Towards better informed adaptation strategies: co-designing climate change impact maps for Austrian regions

Benedikt Becsi (), Daniela Hohenwallner-Ries, Torsten Grothmann, Andrea Prutsch, Tobias Huber and Herbert Formayer
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Benedikt Becsi: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
Daniela Hohenwallner-Ries: alpS GmbH
Torsten Grothmann: Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg
Andrea Prutsch: Environment Agency Austria
Tobias Huber: alpS GmbH
Herbert Formayer: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

Climatic Change, 2020, vol. 158, issue 3, No 8, 393-411

Abstract: Abstract To design effective adaptation measures to a heating climate, decision-makers need a state-of-the-art, regional and sector-specific knowledge about future climate impacts. Tailoring this information to the needs of policymakers requires collaboration between scientists and stakeholders. A lot of literature on design principles and comprehension of scientific visualisations exists. However, the links between objective comprehension, perceived usefulness for communication and aesthetics of climate change impact maps have rarely been analysed in empirical studies. In a co-design effort together with stakeholders in adaptation planning and climate change communication experts, regional climate change impact maps were developed and published as open-access dataset. The comprehension, aesthetics and perceived usefulness of different map design features were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated in a two-step survey. Designs with less information density were understood best, found most aesthetical and useful for communication practice. Uncertainties were deemed necessary by participants, but not understood well when combined with other variables on the same map sheet. Map understanding varied significantly with the cognitive difficulty of a task. This difference was robust over user groups. Co-designing maps at the science-policy interface have the potential to create more useful and comprehensible communication materials and thus supports adaptation planning with the best available information on future climate impacts.

Keywords: Climate maps; Climate change impacts; Adaptation to climate change; Co-design; Climate change communication; User-centred design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10584-019-02602-7

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