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CLIPC: Constructing Europe's Climate Information Portal

CLIPC provides access to Europe's climate data and information.

CLIPC General Assembly, Ede, the Netherlands, June 1st and 2nd 2016

Presentations

 

Actions

Dissemination and evaluation workshop:

  • Breakout group leaders prepare description of breakouts (1 line)
  • Prepare some more specific questions for the panellists and circulate for comment
  • Check with hotel regarding expanding to 80 delegates
  • Put updated workshop programme on the website.
  • Find other suitable invitees to be on panel and suggest other policy makers on board.
  • Arrange telcos beginning July and early September to coordinate event
  • Dissemination activity - get in touch with Copernicus service Emergency Management

DRSDRS
Data Reference Syntax. DRS is a commmon naming system used in the CMIP5 archive to identify datasets. More about DRS.

  • Post metadatametadata
    Information about meteorological and climatological data concerning how and when they were measured, their quality, known problems and other characteristics.     specifications
  • Append support for ensemblesensembles
    Running a GCM model multiple times only changing the initial conditions can at times simulate extended periods of quite different climate change signals for a specified area. This is due to the natural variability of the climate system, and it is impossible to state which circulation change is more likely to occur in the future. This limits our ability to place tight bounds on estimates of regional climate change     and percentiles to metadata specs

Indicators

  • KNMI - List of which Tier 1 indicators will be computed (for review)
  • GERICS - Specification of collection (ensemble mean and percentiles) - draft before code sprint 15 June

Sustainability

  • Circulate draft document middle June

Use cases:

  • TUDO and PIK - decide on use cases and template by next week

Other

  • All Partners - email project manager and coordinator about their involvement with C3S projects (if any)
  • D8.4 - July - list of sections and who’s going to write them, including names of reviewers
  • D8.3 - July - list of sections and who’s going to write them, including names of reviewers
  • Technical videos for website  
  • All partners - request for lessons learned to be sent to coordinator

 

Agenda and Key Outcomes

June 1st: Session 1 (plenary)

Roadmap: status overview.

  • Presentation slides
  • We should have an overview of which CLIPC partners are involved in which C3S projects

Deliverables and Milestones status

Rotterdam: feedback from user engagement

  • Presentation slides
  • There was interest shown in the clipc site from ECMWF - staff from there have attended multiple feedback sessions.
  • We need to get people from Eastern Europe involved in dissemination workshop - there is some budget available to pay for them to attend.
  • We should check EOnet conference attendees for potential invitees
  • Note that emails don’t get responses, but personal calls can be more effective.
  • EEA meeting week of 23rd May - purpose was to follow-up on February 2016 meeting. Meeting about technical background about toolkit. C3S called in as well. All attendees were very interested. EEA very interested to use substantial parts of the toolkit for Climate Adapt portal, but there are procurement issues. We understand that JRC plan to implement CLIPC tools into Climate Adapt.
  • It would be useful to find something that the EEA can support - requirements for a project output which are generically expressed. C3S can then tender for that.
  • There is a repeated question by users about why we don’t show global data.

Status update on portal

Session 2 (plenary)

Datasets: what datasets do we have/expect, indicators

  • Presentation slides
  • Uncertainties in ensembles and reduced ensembles - are these best left for a future project?
  • User should do averaging themselves - but so much research still going on.
  • Combine functionality in portal is really about a quick look, not about scientific analysis of the data.
  • Tier 1 indicators will be computed within CLIPC.

June 2nd

Session 3 (breakouts)

A: DRS, global and variable attributes

  • Data provider provides a CF-compliant NetCDF file (one index per file) with  complete metadata (i.e all global attributes according to documentation that will be uploaded to the portal next week) and correctly specified DRS filename according to the new Climate ImpactClimate Impact
    See Impact Assessment     Indicators DRS that will be on the clipc.eu portal by 10th June
  • KNMI will use the global attributes from the file metadata to construct the dataset DRS and check that the filename DRS complies with the pre-defined metadata standards.
  • KNMI will provide an online checker to check your file has compliant metadata
  • KNMI will modify the CSW such that the “name” that MARIS gets is the human readable dataset name (short description) and also the abstract to provide a metadata record from KNMI that is similar to the records from CEDA.
  • All the impact indicators already on the site will be re-done i.e. republished with the correct metadata in file and filename DRS
  • Further discussion on how to deal with ensembles is needed (nearly completed)

B: Ensembles, time periods

  • CLIP-C portal should contain ensemble means for each tier 1 indicator (and not datasets for each model)
  • Where possible (i.e. where enough models are available) also the 2nd and 8th decile should be calculated for each indicator
  • The datasets should contain annual values; then the time period means are calculated ‘on the fly’ (KNMI implementing this functionality)
  • User should be able to choose between 20 and 30 year time periods
  • For each tier 1 indicator there should be one dataset with the absolute values and one with the change values (absolute or relative? to be determined)
  • KNMI (mostly Igor) will calculate the tier 1 indicators. First priority indicators to be calculated by mid-July, second priority indicators by mid-October). KNMI to propose list of indicators (with priorities), other partners to react (especially those who are preparing a use case)

C: Sustainability – link to climate adapt, C3S, future projects

  • Coordinator collecting information about which partners are involved in C3S projects, as we need to develop a strategy towards these projects and ECMWF
  • Copernicus has a toolbox - a high level interface (and software library) to allow people to write software to interact with the archive. Aimed at climate scientists outside the big modelling centres. Our toolkit could feed into this - but there’s no real call for this in Copernicus as yet.
  • CLIPC is a one stop stop, targeting a broad user group. We’ve managed to do this but we need to work with the Commission and C3S to keep it operational
  • We should focus on the added value from the CLIPC portal in the dissemination products - key message is: “we’ve done good work here, but have no C3S follow on for the one stop shop” - can cite text from the call CLIPC responded to.
  • There is a gap where the C3S toolbox ends now - there’s no direct use case about the processing capacity part of CDS and how it connects to the user environment.
  • CDS users are mainly climate scientists. We’re building the climate impacts layer - need to connect these two groups
  • We should break down the CLIPC outputs into several modular components that can be used separately, and can be “sold” separately to other users
  • Standards framework is important. This was missed out of C3S but is being picked up now
  • Each SIS project has been asked to develop a portal. If several SIS projects want to use the CLIPC portal, this would influence C3S - “need for a common portal/processing environment/user platform/uncertainty methodology…”
  • Maris will keep the portal and website running (i.e. installing browser updates etc.) for 3 years after CLIPC ends
  • Other funding options:
    • JPI climate (not financially attractive and some partners not eligible)
    • ERA4CS - topic B - institutional alignment - activity on downscalingdownscaling
      Downscaling is a method that derives local- to regional-scale (10 to 100 km) information from larger-scale models or data analyses. Two main methods exist: dynamical downscaling and empirical/statistical downscaling. The dynamical method uses the output of regional climate models, global models with variable spatial resolution or high-resolution global models. The empirical/statistical methods develop statistical relationships that link the large-scale atmospheric variables with local/regional climate variables. In all cases, the quality of the driving model remains an important limitation on the quality of the downscaled information.       and uncertainty
    • COST Action - just networking - needs suitable theme e.g. standardisation of metadata
    • EEA - topic centre on climate changeclimate change
      Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate change may be due to natural internal processes or external forcings such as modulations of the solar cycles, volcanic eruptions and persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use. Note that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in its Article 1, defines climate change as: 'a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods'. The UNFCCC thus makes a distinction between climate change attributable to human activities altering the atmospheric composition, and climate variability attributa       adaptationadaptation
      The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects.
    • H2020 - not much for 2016 - more promising for 2017. We can influence discussion for 2018 - need to keep lobbying for something at the right level
  • Coordinator will share the draft sustainability report
  • Potential topic for CLIPC2 - interest and need for data from outside Europe
  • Identify future work (e.g. reduced ensemble work assumptions and quality assessment display) to put in roadmap and final report
  • Link between ClimateAdapt and CLIPC tools needs more discussion.

Session 4 (breakouts)

D: Portal scope/use cases/toolkit

  • Use cases to be used for demonstrating to users how to combine several tools of the portal; they will also be used for validation of our tools (WP 40, SYKE) and also for raising interest among users (instead of just providing ‘empty tools’)
  • Different use cases for different sectors (e.g. agriculture, health etc.);
    • TUDO - Circulate first list of possible use cases, to be modified/extended by partners
    • Distribution of use cases among partners e.g. who have expertise in a certain field
  • Each use case should contain a ‘simple core’ and then (where that makes sense) ‘extensions’ (e.g. instead of already precalculated tier1 indicators to go to the CLIPC processing tool and creating a more tailor-made indicator before then using the other toolkit components
  • For each use case the responsible partner will later on create a ‘cook book recipe’ (using a common template); TUDO will create short videos (basically screen casts with audio explanations) for each use case

E: Demonstration, evaluation

  1. Workshop programme
  2. Communication plan
  • Went through round table invitees and plans.
  • Discussed collecting questions in advance to give to panellists - prepare some more specific questions for the panellists and circulate within next couple of weeks
  • Director of Acclimatise - special role in workshop? Rapporteur for one of the breakout sessions - give special perspective as has been at all the feedback sessions.
  • Approach Eastern European people to participate. Can include people in first round table.
  • Reserve 5 places for Eastern European participants, reserve places for speakers.
  • Initial registration not open to CLIPC project members (but may be opened depending on numbers) - except for those presenting/reporting(/members of WP2?)
  • Numbers - how many can the hotel actually fit in plenary? Original estimate 60.

Communication plan with links to communication products (announcements, email invitations, new items on clipc.eu site, etc.) available.

  1. Registration system and link - to put into email invitation text and on event page on clipc.eu site
  2. Invitation lists - see table in communication plan for suitable email lists to send to - suggestions of more?
    1. Partner newsletters?
    2. Websites listing meetings - e.g ENESENES
      European Network for Earth System Modeling. The undersigned institutions agree to create a European Network for Earth System Modelling -ENES- with the purpose of working together and cooperating towards the development of a European network for Earth system modelling. These institutions include university departments, research centres, meteorological services, computer centres and industrial partners. Read more on the ENES website.       site. Others? EEA announcement on ClimateAdapt  webpage.
    3. EONet on 14th and 15th June - have leaflet updated in time to distributed
  3. Lists of targeted people to invite personally (via phonecall?) - and the people responsible for contacting them.
  4. Send out staggered emails - registration now open (asap), 2 months before, 1 month before, 2 weeks before “registration now closing”
  1. Breakout sessions
  2. Other dissemination activity
  • Decisions on the structure of the breakout sessions
  • Hands on - people playing with the portal on their own laptops.
  • Focus on user types - one session for non-experts?
  • Planned breakouts (with contact people to develop the breakout):
    • 1.Use cases - explain what can you do with the portal in a simple way
    • 2. Breakout aiming at boundary worker (toolkit  comparing and combining),
    • 3. climate scientist (myCLIPC and catalogue),
    • 4. scientific development of content (ensembles and uncertainty)
  • Call sessions according to topics rather than user groups, or give them dual names.
  • 2 sessions with the same breakout topics in each session.
  • Will assign rapporteurs nearer to time.
  • Want to get some feedback on what we’ve done as part of this event. Take approach from user evaluations - do demo, have feedback. Evaluation is for reporting at the end of the project, not for further development.
  • Registration for breakout sessions can be done ~ 1 month before event.
  • Dissemination activity - get in touch with Copernicus service Emergency Management
  • Policy briefs -  still outstanding. Have an extra one after dissemination workshop?

 

General issues:

Completion of guidance

  • Existing group to provide editorial help (team populating the new website)
    • Reviewing of the guidance - Annemarie, Wim, Rob to join existing group
    • Production of guidance
    • Need a list of what guidance is needed - existing website group to draft by mid June
  • Needs other people to provide technical text
  • Different functions of the portal (MARIS, KNMI)
  • Need to freeze the development of new features, to focus on guidance

Lessons learned

  • Request for lessons learned to be sent to coordinator
  • Send lessons from ClimateAdapt

General Assembly

  • Primarily about reporting
  • Can be used for dry runs of breakouts for dissemination event
  • Timings: Tuesday 18th Oct 9am-5pm, Wednesday 19th Oct 9am-5pm
  • More detailed agenda to come

Final report

  • Need to start collecting and explaining the things we’re not going to do - can evolve from roadmap, so need to collect suitable text in the roadmap.
  • Still finalising first period report because of delays associated with the amendment. Admin contacts should be making needed corrections in participant’s portal.
  • Project ends at end of November, all final reports need to be finalised end January

Deliverables

  • D8.4 Uncertainty assessment of impact indicators: delay to September
    • July - list of sections and who’s going to write them, including names of reviewers
  • D8.3 - July - list of sections and who’s going to write them, including names of reviewers
  • D4.5 - contributors defined
    • Have discussion via email
    • Technical issues, sustainability

Opportunities for dissemination

  • Posters and presentations for CLIPC - please send to project manager to put on portal
  • Make use of existing contacts/events/materials that already exist
  • Send project manager information about conferences (via webform) when you’ve been to a conference/workshop

Technical videos for website

  • When video is ready, let project manager know
  • Can put on youtube/vimeo and embed in the website
  • Video production can be booked to dissemination (depending on budget)

Other

  • Climate for impact coding sprint planned for June, will contribute to calculations of indicators.