Designing success: from the start towards more successful climate services for adaptation

Summary

This dissertation examines what makes climate services for adaptation successful. Climate services are knowledge products and processes that help people – from policymakers to farmers – understand climate risks and adapt to climate change. They hold the promise of raising awareness of climate impacts, supporting better decisions, improving safety, and reducing damage in vulnerable sectors. Yet it remains unclear if, when, and why these services succeed. To address this, the research combined four approaches: a review of existing studies, an in-depth case study, a global consultation with experts, and practical testing of an evaluation framework. The findings show that success is not fixed: it depends on context, evolves over time, and is shaped by learning, trust, and collaboration between users and providers. The dissertation also offers a shared definition and framework to evaluate services. These insights help shift the focus from climate data to user needs, collaboration, and learning - supporting services that truly aid adaptation.