Building Engagement Efforts for Advancing Climate Data to Decisions

carolinas climate resilience conferenceApril 29, 2014

Jenny Dissen | Tamara Houston

Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites – NCNOAA National Climatic Data Center NC State University

151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801

Acknowledgements: Otis Brown (CICS-NC) and Jeff Privette (NOAA NCDC)

Opportunity to Enhance Climate Information Value Chain

2

Research AgendaEntry Point

Informing Stakeholders about Adapting to Changing

Conditions

•Operational Applied Research

•Attribution Studies

•Decision Support Tools Integration

•Development and Application of Products

•Stakeholder Engagement and Literacy

•Risk Assessment Strategies

•High-Valued Consulting Services

Under Developed Market

Oil and Gas Industry

Agriculture

Utilities

Company Framework

One Path to Building Adaptive Capacity and Resilient Society

Enabling Sub-Capabilities

Education & Training

WorkforcPlanning

Knowledge Management

OperationsPlanning

SafetyStrategic

ForecastingBusiness

IntelligenceRisk

ManagementFinancial

Management

Source: Michael Porter Value Chain

Data , Science, Projections

Com

mun

icat

ions

Publications, Research, Workshops, Education

Mod

elin

gD

ata

and

Scie

nce

User Engagement at NCDC

Consulting Meteorologist

Agriculture

Contractor

Utilities

Federal Government

Research

Media

University

Insurance

Engineering

Individual

Legal

Other Business

State/Local Government

Engagement Strategy

USERS

Our proposed Vision: Engaged stakeholders that support, strengthen and use NCDC’s science, stewardship and services; NCDC is proactive, flexible and reliable in its engagement activities

END GOALS / OUTCOMES

NCDC

Customer Stakeholder Priority• Targeted and strategic approach to customer engagement• Strengthen customer relationships• Provide clear, accessible climate data/information• Respond to customer needs

Climate Adaptation / Resilience Priority• Improved understanding of climate risk & opportunities• Greater utilization of climate data/information for

business operations

1.Enhance Coordination & Efficiency

2.Prioritize how NCDC does Engagement

3.Disseminate & Integrate Stakeholder Feedback

4.Reinforce User-Centered NCDC

Engagement and Outreach

Executive Forum on Business and Climate• Energy Impacts | June 3 – 4, 2013 | Asheville, NC• Business Resilience | November 4 – 5, 2013 |

Washington, DC

Webinars / Conversations on Climate with Solution Providers

- PAST WORKSHOPS -• Alternative Climate Normals Workshop

• April 14-15, 2012• Storm and Severe Weather

• November 28 – 29th, 2012• Frost and Freeze Data

• March 20 – 21st, 2013• A Focus on Precipitation

• December 3 - 4, 2013• www.cicsnc.org/events/

Objectives• Share climate data, information and resources• Obtain needs for climate data and information• Develop information exchange discussions on climate-related risks, opportunities, and resilience for businesses• Strengthen the relationship between business and industry leaders and NOAA’s climate science team, identifying

key points of contact for accessing technical expertise and areas of climate science research needs

Engagement and Outreach

ENGAGE with BUSINESS and other DECISION MAKERS

What we are hearing

• Recognition in the value of climatic information

• Growing demand for climate services from business and industry leaders

• Connection between climate/weather extremes and impacts to business operations easier

• Continued challenge of:– Sales / marketing / and customer

service of climatic information– Finding and accessing climate

information – Financing climate adaptation

activities

BUSINESSES TO GOVERNMENT

What government resources / data is available off the shelf? How does the private sector become

aware of what is available? How does the private sector know which

resources are good and reliable? What are good adaptation examples from

the government? Where do we learn and understand more

about climate projections? Downscaling seems to be an issue

Is there a list of climate adaptation scenarios that private sector can use for planning purposes?

What we are hearing

BUSINESSES TO BUSINESSES

• What risks can we cost-effectively take off the table?

• What are the returns for adaptation and resilience activities? What’s the NPV of the project? How do we finance adaptation?

• How can we work together to harden the whole value chain?

• How can we help the Small and Medium-sized Businesses in our supply chain be resilient?

• In what can we invest capital for greatest return? (from new/expanded revenue or avoided costs)

• What are the key thresholds in my business system beyond which change is required to continue normal operations?

Approaches

But…• There is a need for a venue or a mechanism for science leaders and business to meet on

equal turns• Decision support approaches and/or tools which facilitate integration of climate

adaptation into a business strategic plan, i.e., integration into business investment, operations, maintenance, etc. – harder than it appears – need Collaborative Partners

What’s needed to enable this articulation?• Awareness• Case studies or examples of adaptation successes• Collaborative partnerships• More than a SEC Guideline• Data and services support:

• Moving past the C-suite and into operations• Adaptation financing• A business case

Contacts and Information

• CICS-NC home page:

http://cicsnc.org

• NCICS

http://www.ncics.org

Additional References:

For Additional Information:

• Otis Brown Director, CICS-NC Otis_Brown@ncsu.edu

• Jenny Dissen Director of Engagement and Outreach JennyDissen@cicsnc.org

• NOAA Cooperative Institutes: http://www.nrc.noaa.gov/ci

• NC State Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Developmenthttp://www.ncsu.edu/ori/aboutORI.php

CICS-NC

CICS-NC Roles

CICS-NC is a catalyst –• Supports NCDC and related NOAA activities

and academic research

• Brings innovative, state-of-the-art approaches to solving science, stewardship and service challenges

• Facilitates development of climate adaptation decision support awareness and tools…and Partnerships

• Strong economic development tie:

• CICS-NC reports to the NC State University Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development

Climate Information

Business Decisions