Local climate services. Can municipal climate profiles help improve climate literacy?

Abstract

As the negative consequences of climate change are being felt more widely, research and practice have increasingly focused on the municipal scale to better understand and address the climate adaptation gap. The literature recognizes that adaptation is supported by the provision of climate services, the lack of which can negatively affect climate literacy and constrain adaptation planning and implementation. However, the efficacy of climate services is rarely evaluated, especially in relation to the needs of practitioners. Using the example of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, we survey municipal adaptation and show that it is unevenly implemented and often underdeveloped. We also introduce municipal climate profiles as a user-oriented climate service and evaluate their added value from a practitioner's perspective. Our results indicate that they help improve climate literacy, as they can serve as a catalyst for local dialogues, promoting discussions about perceived impacts and anticipated adaptation requirements. However, our findings also imply, that improving climate literacy alone may not be sufficient to bridge the adaptation gap. Clear guidelines on adaptation practices, along with funding schemes for personnel and measures, are also crucial to overcome structural barriers that hinder adaptation.