Climate Sense

[

] 259

daptation

and

itigation

trategies

tions and the next IPCC assessment report are already in progress,

showing that the dialogue of previous years between the scientific climate

community and the end users has been fruitful. Careful attention should

however be put into the dialogue between scientists and users, to ensure

that these projects are useful to applications sectors.

The importance of collaboration between users from the energy

sector and providers of weather and climate data and forecasts

To match the global projected demand for electricity by 2030, the

International Energy Agency estimates that around USD14 trillion in

investments will be necessary.

Reducing the risk associated with these

investments necessitates three actions: improving weather and climate

data and forecasts; improving the communication between providers

and users; and improving the users’ decision making processes.

All

three fields are of equal importance and any deficit in one is likely to

seriously affect the whole chain. If the first and the third points are

to be treated mainly by providers and users respectively, the problem

of communication has to be addressed in close cooperation between

the two groups. Communication is the essential link between the

communities, and will condition the development of useful products

and services that will be used to improve efficiency, for the benefit of

the electricity sector and the whole society. At regional and interna-

tional levels theWorldMeteorological Organization, the World Energy

Council and other international institutions must play a major role

as facilitator, most notably by providing recommendations and guid-

ance. A crucial element is close collaboration at national level between

NMHSs and users.

In the last 30 years, EDF has developed national and international

collaborations with both scientific institutes and operational centres,

among which Météo-France has a central role. This part-

nership is based both on common research projects with

the Centre National de Recherche Météorologique, Météo-

France’s research centre, and on commercial contracts for

the provision of data and forecasts. In addition to existing

catalogue products, specific needs are generally addressed

in partnership – from the description phase to the final

product delivery. The common process is to develop ideas

based on operational needs in the frame of research projects,

which, if they are successful, are then tested in near-

operational conditions. This phase of evaluation is then

transformed into a commercial contract when the useful-

ness of the new product or service has been determined.

Of course, new products can then benefit other users and

sectors without impinging on confidentiality concerns.

Coordination teams have been formally set in place,

and formal meetings with feedback and event review

mechanisms take place at least twice a year. Of course,

complementary technical meetings are held on demand.

This type of organization has proven very efficient both

in increasing the quality of communication and mutual

understanding.This example could be followed by

other companies, as well as in other sectors. In devel-

oping countries in particular, upstream communication

between providers and users of weather, water and

climate information should be emphasized, in order to

rationalize the investments in observing and forecast-

ing services – as energy and electricity will be a major

component in their development.

Water release during the flood of La Loire at the Grangent Dam in November 2008

Image: EDF Mediatheque/Dhumes Patrice