec ly down he s ee and we' e al eady had signi ican in as uc u e damage
in a ious a eas o he ci y, which is no accep able. (W4, Ge many)
Flooding is no limi ed o he coas . Inland ci ies and densely u banised egions ace hei own
dis inc lood challenges, d i en by he way u ban landscapes ha e been buil o e decades. Ci ies
like W1 highligh ed u ban looding as a majo h ea , no jus because o hea ie downpou s bu
because so much o he u ban ab ic (conc e e oads, asphal ca pa ks, igh ly packed buildings)
lea es li le space o wa e o d ain na u ally.
Pa allel o wa e - ela ed isks, hea s ess has eme ged as he o he dominan haza d eshaping
u ban li e. In he in e iewed Eu opean ci ies, ho e a e age empe a u es, p olonged hea wa es,
and he u ban hea island e ec a e pu ing eal s ain on communi ies. Ci ies such as W3, which
a e buil in alleys o bowl-like opog aphies, a e especially ulne able as hey can ap hea and
p o ide li le na u al en ila ion. In sou he n Eu ope especially, local o icials desc ibe a g owing
p oblem wi h ‘ opical nigh s’, i.e. nigh s when empe a u es emain high, ins ead o d opping as
hey once did. Alongside hese wo majo isks, local and egional au ho i ies also ace a ange o
o he clima e haza ds ha a e mo e con ex -speci ic bu inc easingly u gen . In sou he n and
eas e n Eu ope o example, p olonged d ough s a e h ea ening wa e supplies and ag icul u al
p oduc ion. Fo es i es ha e been ecognised o be a mo e and mo e p essing issue, no only
con ined o Medi e anean a eas bu also men ioned in no he n egions, becoming a eal h ea
o pe i-u ban zones as ho e , d ie condi ions expand i e isk.
Taking in o conside a ion all his, a clea heme ac oss all he in e iews is ha wha we e once
a e, dis up i e e en s a e now becoming pa o daily eali y. This means ha clima e isks can no
longe be ea ed as abs ac , long- e m scena ios in planning documen s bu a e inc easingly
in eg a ed in o e e yday decision-making. EU di ec i es and na ional clima e laws we e
men ioned, as hey now equi e local go e nmen s o de elop comp ehensi e isk managemen
plans, adap a ion s a egies, and esilience amewo ks. As men ioned by N4:
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E e y ime we make a plan, clima e adap a ion and lood isk educ ion a e a pa o he
planning, and ha 's ac oss all he sou ces o wa e , so lood isk educ ion is a pa o he
planning e e y ime. I mean i 's e e y ime because we had been ying o inco po a e i
10 yea s ago, and i ook us i e yea s o con ince he en i e o ganisa ion ha i is a op
p io i y. So, we a e al eady doing i and we a e e y happy abou ha . (N4, Denma k)
New u ban de elopmen s, majo in as uc u e p ojec s, and changes o zoning and land use o en
unde go o mal clima e sc eening. As men ioned by N1:
A big pa o whe e we ha e o conside clima e da a and clima e isk is wi hin ou planning.
Ou planning eams would ob iously, when hey' e de eloping planning policy and looking
a spa ial plans and zoning, ha e o hink abou hings like lood isk. (N1, No he n I eland)
To do so, he in e iewed ci ies ha e men ioned using local and publicly a ailable da a, as well as
elying on pa ne ships wi h uni e si ies, esea ch ins i u es, and Eu opean- unded p ojec s.
Rega ding local da a, egionally collec ed me eo ological da a we e men ioned, pa icula ly on
empe a u e and p ecipi a ion. Cope nicus was also men ioned as a use ul esou ce. In eg a ion
be ween in-house e o s and collabo a ions wi h he esea ch sec o is a c ucial elemen o
egions o be able o success ully use p ojec ions and CS. Some examples include:
We a e cu en ly wo king on wo on s: i s ly, a he egional le el o p o ide nume ous
CS, pa icula ly h ough shape iles and s a ion da a, which I p ima ily use o end analysis.
Secondly, we a e collabo a ing wi h JASPERS [Join Assis ance o Suppo P ojec s in
Eu opean Regions], a echnical assis ance ini ia i e by he Eu opean In es men Bank and
he Eu opean Commission. JASPERS has p o ided use ul ools o clima e e i ica ion on
a ious in as uc u es. (S4, I aly)
[…] he second pilla o he LIFE p ojec wi hin he wa e sec o , which is an ale pla o m
o imp o e lood isk managemen . I 's called he SAT pla o m [Ea ly Wa ning Sys em] and
is based on hyd ological o ecas ing, aiming o educe esponse imes in he e en o
looding. (S1, Spain)
When we alk abou 100-yea p ojec ions and ha kind o hing, we use clima e scena ios,
and we don’ ha e ha many s a ions. (N3, Denma k)
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We de eloped [ esponse] plans and p ocedu es, de elopmen o s uc u es, in he e en
o loods - sewage sys ems, de elopmen o companies, municipal o ganisa ional uni s. We
ha e a clima e change adap a ion plan, ci y de elopmen s a egy un il 2040,
en i onmen al p o ec ion p og amme, assump ions o he ene gy, hea and wa e supply
plan, e i alisa ion p og amme o he ci y. (E4, Poland)
No iceably, many ci ies explici ly men ioned he impo ance o di ec ing hei e o s owa d he
mos ulne able segmen s o hei popula ion, inco po a ing speci ic ools and measu es in o hei
planning p ocesses.
[…] we' e e y keen and we' e doing a bi o wo k a he momen wi h UCC [Uni e si y
College Co k], and o he s, o ake ha clima e isk da a and o e lay i wi h socio-economic
da a so ha we can see whe e he mos ulne able people a e and we can ha e ha eal
good, use ul p o ile bo h in e ms o ulne abili y, bu I'm e y keen ha we look a his
om a ansi ion pe spec i e as well, om a clima e jus ice. So, whe e a e he communi ies
who a e mos ulne able? We know ha , we ha e ha in Council, bu wha does ha mean
in e ms o po en ial o hea ne wo ks? Wha does ha mean in po en ial o communi y
weal h when i comes o ene gy gene a ion? (N1, No he n I eland)
Adap a ion s a egy de eloped om a ulne abili y s udy ca ied ou in 2014, pa ially
upda ed in 2018. Cu en ly embedded in he 2024-2030 Te i o ial Clima e-Ai -Ene gy
Plan (PCAET), aligned wi h PNACC e minology. (W2, F ance)
[…] social and suppo policies, o example o isola ed people, he elde ly, and so on. We
ake in o accoun he e olu ion, well p ecisely he clima e. So, i 's going o ge ho e and
ho e , o example, and so po en ially we' e going o need o suppo mo e and mo e o a
popula ion ha , mo eo e , is aging. I 's he same in he. Ea ly childhood ca e policies. (W1,
F ance)
The clima e analysis in he ci y has a mul i-dimensional dimension. Issues ela ed o ai
p o ec ion a e he Ci y's S a egic P io i y. Imp o ing ene gy e iciency is e y impo an
and e i alisa ion o indus ial a eas and indus ial acili ies, mining dumps c ea e change
in he ci y. (E3, Poland)
EU clima e audi s, unding condi ions, and ising public awa eness we e ecognised as g adually
enabling local go e nmen s o ac . Fo example:
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 40
A big pa o whe e we ha e o conside clima e da a and clima e isk is wi hin ou planning.
Ou planning eams would ob iously, when hey' e de eloping planning policy and looking
a spa ial plans and zoning, ha e o hink abou hings like lood isk. (N1, No he n I eland)
Clima e da a and in o ma ion is no in o ming only he policies, bu some councils a e beginning
o assign clea budge lines o clima e- ela ed cos s:
Clima e in o ma ion is aken in o accoun , o example, wi h he ci y budge nego ia ions
he e's always a clima e componen o e e y budge no e. The e a e clima e conside a ions
o he app o al o all kinds o p ojec s wi hin he ci y. (N5, Denma k)
The way he unce ain y is handled by he di e en in e iewees a ies signi ican ly depending on
he ime scale o he clima e da a hey use. Those using clima e change p ojec ions epo hem as
highly unce ain, ‘we jus call i a e y we yea , because […] p ojec ions a e ex emely unce ain’,
(N3) and mo e di icul o deal wi h han hose using sho e ime scales, like wea he o seasonal
o e en his o ical da a. The unce ain y o clima e change p ojec ions is epo ed o ha e poli ical
and economic implica ions. On he one hand, poli icians a e mo e in e es ed in he elec o al e m
( ypically ou yea s) han ‘wha is happening in 2050’ (S4). On he o he hand, ci ies like N1 and
he egions o S1 and S4 ha e epo ed ollowing he ‘p inciple maximum cau ion’ when dealing
wi h unce ain y, which is usually ansla ed in o a cos inc ease because you ‘need o plan o he
wo k case scena io’ (N1).
Ano he majo conce n he in e iewees exp essed when dealing wi h unce ain y is he sou ce o
he da a. N3 epo ed challenges and conce ns abou how he exis ing di e en sou ces o clima e
change p ojec ions o e di e en ou pu s o sea le el ise, ‘we’ e alking abou di e ences o up
o one me e . I mean, ha ’s eally signi ican ’. The sou ce o he da a has been epo ed as
impo an in o de o us he clima e da a and he CS p o ided. Howe e , some imes a pa icula
se o clima e da a is used, e en i hey a en' ha much us ed, ‘because i is he only one
a ailable’ (N5). The e a e also ci ies ha seem com o able when dealing wi h he unce ain y o
he da a and he models like E1, N2, N5, S1, and S3.
When asked abou he communica ion o he unce ain y associa ed wi h a CS, all in e iewees
ag eed on he di icul y o unde s anding and communica ing he unce ain y. Some public
ins i u ions, howe e , accep ha unce ain y is pa o wo king wi h clima e da a and ind isual
ways o ep esen i . Whils o he s simply do no communica e he unce ain y associa ed wi h
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 41
he clima e da a o a clima e se ice and jus do no conside i as hey ‘would no know wha o
do wi h i ’ (S2). In some cases, he di icul y on communica ing unce ain y ely on he ime scales
o he CS no ma ching he ‘ ime ho izon in which humans hink […] so we y no o communica e
much’ (W4).
The unce ain y can be a challenge o unde s and and communica e, bu ha 's inhe en in
he science and he da a i sel . I 's ha d o ge a ound ha . (N5, Denma k)
I 's always impo an o esea che s o show unce ain y […] Bu hen o a decision make ,
and o he public deba e, i 's o en oo complica ed o unde s and because mos o a lo
o poli icians don' unde s and wha hose numbe s mean, and he public deba e and he
media de ini ely, a lo o he ime do no . My expe ience is ha i c ea es a lo o
unce ain y and some imes di icul poli ical deba e. (N2, No way)
In e iewees also o e a e y di e en unde s anding o hei concep o quali y o CS. Only S1
(Spain) de ined a quali y CS as one ha p o ides ‘accu acy, eliabili y, cla i y o he esul s,
anspa ency, da a aceabili y, indices – how hey a e calcula ed, who backs he index o da a.’
T us in he sou ce o he da a is a majo a iable o de ine ‘quali y’. In some ins ances, ha le el
o us is a synonym o legi imacy ‘[…] mo e locally accu a e bu also whe he i comes om an
o ganisa ion ha is ha 's a good epu a ion and quali y’ (N5) and ce ain y, ‘we’ e chosen o ely
on speci ic and eliable da a, e en i i ’s no as p ojec ed o modelled. We p e e some hing ce ain,
o a leas some hing we us .’ (N3).
3.5.2 P o ide s, challenges and needs
All public ins i u ions esponded ha , i possible, hey always p e e o ollow an in-house
p o ision o CS, a he han ely on ex e nal sou ces. Howe e , hey ‘ ely on ex e nal p o ide s i
he da a is complex’ (S2), o modelling pu poses (W3), o when he CS (o pa o i ) is highly
specialised ‘and we do no ha e he expe ise in-house’ (S1). The p e e ed p o ide is usually a
public ins i u ion like Na ional Me eo ological and Hyd ological Agency o any o he public agency
(N1, N5, S1), majo pla o ms like Clima e A las o Cope nicus (N3, W3), esea ch cen es o
uni e si ies due o legi imacy, us and inancial easons. None o he in e iewees epo ed o
ely on any s anda d o selec he p o ide s. They ei he ollow a public bidding p ocess o jus
ely on expe judgemen based on p o en echnical expe ise in he espec i e sec o s.
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Ano he c i ical economic conside a ion is he cos o eme gency esponse and disas e eco e y.
An icipa ing clima e e en s can help ci ies adap and educe he se e i y o hei impac s. As
highligh ed by S1:
These ools a e essen ial. We' e alking abou ools ha allow us o sa e li es, pe sonal
p ope y, and economic asse s. […] They enable us o an icipa e eme gencies and educe
hei po en ial nega i e e ec s. (S1, Spain)
Fu he mo e, CS p o ide an economic ad an age in a eas lacking a s ong legal o egula o y
amewo k a a local le el.
Clima e in o ma ion is o g ea alue, especially whe e he e is no legal basis ye . Because
in hese places, a lo o a gumen a ions a e needed, and his is be e o mo e p omising
wi h a good da a basis. (W3, Ge many)
Clima e in o ma ion is he co ne s one o a good, con incing a gumen . Using public EU
se ices as a basis suppo s he a gumen u he . (E1, Slo akia)
Thus, ha ing solid clima e da a s eng hens he a ionale o clima e-sma policies and
in as uc u e, especially whe e legal manda es a e no ye in place. I enables e idence-based
ad ocacy and jus i ica ion o clima e- ela ed expendi u es.
E en in day- o-day ope a ions, some ci ies desc ibed ha sho - e m o ecas s help o op imise
wo k o ce planning and educe unnecessa y expenses, such as sending s a o loca ions whe e
wo k canno p oceed due o ad e se wea he .
Addi ionally, CS also o e social bene i s o loca ions by enhancing public sa e y, imp o ing
communica ion, suppo ing beha iou change, and os e ing inclusi e planning and esilience. As
clima e impac s become mo e isible and equen , places a e inc easingly u ning o clima e da a
and se ices no only o planning and adap a ion, bu also o building s onge , sa e
communi ies.
One o he mos i al con ibu ions o CS o he social aspec lies in educing isk and p o ec ing
li es (Lazo e al., 2008). Fou o he in e iewed loca ions a e able o unde s and he con ibu ion
o CS in disas e isk educ ion, especially when clima e- ela ed e en s such as hea wa es, loods,
and s o ms h ea en ulne able popula ions. As emphasised by S3,
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i 's also c ucial o ci il de ence. Compa ing eal- ime da a om a cu en me eo ological
e en wi h clima ological da a allows us o iden i y hose signi ican ou lie s ha would
enable us o enhance he sa e y le el o a e i o y. (S3, I aly)
This ea ly ecogni ion enhances ci il de ence s a egies and di ec ly con ibu es o he sa e y o a
e i o y by p e en ing disas e s and educing ha m du ing ex eme e en s.
Beyond eme gency esponse, CS help c ea e a well-in o med socie y. Acco ding o N1, in addi ion
o decision-making, clima e da a also suppo s communi y engagemen and communica ion.
Communica ion is also a bene i highligh ed by E1 and W3.
I also is eally use ul, no jus in e ms o decision-making, bu in e ms o communica ions,
and enabling ha beha iou change. So, when I go ou o communi ies, I'm able o p esen
da a. I'm able o say, ‘look olks, in he las wha e e we' e seen his pe cen age inc ease
in ou annual a e age empe a u es’ and i 's a eally good comms ool as well o allow us
o do ha . And o c ea e ha awa eness and beha iou al change ha 's necessa y as well.
(N1, No he n I eland)
By p esen ing clea and ela able da a, municipal s a can aise awa eness, encou age esponsible
beha iou , and d i e beha iou al change ac oss communi ies. I also becomes a powe ul ool o
ad ocacy.
Finally, in N2, he social alue o CS was dis illed in o a single ye powe ul idea: he ‘secu i y o
ou socie y.’ Indeed, CS a e no jus echnical ools; hey a e essen ial pilla s o socie al esilience,
enabling municipali ies o p epa e, p o ec , and plan wi h people a he cen e.
The en i onmen al bene i s o CS ha e been inc easingly ecognised o hei help on long- e m
sus ainabili y, biodi e si y conse a ion, and clima e esilience. By in eg a ing clima e da a in o
planning and decision-making, municipali ies a e no only adap ing o a changing clima e bu also
p o ec ing ecosys ems, imp o ing land and wa e managemen , and ansi ioning owa d cleane
ene gy sys ems. Howe e , only h ee in e iewees discussed limi ed en i onmen al bene i s.
Fi s , S2, whe e CS has assis ed wi h he ansi ion o enewable ene gy. Since he en i onmen al
depa men has aligned i s ac ions wi h he 2030 Agenda, hey use clima e da a o guide
in es men in enewable ene gy, pa icula ly sola al e na i es, and in his way, di ec ly con ibu e
o emissions educ ions and cleane u ban en i onmen s.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 50
In S1, CS play a c ucial ole in i e and land managemen . Au ho i ies ha e used clima e and
hyd ological da a o be e unde s and he en i onmen al consequences o municipal
in e en ions, such as cons uc ion in i e beds. This awa eness has p omp ed a shi owa d mo e
sus ainable and na u e-based solu ions, including he designa ion o loodable bu e zones o
manage loods in ha mony wi h he i e ’s na u al dynamics:
I ’s ime o hink abou solu ions, such as emo ing speci ic obs acles o designa ing
loodable a eas ha can se e as bu e zones du ing loods. (S1, Spain)
These solu ions o e dual bene i s: hey educe lood isks while suppo ing ecological in eg i y.
As S1 o icials emphasise, i 's no longe abou sho - e m ixes like d edging o clea ing ege a ion,
which a e cos ly and en i onmen ally damaging, bu abou p omo ing long-las ing, ecologically
sensi i e in e en ions. This e lec s a g owing commi men o p ese e biodi e si y and main ain
heal hy i e ecosys ems, whils also mi iga ing he isks associa ed wi h ex eme wea he e en s.
E4 de eloped p inciples o manage he g een u ban elemen s o he ci y as well as wa e
equi emen s. Fu he mo e, S1 acknowledges ha loods a e na u al phenomena, no me ely
dis up ions:
[…] e e y ac ion unde aken by he Go e nmen o [S1] inco po a es a espec o he
en i onmen and he i e ecosys em and acknowledges loods as a na u al pa o i e
dynamics – hey a e going o happen, and hey a e na u al e en s. (S1, Spain)
By in eg a ing his pe spec i e in o planning, municipali ies can adop s a egies ha espec
na u al p ocesses a he han ying o con ol hem en i ely. CS can help ope a ionalise his
unde s anding by o e ing p edic i e ools and scena io planning capabili ies ha in o m whe e
and how o ac mos e ec i ely.
N4 p o ides a s ong example o how CS can eshape u ban in as uc u e planning and enables
municipali ies o align en i onmen al and in as uc u e solu ions:
I would be e y poo decision making i you don' ha e clima e in o ma ion because hen
you jus do wha you no mally would do. And i you jus do wha you no mally do, hen
you would ail. We began his ansi ion 10 yea s ago and now we' e been wo king wi h i
mo e se iously abou planning o i e yea s on he s o mwa e side. This was because we
knew ha we needed o do some hing di e en ly because we could see his clima e
in o ma ion – he e was a end abou hing changing, and we could no jus do wha we
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 51
no mally did. So, I hink i 's e y c ucial ha we ha e his in o ma ion. […] igh now we
ha e his p inciple – one o he decisions wi h a was ewa e managemen plan eigh yea s
ago is ha we a e ying o inco po a e as many su ace solu ions as possible and he added
alue o ha is ha ha gi es some hing g een, and mo e ee plan ing, and biodi e si y
back o he ci y ins ead o only wo king wi h a pipe sys em. Tha is a decision ha we ha e
been making based on his clima e in o ma ion, ha we y o wo k wi h su ace solu ions
ins ead o only piped solu ions. So, we ha e changed ou decision, ou s a egy, how we
do i and now we can see i e e y ime when we do a p ojec , we ha e ied o do su ace
solu ions. (N4, Denma k)
In e iewees we e also asked o p o ide conc e e examples o he bene i s gene a ed h ough he
use o CS. Below we highligh h ee illus a i e cases ha e ec i ely summa ise he di e se
con ibu ions CS can o e o local planning and decision-making, as discussed in his sec ion:
[…] i we we e o in es in a speci ic a ea o e he nex 10 yea s – o example, in
ag icul u e, animal husband y, o indus y – ecei ing clima e signals ha indica e i would
be coun e p oduc i e o in es in ha pa icula a ea due o speci ic e en s, o ha wa n
us abou u u e ain all a ailabili y o empe a u e luc ua ions, would likely allow us o
signi ican ly limi po en ial damage and unnecessa y p ojec s. (S3, I aly)
[…] conside win e ou ism. Ha ing clima ological da a ele an o ha sec o would help
us de e mine he long- e m sus ainabili y o ins alling a new ski li . Jus hink in he 1970s,
all he eso s in he Apennines we e buil wi h base s a ions a ound 1300 me e s. Now,
he e ec i e snow ele a ion has isen by almos 300 me e s. Reso s buil in he 1970s
wi h s a ing poin s a ound 1300 me e s a e now la gely s agnan o ope a ing a a de ici .
I in he 2010s he op imal ele a ion was a ound 1300-1400 me e s, i 's now close o
1600-1700 me e s. This illus a es how clima ological analysis could be inc edibly use ul
e en in his seemingly i ial example o ou ism in es men . (S3, I aly)
Examples a e a p ojec called ‘li ing places’ o e i alise public space based on clima e da a,
a p ojec on eno a ion/ eloca ion o public anspo s ops, based on he analysis o
ulne able g oups and hea islands maps o ecosys em se ices we e c ea ed based on
clima e da a, which a e used as a basis o spa ial planning. (E1, Slo akia)
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The in e iews conduc ed e eal ha looding and hea s ess domina e local pe cep ions o
clima e isk, shaping nea ly all policy and planning p io i ies. Wa e - ela ed clima e me ics, such
as ain all in ensi y, s o m su ge, and uno , d i e d ainage and lood de ence designs, while
empe a u e indica o s in o m hea ac ion plans and u ban adap a ion. These clima e h ea s a e
no longe a e; hey a e now pa o he day- o-day ope a ional eali y o ci y go e nmen s,
d i ing sys ema ic in eg a ion o clima e isk in o u ban planning, zoning, and budge a y decisions.
Despi e his p og ess, ci ies ace majo challenges in he p ac ical use o CS. The lack o
s anda disa ion, clea na ional guidance, and da a accessibili y a e uni e sal complain s, as is he
pe sis en gap be ween he scale o a ailable models and he highly local de ail equi ed o eal-
wo ld decisions. The complexi y o clima e da a and unce ain y, especially in long- e m
p ojec ions, c ea es poli ical and ope a ional di icul ies, o en lea ing decision-make s unsu e
which da a o us o how o communica e unce ain y o he public. Mos municipali ies p e e
o ely on public o in-house da a p o ide s, hough limi ed capaci y and expe ise o en mean
dependence on ex e nal agencies o esea ch pa ne ships.
Ins i u ional and inancial cons ain s emain c i ical ba ie s, wi h many ci ies ci ing insu icien
s a ing, lack o echnical capaci y, and ambiguous esponsibili ies as pe sis en obs acles. S ill,
some ci ies a e mo ing o wa d by embedding clima e conside a ions ac oss all planning and
budge lines, o en mo i a ed by EU egula ions o unding equi emen s. No ably, municipali ies
a e also s a ing o a ge hei adap a ion e o s a he mos ulne able popula ions, o e laying
clima e da a wi h social and economic ulne abili y mapping.
Unlike he s uc u ed ypologies p oposed in Sec ion 2, he s akeholde in e iews e eal a mo e
implici and con ex -d i en a icula ion o alue. The pe cei ed bene i s o CS ex end well beyond
economic calcula ions. Municipali ies epo ha CS enable sma e long- e m in es men , educe
ope a ional and eme gency cos s, and suppo mo e equi able, esilien communi ies. Social and
en i onmen al bene i s, such as imp o ed public sa e y, communi y engagemen , and biodi e si y,
a e inc easingly ecognised, hough o en di icul o quan i y and s ill a ely embedded in o
sys ema ic alua ion. Ul ima ely, ci ies see CS as essen ial no only o compliance o disas e
esponse, bu as ounda ional ools o u u e-p oo ing u ban li e in a changing clima e. This
sugges s ha whils he li e a u e p o ides a comp ehensi e axonomy o CS alue, i s applica ion
in p ac ice emains media ed by ins i u ional cons ain s and subjec i e in e p e a ions o wha
cons i u es alue.
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4. Conclusions and ecommenda ions
The li e a u e e iew conduc ed in D3.1 ocused on iden i ying he amewo ks and
me hodologies o assess he alue o CS desc ibed in pee e iewed pape s. In con as , D3.3 aims
o iden i y he alues and bene i s ha CS o e s o socie y based on ha li e a u e e iew and
s akeholde consul a ion. The alues and bene i s iden i ied in D3.3 we e hen classi ied based on
he ou componen s o CS iden i ied by he CE2 conso ium. A majo issue aced du ing he
analysis o he pee - e iewed a icles was ha he g ea majo i y o hem did no cen e a ound
ope a ional CS (CS ha we e ei he cu en ly, o a some poin in he pas , in use), bu a ound
p ojec s, demos o pilo s. This limi ed he possibili y o iden i y and unde s and he alues and
bene i s o he CS since he e alua ion and eedback om use s and p o ide s could no be
assessed, as he CS we e ne e used o applied, especially hose in Eu ope. In o de o o e come
his ba ie , WP3 in e iewed local decision-make s a di e en ju isdic ional le els (small owns,
ci ies and egions) co e ing No he n, Sou he n, Eas e n and Wes e n Eu ope (see Table 2 o
u he de ails).
The indings o D3.3. sugges ha a sys ema ic e alua ion o CS in Eu ope is almos inexis an and
e eals a complex landscape whe e he ambi ion o e idence-based adap a ion collides wi h
signi ican scien i ic, ins i u ional, and p ac ical cons ain s. Whils CS ha e become cen al o isk
managemen , u ban planning, and policy de elopmen , hei eal alue is a ely s aigh o wa d,
and hei widesp ead up ake canno be aken o g an ed.
Acco ding o he ou pu s om he conduc ed in e iews, he alue o CS is de e mined by se e al
in e linked ac o s. The quali y o clima e da a, including accu acy, lead ime, speci ici y, and spa ial
esolu ion, p o oundly a ec s i s use ulness. Howe e , c edibili y and use s’ us a e equally i al,
especially gi en widesp ead p e e ence o sho - e m, his o ical da a o e unce ain long- e m
p ojec ions. The ecosys em o ac o s, including isk pe cep ion, awa eness, and pas expe iences,
shapes engagemen wi h CS, wi h use s mo e likely o ac i hey pe cei e isks as ele an and
u gen .
Sec o al con ex u he complica es ma e s: di e en indus ies and go e nance le els equi e
ailo ed app oaches, as alue is pe cei ed h ough a ying lenses (economic, social, esilience,
egula o y compliance). Me hodological app oaches o assessing CS alue ange om quan i a i e
(cos -bene i analyses, simula ions) o quali a i e (case s udies, in e iews), wi h an ongoing deba e
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 54
abou he bes balance be ween ex-an e and ex-pos e alua ions. No ably, he lack o s anda dised
me ics and amewo ks se e ely hampe s compa ison, lea ning, and scaling o bes p ac ices.
Leading amewo ks, such as hose om Lazo e al. (2008), WMO (2015), and he WISER
p og amme, s ess he impo ance o holis ic, con ex -sensi i e e alua ion ha in eg a es
s akeholde engagemen and co e s economic, social, and en i onmen al dimensions. Ye , eal-
wo ld p ac ice emains inconsis en , o en lacking obus moni o ing, clea baselines, o sys ema ic
e alua ion p ocesses. This deli e able ul ima ely a gues o a delibe a e, s uc u ed app oach o
CS e alua ion, oo ed in anspa en me hodology, use -cen ed design, and explici a icula ion
o bo h bene i s and limi a ions, which is essen ial i CS a e o ul il hei p omise o suppo ing
e ec i e clima e adap a ion and isk managemen .
Key indings highligh se e al ecu ing eali ies:
1. Value is con ex -dependen and o en unde - ealised
The e idence unde sco es ha he alue o CS is no in insic, bu highly dependen on hei
con ex o use, sec o al needs, and he decision en i onmen s o he end use s. The bes echnical
se ice is ul ima ely meaningless i i does no i wi h ins i u ional p io i ies, imelines, o he socio-
poli ical con ex . Many Eu opean CS desc ibed in he li e a u e emain esea ch-d i en p o o ypes,
wi h limi ed ansi ion o ope a ional se ices once p ojec unding expi es. The consequence is a
agmen ed landscape whe e good p ac ice and e ec i e se ices a ely scale up o endu e.
2. Pe sis en ba ie s limi up ake and impac
The pe sis en ba ie s o e ec i e CS use a e nume ous and widely sha ed ac oss sec o s and
egions:
• Lack o s anda disa ion: The e is li le ha monisa ion in he me hods, me ics, o
amewo ks o e alua ing CS. This makes c oss-compa ison o cumula i e lea ning
excep ionally di icul . E en leading amewo ks (Lazo, WMO, WISER) a e no consis en ly
o igo ously implemen ed.
• Da a and capaci y gaps: Many ci ies and egions s uggle wi h limi ed access o high-
esolu ion, c edible da a and a lack o in-house echnical capaci y o p ocess, in e p e , and
ac upon CS. E en whe e echnical skill exis s, ins i u ional ine ia, s a sho ages, and
budge a y cons ain s a e endemic.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 55
• Decision- ele ance and us : CS a e o en poo ly ailo ed o he needs and capaci ies o
eal use s. The misma ch be ween modelled da a scales and eal-wo ld planning needs is
acu e. T us in CS is unde mined by unce ain ies ha a e a ely communica ed e ec i ely
o by con lic ing da a om mul iple p o ide s.
• Unclea go e nance and agmen ed p o ision: Many municipali ies epo ambiguous
manda es and a lack o clea na ional guidance, esul ing in ad hoc o inconsis en
app oaches o CS unde s anding, adop ion and use.
3. Bene i s go beyond economics, bu emain ha d o cap u e
While economic assessmen s (cos -loss, CBA) a e well-es ablished, mos s udies con inue o ocus
na owly on immedia e, quan i iable gains. Ye he social and en i onmen al bene i s, imp o ed
esilience, educed ulne abili y, public sa e y, and equi y, a e o en he mos alued by local
ac o s, e en hough hey a e ha de o mone ise o sys ema ically documen . The li e a u e and
s akeholde consul a ions alike e eal ha in angible bene i s, such as inc eased communi y us ,
imp o ed communica ion, o be e a ge ing o ulne able g oups, a e bo h eal and insu icien ly
cap u ed by cu en e alua ion app oaches.
4. The need o genuine co-p oduc ion and ins i u ional lea ning
Pe haps he mos consis en lesson is ha CS deli e s g ea es alue when hey a e co-p oduced
wi h, and o , hei end use s. Success depends no jus on echnical excellence bu on con inual
engagemen , capaci y building, and wo-way dialogue. When local knowledge and li ed expe ience
a e combined wi h echnical da a, adap a ion planning becomes mo e ealis ic and ac ionable.
Howe e , co-p oduc ion is labou -in ensi e, equi es long- e m in es men , and is ulne able o
shi ing poli ical and unding p io i ies.
5. Recommenda ions o a way o wa d
• Adop and adap obus e alua ion amewo ks: Any CS ini ia i e mus be unde pinned
om he ou se by a i - o -pu pose e alua ion amewo k ha sys ema ically conside s
economic, social, and en i onmen al bene i s. While s anda dising me ics ac oss Eu ope
may be un ealis ic, a common p ocess o e alua ion design, including anspa en
epo ing o me hods and assump ions, would subs an ially imp o e compa abili y and
lea ning.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 56
• In es in local capaci y and da a accessibili y: Na ional and Eu opean bodies mus suppo
local au ho i ies wi h bo h echnical aining and he in as uc u e o access, p ocess, and
use clima e da a a he igh scale. In es men s in open da a, use - iendly pla o ms, and
ongoing p o essional de elopmen a e c i ical i CS a e o become embedded in ou ine
decision-making.
• P io i ise communica ion and us building: Clea , hones communica ion o unce ain y
and limi a ions mus become he no m. Wi hou his, us in CS will e ode, ega dless o
echnical ad ances. Equally, mechanisms o ga he ing and ac ing on use eedback mus
be ou ine, no excep ional.
• Suppo ins i u ional change and s able unding: The ch onic dependence on sho - e m
p ojec unding unde mines con inui y and ins i u ional lea ning. S able, long- e m
inancing and clea go e nance a angemen s a e p e equisi es o building he ins i u ional
memo y and capaci y needed o CS o ha e endu ing impac .
In conclusion, he p omise o CS in Eu ope is a om ully ealised. The echnical ounda ions
exis , bu hei socie al alue emains condi ional and agile, highly dependen on use
engagemen , local con ex , and ins i u ional commi men . Only h ough a sus ained ocus on i -
o -pu pose design, igo ous and anspa en e alua ion, and genuine pa ne ship wi h end use s
will CS mo e beyond expe imen al pilo s o deli e on hei po en ial as d i e s o clima e esilience
and isk educ ion.
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 57
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I ha e a ached a consen o m o his email. I would be g ea i you could e u n he signed
o m o me be o e he in e iew, o du ing he in e iew i ha wo ks be e o you.
I you ha e any ques ions o i he e a e any changes o you a ailabili y, please le me know.
I look o wa d o ou discussion.
Bes wishes,
[Name]
Annex 3. In e iew ques ions
In oduc ion: On behal o Clima eu ope2, I would like o hank you o joining us oday. I am
[name], I’m going o in e iew you, and also wi h us is [name] who will be assis ing du ing ou
discussion. Today, we’ e he e o alk abou clima e in o ma ion and da a, and decision-making,
and o ga he you aluable insigh s. The e a e no igh o w ong answe s o hese ques ions, we
jus wan o unde s and you expe iences. Be o e we begin, do you ha e any ques ions?
Also, i you do ha e any ques ions a any poin o wan o s op, please eel ee o in e up . [I
hey ha e no ye e u ned he consen o m, emind hem o do so].
And now wi h you pe mission I will s a eco ding and begin ou in e iew. [wai o he
in e iewe ’s con i ma ion and hen s a asking he ques ions below. Adhe e o he ques ions
and hei o de ]
1. Fac o s In luencing Decision-Making
a. Wha clima e sensi i i ies/ isks/p oblems do you ypically ace and how does his
in luence decision-making in you ci y?
b. Do you ake clima e issues in o conside a ion when you a e making decisions?
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 65
i. How impo an is clima e in o ma ion compa ed o o he inpu s and policy
p io i ies?
c. Which ime scales o clima e in o ma ion a e mos ele an o you ac i i ies?
Such as sho - e m o ecas s, seasonal ou looks, long- e m p ojec ions.
d. Which spa ial esolu ions a e mos ele an o you ac i i ies?
e. Which clima e a iables a e mos ele an o you ac i i ies?
2. Unde s anding he Impo ance o CS
a. Wha ypes o clima e da a and decision-making suppo do you conside
impo an ?
b. Wha does he e m ‘clima e se ice’ mean o you?
i. [A e he esponse, gi e he CE2 de ini ion] Clima e se ices in ol e he
p o ision o clima e in o ma ion in such a way as o assis decision-
making. The se ice includes app op ia e engagemen om use s and
p o ide s, is based on scien i ically c edible in o ma ion and expe ise, has
an e ec i e access mechanism and esponds o use needs.
So, i is no jus abou p o iding in o ma ion o da a bu also in ol es
assis ing wi h knowledge de elopmen and decision making.
c. A e hea ing he de ini ion, a e he e any speci ic quali ies o a ibu es ha you
would associa e wi h a good clima e se ice?
d. I you use clima e in o ma ion o da a, how do you selec you p o ide ?
i. Do you p ocess clima e in o ma ion in-house o ely on ex e nal p o ide s
o consul an s?
1. [i hey answe hey ely on ex e nal p o ide s] Wha ype o da a do
you ge om you p o ide ? Fo wha pu pose? Which ou pu do
you ge by using ha da a?
2. [i hey answe hey p ocess in o ma ion in-house] Wha ype o da a
do you p ocess? Fo wha pu pose? Which ou pu do you ge by
using ha da a?
ii. Do you use any quali y checklis (o simila ) o he clima e in o ma ion
used in you decision-making p ocess?
e. How accu a e do you hink he clima e in o ma ion ha you ecei e is?
i. Ha e you expe ienced con lic ing clima e in o ma ion, i so, how did you
handle his?
ii. Does he clima e in o ma ion used come wi h unce ain y measu emen ?
How is i communica ed [unce ain y en elopes, con idence in e als,
e ciles, e c.]? I no , how do you handle unce ain y?
iii. Is (clima e) in o ma ion/da a unce ain y a limi ing ac o in you decision-
making p ocesses?
i . Wha amoun o unce ain y can you cope wi h in you decision-making
p ocess?
D3.3 Recommended app oach o he applica ion o assessmen me hods and pilo applica ions case s udies | 66
3. Values and Bene i s Iden i ied
a. How aluable o bene icial do you hink clima e in o ma ion is when i comes o
decision-making?
i. Can you p o ide some examples o he bene i s c ea ed?
ii. [i isk educ ion is gi en as he only bene i ] CS ha e been shown o ha e
u he bene i s beyond isk educ ion, such as g eene u ban spaces,
imp o ed housing, and be e li ing condi ions. Do you see any possibili y
o u he bene i s?
b. Wha , i any hing, could help you make mo e in o med clima e decisions?
i. Is he e any kind o clima e in o ma ion o imp o ed communica ion ha
would be bene icial o you decision-making?
ii. Would aining o capaci y building ac i i ies help you make mo e
in o med clima e decisions? I so, could you please speci y which ainings
[ he opics/elemen s/skills o he aining] you hink will help you make
mo e in o med clima e decisions?
4. Ba ie s o Using CS
a. A e he e any guidelines in you sec o ega ding he use o clima e in o ma ion o
da a o decision-making, o is he use based on expe judgmen ?
b. Do you ace any challenges o ba ie s when using clima e in o ma ion o da a o
decision-making?
i. Can you p o ide speci ic examples?
