Toward valuable weather and sea-ice services for the marine Arctic: exploring user–producer interfaces of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Abstract

Recognition is growing that valuable weather, water, ice and climate (WWIC) services for marine, Arctic environments can only be produced in close dialogue with its actual users. This denotes an acknowledgement that knowing how users incorporate WWIC information in their activities should be considered throughout the information value chain. Notions like co-production and user engagement are current terms to grapple with user needs, but little is known about how such concepts are operationalized in the practical context of tasks and responsibilities of National Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services (NMHS). Based on a series of in-depth, qualitative interviews with a diversity of personnel from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, we describe the shifting dynamics of interactions between WWIC information providers and maritime stakeholders operating in Arctic environments. Three key challenges are discussed, pertaining to both day-to-day and strategic interactions:(1) the importance of knowing how information is used, (2) the increasing automation of meteorological practices and the growing need for user observations, and (3) the need for bridging research-tooperations gaps. We embed these findings in a discussion on how user-producer interfaces are shaped and transforming through an ongoing negotiation of expertise, changing the roles and responsibilities within particular constellations of co-producing WWIC information services. ARTICLE HISTORY

Sea ice variability and maritime activity around Svalbard in the period 2012–2019

“…However, the northeast of the archipelago is only ice-free a few months per year and presents strong annual sea ice variability. Highly variable sea ice distribution makes circumnavigation an uncertain activity and challenges itinerary planning 18 , for which operators mainly use historical and daily ice charts from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute 32 . It is predicted that the ice cover around Svalbard will continue to decline 15 , which enables circumnavigation earlier in the season.…”

Should Sea-Ice Modeling Tools Designed for Climate Research Be Used for Short-Term Forecasting?

“…These types of shared resources foster communication across the modeling and observational communities. To build the modeling, observational, and deployed capabilities that meet society’s needs, dedicated resources are needed to engage the entire community of developers and users in a co-design “value cycle” in which each community contributes and responds to the needs of the others [ 84 , 85 ]. A key element of this vision is enhanced communication among research communities, operational centers, and stakeholders outside of the scientific realm, such as policymakers.…”

Four Paradoxes of the User–Provider Interface: A Responsible Innovation Framework for Sea Ice Services

“…One way in which sea ice services could support communities adapting to changes, for example, is through intensifying the dialogue between the research and operational forecaster communities. Operational forecasters, the staff who produce forecast products, can help to establish strategic collaborations with specific user groups, such as communities grappling with pressures on their economic and cultural capital, and help to target development strategies that best provide decision support [52].…”