Climate services: Co-development in Cork City, Ireland

Abstract

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time [1]. It will reshape our world and impact all of society. Cities are where the majority of people live and where most of the world’s population directly experiences climate change impacts. No one individual or organisation will be able to deliver adaptation to climate change for society – we need collaboration across scales, disciplines and societal actors. To help combat climate change impacts that are now unavoidable, Cork City (Ireland) is working in conjunction with 19 partners across Europe, as part of the EU Horizon REACHOUT project, to co-develop user friendly climate services that will help the city prepare for and adapt to these impacts, in line with the strategic development plans for the city and the region. Cork City is exposed to a range of climate related risks, including flooding, heat and wind, all of which are expected to increase in the future under climate change. Cork City Council, University College Cork and technical partners across Europe have been working with local communities to co-develop a range of climate service tools that will be particularly valuable for Cork City and its residents. These tools are intended to support building local resilience to, and understanding of, climate impacts within the city, and to motivate citizens to engage in climate action. This paper explores how these tools may be used to provide climate services in the context of Cork City and how they perform in terms of accessibility, relevance, usability and capacity.