Project ClimateConnect

Co-developing climate service tools for informed decision-making in climate-resilient development

Sun over a field of wheat | image: pixabay/Bru-nO

Background

For climate-resilient development planning, community access to actionable climate information is very crucial. Many decision-makers still lack access to tools that can translate model projections into locally relevant strategies for land and resource management. ClimateConnect aims to contribute to this gap by co-developing user-friendly digital climate service tool prototypes that make information clear, local and actionable with and for local stakeholders. The project starts in the Landkreis Harburg, Germany, a region that is aiming to reach climate neutrality by 2040, but is droughts, urban expansion and land-use conflicts. In its second phase the project adapts its methodology alongside lessons learned in Harburg to the Brazilian Amazon, a region with a new set of challenges: deforestation, changing rainfall patterns and conservation pressures. By replicating the digital tool across such contrasting contexts, the project will provide valuable insights into how climate services can be tailored for diverse environmental, cultural and socio-economic settings.
Using biophysical modelling ClimateConnect will simulate impacts on agro-environmental systems with different climate and land-use scenarios. These results are processed and visualised in accessible formats through a user-friendly dissemination tool allowing stakeholders to explore climate projections and potential adaptation strategies directly on their smartphones. Through continuous testing and stakeholder feedback we ensure that the tool meets user needs. The cross-continental exchange between Germany and Brazil will stimulate new knowledge-sharing networks and ensure that lessons learned in one region inform climate resilience strategies in the other.

Aims & Objectives

Use of biophysical modelling (e.g. EPIC agricultural model) to simulate climate impacts on local agriculture under different management strategies.
Data processing and visualization to transform complex datasets from multiple sources into tailored actionable information for stakeholders.
Engage stakeholders through participatory co-design processes to ensure the tools meets real-world decision-making needs.
Monitor and evaluate the tools usability and usefulness in supporting climate-resilient decision-making across different regional contexts.
Create a framework, sharing the lessons and best practices for use in other regions.
Adapt the tool for the different cultural, environmental, and economic settings of the Brazilian Amazon.

Project Staff

Prof. Dr. Uwe Schneider, Universität Hamburg
Prof. Dr. Martina Neuburger, Universität Hamburg
Dr. María Máñez Costa, Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS)
Dr. Vladimir Metelitsa, Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS)
Dr. Carlos Tello, Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS)
M.Sc. Christiane Lawrenz
M.Sc. Viviane Mattos Nicoletti