Tiago, what is your organization’s role in the FAIR2Adapt (F2A) project?
In FAIR2Adapt, FCiências.ID (FC.ID) leads Work Package 6 on ‘Case studies and end-user applications’, leveraging and testing the FAIR2Adapt FAIRification framework and open data sharing protocols. This WP intends to support regions, cities and local authorities in their efforts to build resilience against current and projected risks of climate change. WP6 will feature six case studies, covering a broad range of adaptation-relevant stressors, socio-ecological systems, geophysical scales and data management challenges. Within WP6, FC.ID will apply and test the FAIR2Adapt approach and services to the design of Portugal’s first National Adaptation Hub.
How does F2A relate with you and your team’s background and interests?
F2A relates very well to the objectives of our research group (ClimRisk @ CE3C) that aims to develop knowledge, solutions and applications that respond to the challenges and risks of climate change and climate extremes. F2A results are expected to provide a better understanding of how to support evidence-based climate risk management processes by policymakers, practitioners, businesses, and communities.
How will F2A optimize and contribute to the development of climate change adaptation (CCA) strategies?
The FAIR2Adapt project will improve the efficiency of the data-to-knowledge supply chain in the field of climate change adaptation, through the use of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) technologies and services. The FAIR services will help to overcome barriers to accessing, using, and reproducing data, and consequently support stakeholders during their decision-making process.
Which stakeholder groups can benefit from F2A?
Several stakeholder groups will benefit from the creation of a FAIR-by-design Portuguese National Adaptation Hub (case study 6). Researchers and adaptation practitioners (including in the private sector) are expected to be the most frequent users of the National Adaptation Hub, followed by policy makers and civil society.
Which are the most significant challenges and opportunities related to climate change adaptation in your opinion?
Climate Risk Management requires a balanced mix of Science of Adaptation (i.e., practice-oriented research developing data and tools that are directly applied to adaptation challenges) and Science of Adaptation (i.e., a combination of more classical disciplinary research that tests the fundamental assumptions and principles of adaptation, and provides the evidence base for adaptation practices) (see Swart et al. 2014). Achieving a good balance between these two approaches is one of the most significant challenges of climate adaptation.
Which are your personal expectations for the FAIR2Adapt project?
My personal expectations for F2A are that the FAIR tools, services, and approaches developed during the project become a new standard in data collection, curation and sharing for EU and national adaptation communities. Additionally, I expect the case study we are developing in Portugal – the creation of a FAIR-by-Design National Adaptation Hub – becomes a successful service for all the practitioners and communities involved in climate adaptation in the country.
How far will the F2A project contribute to the improvement of citizen’s climate literacy?
The results from the FAIR2Adapt project will be disseminated through various social media channels and platforms (e.g., project website, EOSC website, LinkedIn, Buesky, among other channels). Because the results from this project will feature real-world case studies, civil society can have as easy grasp of what FAIR information is, then easily assess the information, and be better informed on climate change adaptation.
What are the main challenges for researchers in terms of CCA?
There is much information and resources on climate change adaptation for Portugal (policy documents, web platforms, legislation, climatic and non-climatic datasets). A researcher that needs that information to do research on climate change adaptation (or a decision-maker that needs that information to make an informed decision) will struggle to find it, assess it and analyse it.
Could you briefly describe what the ambitions of your use case study are?
We expect that our work under FAIR2Adapt, which will develop a FAIR by design Portuguese National Adaptation Hub (case study 6), creates a useful and user-friendly tool for Portuguese stakeholders working in climate change adaptation. The hub will allow adaptation practitioners to easily access relevant climatic and socio-economic data, as well as salient scientific and policy information, creating a FAIR virtual knowledge platform that will support decision-making. Additionally, we expect that by using FAIR principles to harvest and curate the wealth of knowledge currently available about climate adaptation for Portugal, this knowledge is made available in machine-readable formats, helping to improve its future application in AI-based approaches.
Which measures must be undertaken by policymakers right now in order to prevent hazardous health impacts caused by climate change (such as death from undernutrition/hunger, malaria, diarrhoea or heat stress)?
Adaptation strategies, including nature-base solutions, must be applied in urban areas that are highly affected by heat-related impacts, as is the case of many Portuguese cities. Solutions can include an increase in the shadow provided by planting trees in the sidewalks, the installation of sprinklers or drinking fountains, and the establishment of a climate refugia network to support the shelter of population during climate hazards.
On which kind of potential health impacts caused by climate change does your Case Study focus?
Our case study, FAIR by design Portuguese National Adaptation Hub, envisions the addition of all relevant information that the stakeholders need to best support climate change adaptation research and/or strategies. An initial assessment of user requirements for the case study will focus on heat-related hazards, which include heatwaves and urban heat island effects.
