Research and development services and related consultancy services

Tender description

ECMWF as the Entrusted Entity for the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has awarded contracts for a proof-of-concept aiming at demonstrating the value chain from earth observation and model outputs to actionable climate information in different Sectors. This Sectoral Information System (SIS) will translate and combine climate information from the Climate Data Store of the C3S and other sources to support users acting in specific sectors. Customized information products in the form of climate change indicators and ancillary information pertinent to the sectors and various EU sectoral policies will be disseminated via the Climate-ADAPT platform and the C3S data portal as it develops. The contractors will take full advantage of existing capabilities and products in European Member States and Commission Services. This proof-of-concept will require large sectoral user engagement, and demonstration of the value chain from earth observation and model simulations to tailored climate indicators addressing specific sectors, based on case studies. The focus will be over Europe. The contractors will bring together both providers and users to operate each component. The providers will be expected to deliver data products and information services and to engage with (and develop) the corresponding user communities across public and private sectors. Lot 1: Water is essential for human life, nature and the economy. It is permanently renewed but it is also finite and cannot be made or replaced with other resources. Freshwater constitutes only about 2 % of the water on the planet and competing demands may lead to an estimated 40 % global water supply shortage by 2030. As climate change warms the atmosphere and alters the hydrological cycle, we will continue to witness changes to the amount, timing, form and intensity of precipitation and the flow of water in watersheds, as well as the quality of aquatic environments. The sectoral information system in water will consider all aspects of water resource and risk management in general, but focus specifically on essential water related climate variables which are under particular pressure and important to sectoral users. Lot 2: In the energy sector, on national or international levels, efforts have been put into addressing scientific and technological challenges in implementing efficient ways to produce and manage sources of energy. The resilience and efficiency of energy systems is strongly influenced by the weather and climate environment. Climate variables and ancillary information is key to address energy industry challenges in the most effective and innovative way. Changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level and the frequency and severity of extreme weather events will likely affect how much energy is produced, delivered and consumed. The sectoral information system in energy will consider climate change indicators and ancillary information important to the totality of all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy, including fuel extraction, manufacturing, refining and distribution involving relevant users. Lot 3: Climate change and variability are important components in many sectors such as agriculture and forestry, health, coastal areas, insurance, tourism and infrastructure. Climate information will be relevant to each of these sectors to a different degree and require specific indicators as well as ancillary information. In this lot, the contractors will develop a proof-of-concept SIS scheme addressing the insurance and agriculture sectors, as well as an approach for multi-sectoral information at urban scale.