Climate services in Romania − an analysis of stakeholders’ perceptions and needs

In recent years, the climate services market has increased significantly, especially in the Western European countries where they have become widely utilised in both the public and private sectors. In Romania, there is no specialised platform for those kinds of services, and the sector is in its beginnings. The current study is based on sociological research conducted as part of a national project aimed at increasing adaptive capacity to climate change. The purpose of the questionnaire that served as the study’s base was to collect information about the extent to which climate services are used by organisations, their perception of the benefits of using the services, the technical characteristics of the services, and the future needs of stakeholders. Such an analysis is necessary to comprehend the existing market situation in Romania and to be able to establish the circumstances essential for an effective improvement of climate services and products based on the co-development concept. The main outcomes of the survey conducted at the national level (324 respondents) confirm the early stage of the national climate service market as (i) only a small share (34 %) of respondents are users of climate products and services (mostly from agriculture, forestry, water resources management, biodiversity, energy sectors) and (ii) climate data and products are insufficiently tailored at sectoral level. Most representative identified stakeholder needs refer to: temporal (i.e., monthly, seasonal) and spatial resolution (i.e., local, regional) and types of tailored climate products (i.e., monthly/seasonal weather forecasts, spatio-temporal maps and analysis tool). The study identified premises further development of the climate service market in Romania (i.e., widespread interest in using climate products and services among the non-users, perceived societal benefits of climate products and services).