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Climate Systems Hub Newsletter October 2023

October 5, 2023

The likely return of hot and dry conditions for Australia with the recent declaration of El Niño after three wetter-than-average La Niña years, illustrates the flipping of wet and dry periods in Australia.

The coverage in media of the Bureau of Meteorology’s recent declaration of the return of El Niño shows the extent to which a general understanding of the influence of global climate drivers on Australia’s weather is increasing.

It also highlights, once again, the critical role climate research plays in helping those trying to manage climate impacts such as extreme heat, bushfires, floods and droughts. However, just as the scientists need to understand the climate drivers to provide advice, they also need to understand how climate information is used on the ground by people and organisations making decisions on how to respond to climate-driven events.

Recognising this, users of climate information are central to the work of the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Climate Systems Hub. The hub is committed to co-design, in fact it is the foundation of the approach taken to our research where co-design involves designing and delivering research and tailored climate information in partnership with those who will actually use it. To deliver on this commitment, the hub has enabled the first-ever cross-jurisdictional knowledge brokering team through a partnership with federal, state and territory governments. Knowledge brokers form a bridge between climate scientists and end-users. Working alongside impact modellers, policy and decision makers, on-ground practitioners, and others we are helping translate climate data and information into meaningful, decision-ready content.

To demonstrate the hub’s commitment to co-design, we have written a Co-design Guide that outlines the process underpinning the hub’s activities and research. By prioritising relationships with users, sharing the power and involving users in co-design and co-production, we are shaping the hub’s research to provide fit-for-purpose information for climate risk assessments and adaptation planning.

Dr Ramona Dalla Pozza
Knowledge Broker, NESP Climate Systems Hub

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