Climate service warnings: cautions about commercializing climate science for adaptation in the developing world

Opinion

Sophie Webber, Simon D Donner

Published Online: Aug 18 2016

DOI: 10.1002/wcc.424

Full article on Wiley Online Library: HTML PDF

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This article examines the increasing emphasis amongst climate scientists and development professionals on providing ‘climate services’ in order to inform adaptation decisions in vulnerable countries. The climate service business model hopes to provide ‘on demand’ and ‘actionable’ information products that are useful for policy makers. Drawing from literature across the natural and social sciences, we outline potential benefits and limits of this model of providing climate information and products, as well as recommendations for improving climate services. We argue that a shift away from the commercialized model of climate services may be necessary to ensure the creation, and consistent delivery, of products that practitioners in the developing world are able to employ in making adaptation decisions. WIREs Clim Change 2017, 8:e424. doi: 10.1002/wcc.424

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