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Communication and Dissemination Plan

Blue-Action: Arctic Impact on Weather and Climate is a Research and Innovation action (RIA) funded by the Horizon 2020 Work programme topics addressed: BG-10-2016 Impact of Arctic changes on the weather and climate of the Northern Hemisphere. Start date: 1 December 2016. End date: 1 March 2021.

The Blue-Action project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 727852.

Blue-Action Communication and Dissemination Plan 2017 DRAFT SUBMISSION

Version 1.0 15 June 2017 Authored by Thomas Dale and Peter Vangsbo, Climate-KIC and Raeanne Miller, SRSLContributing authors: Kathrin Keil (IASS)IASS Joan Ballester (ISGlobal) Christine Valentin/Julia Tasse (WOC) Erik Kolstad (UNIRES) Jan-Stefan Fritz (KDM) and John Hanus

(KDM-JPI Oceans) Pamela Lesser (AC UoL) Oivin Arnes (DNV GL) Chiara Bearzotti (DMI)

First version of the plan.

Contents1.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................5

1.1 Introduction to Blue-Action...............................................................................................................5

1.2 The Communications Strategy...........................................................................................................5

2.0 Target audiences.............................................................................................................................7

2.1 Climate services end user groups......................................................................................................7

2.1.1 Industry representative organisations........................................................................................8

2.1.2 Established businesses................................................................................................................9

2.1.3 Emerging business actors and start-ups...................................................................................10

2.1.4 Government and other public climate service end users.........................................................11

2.2 Technical end user groups – those primarily interested in the results of WP1-4............................12

2.2.1 European and international initiatives and projects.................................................................13

2.2.2 Higher education course leaders and Meteorological Office Training and delivering climate science...............................................................................................................................................14

2.2.3 Specialist scientific community.................................................................................................15

2.3 Non-technical end user groups........................................................................................................16

2.3.1 Policy makers and EU Commission services..............................................................................16

2.3.2 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)................................................................................17

2.3.3 Indigenous groups....................................................................................................................18

2.4 General audiences...........................................................................................................................19

2.4.1 Wider scientific community......................................................................................................19

2.4.2 The general public and wider society.......................................................................................20

3.0 Communications measures and tools................................................................................................22

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3.1 Newsletters......................................................................................................................................22

3.2 Project annual meeting....................................................................................................................22

3.3 Project workshops...........................................................................................................................23

3.4 Website (D8.3).................................................................................................................................23

3.5 Conference participation.................................................................................................................24

3.6 Panel discussions at relevant events...............................................................................................24

3.7 Climate-KIC’s Network.....................................................................................................................24

3.8 World Ocean Council’s (WOC) Network..........................................................................................25

3.9 Seminars / webinars........................................................................................................................25

3.10 Roadshow and meet and pitch activities – direct engagement.....................................................26

3.11 Match making events....................................................................................................................26

3.12 Peer reviewed articles‐ ...................................................................................................................27

3.13 Policy briefs...................................................................................................................................27

3.14 Gap Maps.......................................................................................................................................28

3.15 Case studies and reports on WP5 “Developing and Valuing Climate Services”.............................28

3.16 Training modules...........................................................................................................................29

3.17 Online resources – fact sheets and infographics...........................................................................29

3.18 Print material.................................................................................................................................30

3.19 Media coverage.............................................................................................................................30

3.20 Press releases................................................................................................................................30

3.21 Social media...................................................................................................................................31

3.22 Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports.................................................32

3.23 Direct engagement........................................................................................................................32

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How to use this document

The following document is designed to provide the members of Blue-Action’s Work Package 8 (WP8) “Communication, Dissemination, Engagement and Exploitation” with a strategic reference point through which they can coordinate their activities for the remainder of the project’s duration. The document is specifically structured into five distinct sections, intended to provide a certain level of functionality for its users.

Section 1 – introduction. A brief summary of what Blue-Action aims to achieve over its duration as well as a reminder of the project’s stated top level objectives. Furthermore, this section outlines how the communication and dissemination plan will assist the project in achieving those objectives as well as defining its own objectives which are seen as crucial to fulfilling its intended function.

Section 2 – target audiences. This section is designed to provide partners with information concerning: a) who Blue-Action’s target audiences are b) the type of content each target audience should receive c) through which communication tools each target audience should be engaged and d) which partners are responsible for engaging each target audience. The communication tools –c) above – have been have been divided into both “primary tools” and “other tools”. This division is designed to distinguish between tools which are expected to be used to engage a specific target audience and those which can be used.

Section 3 – communications measures and tools. This section elaborates on the “primary tools” and “other tools” specified in in section 3. Each tool identified in section 3 is presented here and provided with a comprehensive description as to what each tool will entail in the Blue-Action context, the expected frequency of its utilization and how its successful use can be monitored. Furthermore, in some cases, indicators for monitoring are accompanied by a number in brackets, (#). In this case, the number represents a target for that which the Blue-Action consortia is expected to meet by the end of the project.

Who are work package 8:

WP8 is led by SAMS Research Services Limited (SRSL) and Climate-KIC Aps (CKIC) and includes Konsortium Deutsche Meeresforschung e.V. (KDM), Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut (DMI), Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland (AC UoL), Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI), Uni Research (UNIRES), World Ocean Council (WOC), Technical University of Denmark (DTU-AQUA), DNV GL, Fundacion Privada Instituto de Salud Global Barcelona (ISGlobal), a as active partners.

For the names of the staff involved, please refer to the list in the Blue-Action website.

Furthermore, all remaining partners in the Blue-Action consortia are all expected to partake to a limited extent.

If you have any questions regarding the contents of the Blue-Action Communication and Dissemination Plan please contact Peter Vangsbo, Climate-KIC at [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://blueaction.eu/index.php?id=3502


1.0 Introduction1.1 Introduction to Blue-ActionThe Blue-Action project will improve our ability to describe, model and predict Arctic climate change and its impacts on the Northern Hemisphere’s climate, weather extremes and our ability accurately forecast it. In tandem, Blue-Action aims to bridge the gap between the climate prediction and weather forecasting community and the business sector by developing a series of novel climate services that exploit advances in the predictive capacity. By developing new climate services, we will endeavour to translate gains in scientific understanding into tangible value for a wide variety of stakeholders in the real world, including policy makers, businesses, NGOs and indigenous groups. After demonstrating the value of newly created climate services via a series of case studies, Blue-Action will upscale the benefits through clear and far-reaching communication, ensuring that results from the project stimulate sustainable growth, significantly enhance Europe’s economic competitiveness and increase businesses’ and communities’ adaptive capacity to climate change.

The project is planned to be 51 months long and kicked off on 1 December 2016 and is scheduled to finish in 28 February 2021.

The Blue-Action project has 8 top level objectives:

1. Improving long range forecast skill for hazardous weather and climate events2. Enhancing the predictive capacity beyond seasons in the Arctic and the Northern Hemisphere3. Quantifying the impact of recent rapid changes in the Arctic and the Northern Hemisphere4. Improving the descriptions of key processes controlling the impact of polar amplification5. Optimizing observational systems for predictions6. Reducing and evaluating the uncertainty in prediction systems7. Fostering the capacity of key stakeholders to adapt and respond to climate change and boosting

their economic growth8. Transferring of knowledge to a wide range of interested key stakeholders

1.2 The Communications Strategy The communications strategy has been made with the purpose of maximizing the impact of the large quantities of work undertaken in the Blue-Action project. The Blue-Action project is aiming to push the boundaries of scientific understanding and translate such knowledge into “state of the art” climate services in order to create tangible value for a whole range of stakeholder groups.

To do this however, will require seamless and efficient communication between the partner consortia and wider audiences. It is intended that the communications strategy will facilitate this seamless communication by informing consortia partners:

to whom they are expected to communicate with when they are expected to do so and through which tools it would be best to do it.

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A thorough and clear understanding of this is fundamental to the success of Blue-Action and is especially the case when considering the communications channels between different partner groups; as many partners rely on output from others to begin or complete work of their own.

The primary objectives of the communication strategy are to:

1. Outline what we want to accomplish with our communication activities (our communication objectives).

2. To whom our association communications will be addressed (target audiences) and what our specific objectives within for this target audience is.

3. How we will accomplish our objectives (tools).4. When the objectives will be met (timetable).5. How we will measure the results of our program (evaluation).

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2.0 Target audiences2.1 Climate services end user groups

2.1.1 Industry representative organisations

2.1.2 Established businesses

2.1.3 Emerging business actors and start-ups

2.1.4 Government and other public climate service end users

2.2 Technical end user groups – those primarily interested in the results of WP1-4

2.2.1 European and international initiatives and projects

2.2.2 Higher education course leaders and Meteorological Office Training and delivering climate science

2.2.3 Specialist scientific community

2.3 Non-technical end user groups

2.3.1 Policy makers and EU Commission services

2.3.2 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

2.3.3 Indigenous groups

2.4 General audiences

2.4.1 Wider scientific community

2.4.2 The general public and wider society

2.1 Climate services end user groupsBlue-Action’s ambition is to bring scientists and the knowledge they create closer to those who will ultimately benefit. Key to achieving this ambition are the activities outlined in Blue-Action’s work package 5 (WP5) “Developing and Valuing Climate Services”, which aims to translate Blue-Action’s scientific outputs into relevant tools and resources for key end-users of climate data.

WP5 has five specific areas of interest:

1. Winter tourism centers in Finland2. Temperature-related human mortality in European regions3. Extreme weather risks to maritime activities4. Climate services for marine fisheries5. Russian Arctic resource extraction

from which specific stakeholders have been identified to co-develop climate services.

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The co-development of climate services between scientists and end-users ensures that the resulting climate services are highly relevant and have maximum value to stakeholder with an interest in each area. With this in mind, our role is to publicise opportunities presented by the results of WP5 to end users beyond those directly involved in the co-development of climate services. As such, we aim to bring the outputs of WP5 to a wider audience and to encourage the cross-fertilisation of ideas, inspire new services and develop additional synergies between organisations working in the public and the private sector.

Goals of communications measures:

Given that objectives 7 and 8 of the Blue-Action project are to foster the adaptive capacity of key stakeholders and transfer knowledge to a wide range of interested key stakeholders it is vital to:

- Encourage as much interest in participation as possible from end-user groups outside those directly included in work package 5; and, improve the level of climate literacy within organisations.

- Take the successes from the case studies and make them relevant to a wider audience within and outside of the specific fields of interest.

2.1.1 Industry representative organisationsWho are they: Industry representative organisations are bodies or committees who represent and work for the benefit of industries, often within a certain geography. Those relevant to Blue-Action will be those organisations who represent industries directly affected by long-term changes in weather and climate in the Arctic region and Northern Europe.

Language register: Technical but industry dependent. Industry representatives are likely to be competent across certain fields to the extent in which it directly affects their business agenda. For example, representatives of resource extraction industries are likely to have a good knowledge of weather phenomena associated with Blue-Action. However, it is doubtful that they will possess an understanding about how information and data transfer may occur between proposed climate services and their own systems.

Objective: Inform, train, engage, and persuade. One of the main aims of Blue-Action is to “bridge the gap” between climate science and the wider society. The most direct way in which Blue-Action seeks to do this is through WP5, which specifically works across five case studies in five different industries to produce climate services capable of enhancing the way in which established weather-dependent industries operate, enabling potential for further sustainable growth. Thus, the objectives of communications are to engage a wide variety of relevant industries with Blue-Action’s project and outcomes; to create a commercial demand for any products/services developed; and to ensure weather-dependent industries quickly understand the project objectives and outcomes as they apply to their business.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for an industry audience- Information about end user products and services produced- Identified opportunities for further partnership or collaboration

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- Training materials and resources developed from the results of WP5 that maximise their capacity to understand and adapt to climate change (likely to be in the form of documentation and videos)

Primary tools:

- Case studies and reports from WP5- Print, online and social media content tailored to a business audience- Panel discussions at relevant business events- Direct engagement via roadshows and or ‘meet and pitch’- Project/product/service specification sheets- Training modules- World Ocean Council’s network- Conference participation

Other tools that can be utilized:

- Website- Match making events- Climate-KIC’s network- Annual project meetings- Press releases- Partner newsletters- Project annual meetings- Direct engagement

Responsibility:

Leads: WOC, Climate-KIC Involvement: DTU AQUA, SRSL, DNV GL, UNIRES, DMI, IASS and AC UoL

2.1.2 Established businessesWho are they: Established businesses who operate in fields which are directly affected by climate change and weather forecasting. These businesses can be of different sizes, some of them are large, often multi-national companies likely to possess a long operational history and large amounts of institutional competencies, whilst others are small or mid-sized enterprises, and though well established, might still rely on their personal experience to understand weather/climate and base their business decisions accordingly.

Language register: Mostly technical but industry dependent. Company representatives are likely to be competent across certain fields to the extent in which directly affects their business. For example, representatives from maritime industries are likely to have a good knowledge of weather phenomena associated with Blue-Action. However, they are unlikely to have expertise in the possibilities for information and data transfer between proposed climate services and their own systems.

Objective: Engage, persuade and inform. One of the main aims of Blue-Action is to “bridge the gap” between climate science and wider society. The most direct way in which Blue-Action seeks to do this is through WP5, which specifically works across five case studies in five different industries to produce

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climate services capable of enhancing the way in which established weather-dependent industries operate and enabling potential for further growth. Thus, the objectives of communications within this function are to engage a wide variety of relevant industries with Blue-Action’s project and outcomes; to create a commercial demand for any products/services developed; and to ensure weather-dependent industries quickly understand the project objectives and outcomes as they apply to their business.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for an industry audience- Information about end user products and services produced- Identified opportunities for further partnership or collaboration with business- Training materials and resources developed from the results of WP5 that maximise their

capacity to understand and adapt to climate change (likely to be in the form of documentation and videos)

Primary tools:

- Case studies and reports from WP5- Print, online and social media content tailored to a business audience- Direct engagement via roadshows and or ‘meet and pitch’- Match-making events- Training modules- Conference participation- Panel discussions at relevant business events- World Ocean Council’s network- Climate-KIC's network


- Website- Policy briefings- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshop- Press releases- Partner newsletters

Responsibility:

Lead(s): WOC, Climate-KICInvolvement: DTU AQUA, SRSL, DNV GL, UNIRES, DMI, IASS, AC UoL

2.1.3 Emerging business actors and start-upsWho are they: Emerging businesses and start-ups are smaller or fledgling companies who do not necessarily have large geographical operating areas, and do not possess a long operational history and/or large amounts of institutional competencies. Often, they have very specific competencies which put them at the forefront of the industry sector, however as result may lack broad competencies across the business landscape.

Language register: Technical, but dependent on the function and expertise of the start-up/newer business. Newer businesses and start-ups in particular often possess in-depth technical knowledge

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across specific areas, but can be lacking in others. Communications, therefore, should be sensitive to the SME and start-up knowledge base, and should aim to increase engagement with this group of stakeholders while making best use of communication resources across all groups within this target audience.

Objective: Engage, persuade and inform. The objectives of communication here are to engage a wide variety of relevant industries; create commercial demand for any products and or services developed; and ensure that weather-dependent industries, or those involved with weather dependent industries, quickly understand the project objectives and outcomes as they apply to their business. By engaging SME’s and start-ups around the climate services developed in WP5, we aim to broaden the range of businesses who can utilize, build upon and enhance the results of Blue-Action WP5, enabling wider impact and societal benefits.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for an industry audience- Information about end user products and services produced- Identified opportunities for further partnership or collaboration with business- Access to results to allow for strategic partnerships and or further innovation

Primary tools:

- Climate-KIC’s network and innovation platforms- Case studies and reports from WP5- Print, online and social media content tailored to start-up/SME business audience- Direct engagement via roadshows and or ‘meet and pitch’- Match making events- Panel discussions at relevant business events


- Website- Conference participation- Training modules- Press releases

Responsibility:

Lead: Climate-KICInvolvement: DTU AQUA, SRSL, DMI, IASS and WOC

2.1.4 Government and other public climate service end users Who are they: Government and other public climate service end users represent all other potential end users who aren’t strictly businesses. These actors will include government agencies, departments and other public actors including semi-public organisations such as health trusts.

Language register: Technical, however the competencies held by such organisations may vary across the different areas covered by Blue-Action research, therefore language should be kept as functional as possible.

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Objective: Engage, persuade and inform. The key objective of reaching out to public actors in the health, shipping and fisheries sectors is to maximise the tangible societal benefits of the project and its outcomes. By engaging health trusts, medical boards, and fisheries and shipping regulatory organisations we can create a demand for the results of the relevant WP5 sub-package and create enthusiasm within the respective European sectors about the work of Blue-Action research into climate change and human health more broadly. Furthermore, through active engagement, Blue-Action can encourage public organisations to incorporate and use the outputs of Blue-Action to support evidence-based policy, regulatory, and management decisions within their respective fields.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for the relevant audience- Information concerning the end user products and services available- Identified opportunities for further partnership or collaboration- Access to / information about businesses who may be interested in developing climate

services further- Access to results to allow for strategic partnerships and or further innovation- Training materials and resources developed from the results of WP5 that maximise their

capacity to understand and adapt to climate change (likely to be in the form of documentation and videos)

Primary tools:

- Conference participation- Case studies and reports from WP5- Policy briefs- Direct engagement- Print material


- Website- Webinars/Seminars- Gap Maps- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshop- Partner newsletters- Project annual meetings- Panel discussions at relevant events- Training modules

Responsibility:

Lead(s): Climate-KICInvolvement: DTU AQUA, SRSL, UNIRES, DMI, ISGlobal, IASS and WOC

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2.2 Technical end user groups – those primarily interested in the results of WP1-4To achieve objectives 7 and 8 of the Blue-Action project, we must reach out to and engage a wide audience of technical end user groups interested in the project’s science outcomes. Broadly speaking these stakeholder groups can be divided into those who are interested in the core scientific aspects of Blue-Action – work packages 1, 2, 3 and 4 http://blueaction.eu/index.php?id=3500 – and those interested in how the advancements in Arctic climate science, modelling and weather forecasting will translate into tangible benefits for wider society – work package 5. For our third audience, technical end user groups – we focus on the stakeholders who are interested in the core scientific aspects of Blue-Action who are interested in understanding our projects goals, progress and results.

General goals of communications measures:

From the different identified technical end user target audiences, we have identified a number of common communication goals and outcomes:

- Highlight where improvements in climate modelling and forecasting capacity can benefit individual stakeholders and enhance the efficiency of their day-to-day operations as well as their long-term prospects

- Encourage stakeholder engagement with the project where necessary- Ensure and validate that the end results are as relevant as possible to targeted end users- Inform stakeholder with both relevant and general updates concerning the Blue-Action

project

2.2.1 European and international initiatives and projectsWho are they: The European and international initiatives and projects targeted for engagement by Blue-Action are those with obvious synergies and mutual collaboration benefits. Projects that are relevant currently include APPLICATE, INTAROS, ICE-ARC, and EU-PolarNet.

Language register: Technical.

Objectives: By communicating with European and international initiatives and projects, Blue-Action can: ensure synchronisation of activities for addressing open science questions; develop a shared understanding of our respective projects and project outcomes; develop a shared understanding of how each of our projects relate to one another and how the results of one project might impact another; and demonstrate the value added through collaborative working. Maintaining regular online and face-to-face communication (thus establishing a two-way dialogue) with existing projects is seen as vital in achieving the desired synergies.

Potential contents:

- Project progress and results- Policy relevance of project and results- Demonstration of tools for greater understanding of the impact of Arctic changes on the

weather and climate of the Northern Hemisphere- Event and professional development plans

Primary tools:

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- Project annual meeting- Joint workshops and other activities – such as the planned joint production of Gap Maps

(WP6 “Clustering for Blue-Growth”)- Joint-seminars and contributions to specific deliverables- Conference participation (joint or otherwise)- Direct engagement – i.e. online and face to face meetings- Website- Conference participation- Panel discussions at relevant events- Peer reviewed articles in scientific journals‐


- Website- Policy briefs- Partner newsletters- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshops- Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports

Responsibility:

Lead: DMIInvolvement: CMCC, UHAM, NERSC, NERC, DTU, MPI, GEOMAR, SAMS, and SRLS

2.2.2 Higher education course leaders and Meteorological Office Training and delivering climate science Who are they: This stakeholder group are those based in higher education institutions and who disseminate high level knowledge and information to students and professionals studying in the field. These organisations will have a keen interest in acquiring the most up-to-date information.

Language register: Technical. It is expected that course leaders involved directly in climate science and meteorological office training will understand the technical terminology used within Blue-Action.

Objective: Communication with personnel in relevant fields of higher education can help ensure that new science / knowledge gained through research in Blue-Action activities is adopted by those who are working – or in the future may work – in climate science-related fields. Through engaging those responsible for knowledge dissemination via courses and training initiatives, Blue-Action will ensure that the professional skills and competencies of those working in relevant areas are improved whilst the skills gap between up-to-date knowledge and that practiced by the work force is reduced.

Potential contents:

- Up to date Arctic climate and weather information as it relates to project progress and results

- Content based on open access to publications and data, tailored to this audience - Opportunities to engage further with the project & its partners

Primary tools:

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- Co-development of knowledge resources, for example: training, modules and webinars, online resources, recorded workshops and fact sheets

- Direct and face to face engagement with existing higher education, training facilities and networks


- Website- Panel discussions at relevant events- Public lectures and presentations- Gap Maps- Partner newsletters- Project workshops- Conference participation- Panel discussions at relevant events- Peer reviewed articles in scientific journals‐- Policy briefs- Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports

Responsibility:

Lead: SRSLInvolvement: All partners involved in higher education

2.2.3 Specialist scientific communityWho are they: The specialist scientific community is made up of scientists working across the disciplines directly addressed in the work of Blue-Action. For example, these are researchers working in climate science, climate modelling, weather prediction and oceanography.

Language register: Technical. It can be expected that scientists who specialise in the field are familiar with technical terms, the latest theories and modelling techniques and the various institutions, partners and initiatives associated with Blue-Action.

Objectives: Communication with the specialist scientific community represents not just an opportunity to inform those working in the field of Blue-Action’s results but also an opportunity to exchange knowledge and initiate collaboration with other researchers in the field. Integration and collaboration with specialists and other projects will help maximise the impact and exploitation of project outcomes as well as further raise awareness of the work being conducted.

Potential contents:

- Project progress and results- Opportunities for collaboration and idea development

Primary tools:

- Peer-reviewed articles- Conference participation- Website

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- Panel discussions at relevant events- Peer reviewed articles in scientific journals‐


- Project annual meetings- Public lectures and presentations- Progress reports, deliverables, grey literature and other reports- Direct engagement via face to face meetings- Partner newsletters- Project workshops- Seminars/Webinars- Policy briefs- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshops- Media coverage – direct mailing to editors- Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports

Responsibility:

Lead(s): SRSL, DMIInvolvement: All scientific partners

2.3 Non-technical end user groupsNon-technical end user groups are those who are interested in how the advancements in Arctic climate science, modelling and weather forecasting will translate into tangible benefits for wider society – i.e. WP5-6 – rather than the scientific core aspects of Blue-Action; which is of interest to audience 3. The audience groups stated below exclude those industries and sectors targeted by WP5 (these are covered in audience group 2, Climate service end user groups).

General goals of communications measures:

While the range of stakeholders and actors in this audience is broad, we have identified a number of common goals for our communications:

- Highlight where improvements in climate modelling and forecasting capacity can benefit individual stakeholders and enhance the efficiency of their day-to-day operations as well as their long-term prospects

- Highlight how the development of climate services can be beneficial and relevant to specific organisations

- Encourage stakeholder engagement with the project where necessary- Ensure and validate that the end results are as relevant as possible to key end users- Inform stakeholder with both relevant and general updates concerning the Blue-Action

project

2.3.1 Policy makers and EU Commission servicesWho are they: Policy makers and EU Commission services are the decision makers who have the power and responsibility to set policy based on information they receive. New knowledge and information

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developed as a result of Blue-Action will be relevant to decision makers at all levels of governance from local to EU and global levels. Language register: Technical however, not overly technical. Documentation must use language relevant across a broad range of disciplines and therefore, where possible avoid very specific technical terms.

Objective: Engage, encourage and inform. The key objectives of reaching out to policy makers and EU commission services is to provide information that can be used in future climate policy, encourage evidence-based decision-making using the outputs of Blue-Action and contribute to relevant international committees such as the IPCC.

Potential contents:

- Project progress and results- The policy relevance of the project and its results- Demonstration of tools for greater understanding of the impact of Arctic changes on the

weather and climate of the Northern Hemisphere- Tangible scientific outcomes which can immediately be applied to support evidence-based

decision making and policy-making

Primary tools:

- Policy briefings – to include an element of training to update officials on new areas of knowledge they are likely to be unfamiliar with

- Gap Maps resulting from the collaborations under WP6 “Clustering for Blue-Growth”- Direct engagement – i.e. through existing members of vehicles such as the IPCC steering

groups, the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and various EU committees

- Project annual meetings- Print material


- Website- Annual project meetings- Project workshops- Conference participation- Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshop- Partner newsletters- Panel discussions at relevant events- Seminars/Webinars

Responsibility:

Lead: KDMInvolvement: CKIC, SRSL, DMI, IASS and MPI

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2.3.2 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)Who are they: Non-governmental organisations operate in the sphere of civil society. They are often interest groups who work and campaign for certain issues. Those relevant to Blue-Action are likely to be involved in indigenous rights, human wellbeing, environmental protection and wildlife conservation although those working in other fields may also be relevant. Examples of high profile NGO’s relevant to the project include Greenpeace, WWF and Bird Life International.

Language register: Non-specialist. NGO representatives are likely to be competent across certain fields – especially those relating to the politics and impact of climate change – however, may lack certain proficiencies in the more physics-based and technical aspects of Blue-Action.

Objective: Engage and inform. There are two main objectives from Blue-Action’s engagement with NGOs which are to solicit critical feedback as to the projects outcomes and to encourage uptake of the improved climate information in their efforts to create societal awareness and action.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for a broader non-specialist audience- Avenues for gathering feedback from the NGOs involved

Primary tools:

- Policy briefs- Print, online and social media content tailored to a non-specialist audience- Direct engagement via Societal Engagement Groups (SEGs)- Project annual meetings- Website- Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports- Print material


- Seminars/Webinars- Project workshops- Conference participation- Partner newsletters- Panel discussions at relevant events

Responsibility:

Lead: DMIInvolvement: AC UoL, SRSL, IASS, all partners

2.3.3 Indigenous groupsWho are they: Indigenous groups are representative organisations of the indigenous peoples who live in the Arctic. Examples of such organisations include the Sami Council, and the Inuit Circumpolar Council.

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Language register: Non-specialist.

Objective: By engaging indigenous groups we hope to make the Blue-Action project as relevant as possible to their needs. An aim of our communication with this audience is to provide a two-way exchange through which partners can provide communities with new, improved climate forecasts for the relevant macro-area and raise awareness of the expected impacts of climate change in the region. Furthermore, communications will also allow for the solicitation of critical feedback and input from indigenous communities concerning the project’s outcomes. Through establishing this two-way exchange, we want to ensure that the knowledge and understanding we generate about the changing Arctic climate reaches communities in regions most acutely affected by these changes. At the same time, we want to enable a dialogue between those communities and researchers to facilitate co-creation of research outcomes which benefit all parties involved.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for a broader non-specialist audience - Avenues for open feedback from the communities involved

Primary tools:

- Policy briefs- Print, online and social media content tailored to a non-specialist audience- Direct engagement via Societal Engagement Groups (SEGs)- Project annual meetings- Website- Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reports- Print material


- Seminars/Webinars- Project workshops- Conference participation- Partner newsletters- Panel discussions at relevant events

Responsibility:

Lead: DMIInvolvement: SEG, SRSL, all partners

2.4 General audiencesAlthough the Blue-Action project is primarily aimed at bridging the gap between climate science and modelling, and business and society actors who need to utilize knowledge created in these fields, there is significant value to be gained from disseminating information beyond that community. Through Blue-Action, we will also work to stimulate the general public’s awareness, engagement and appreciation of climate change, climate science and the value of the work of science and researchers more broadly. Furthermore, exposure to climate services and the extent to which changes in the climate can individual

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lives can help to bridge the gap between the public’s perception of climate change as an abstract idea and individual daily lives.

2.4.1 Wider scientific communityWho are they: The wider scientific community is made up of scientists who do not directly work across the disciplines addressed by Blue-Action but still may harbour an interest in the results of the project.

Language register: Technical. Although not necessarily specialists in climate modelling and climate science, members of the wider scientific community reached by Blue-Action are likely to have pre-existing interests in climate change on some level. Therefore, it can be assumed that more widely used technical terms are mostly known to this group, and that be able to derive word definitions using context.

Objectives: Communication with the wider scientific community presents similar opportunities to that of the specialist community. Knowledge exchange and collaboration with members of the wider scientific community may represent an opportunity to broaden the appeal of Blue-Action as well as the scope and relevance of its work.

Potential contents:

- Project progress and results- Opportunities for collaboration and idea development

Primary tools:

- Peer-reviewed articles- Conference participation- Website- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshops


- Public lectures and presentations- Panel discussions at relevant events- Partner newsletters- Gap Maps- Media coverage – direct mailing to editors- Press releases- Social media

Responsibility:

Lead(s): SRSL, DMIInvolvement: All partners involved in WP6 “Clustering” and WP8 “Communication, Dissemination, Engagement and Exploitation”

2.4.2 The general public and wider societyWho are they: The general public and wider society represents individuals and organisations who are interested in the work and results of Blue-Action, but who do not directly work the field, or in scientific research. This group may include private citizens, students and other interested groups.

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Language register: Broad and concise. The general public and wider society may have limited or patchy knowledge of climate issues and climate science beyond what is commonly portrayed in the media. Furthermore, this audience is unlikely to have prior knowledge of administrative terms such as Blue-Action, Horizon 2020 etc. and therefore when using such terms, we recommend including a broad and basic explanation.

Objective: Communications aimed at the general public and wider society are intended to maximise project visibility in wider society, ensure maximum societal benefit through the provision of improved climate information and, more broadly, improve societal climate literacy, raise awareness of Arctic climate change, modelling, and societal impacts.

Potential contents:

- Project results and implications tailored for a broader non-specialist audience

Primary tools:

- Website- Press releases- Media coverage - Public lectures and presentations- Social media


- Partner newsletters- Online resources – fact sheets, infographics and recorded workshops

Responsibility:

Lead: SRSLInvolvement: All partners involved in WP8

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3.0 Communications measures and tools3.1 NewslettersNewsletters represent a cost-effective method of raising awareness and disseminating project updates, news and progress. The Blue Action project has a quarterly newsletter through which those following the project can be updated as to the work being conducted as well as progress achieved. Features in the newsletter can be used to inform members of their respective networks on:

Project achievements, publications, events, and media Past or present events associated with Blue-Action Share links to social media vines i.e. Twitter, Storify, Linkedin and Flickr

Frequency: Quarterly

Primary indicators for monitoring:

Partners who contribute to the Blue-Action newsletter annually (21, 50% of all partners)

Other indicators for monitoring:

Registrations to the newsletter Number of views

3.2 Project annual meetingAnnual meetings will be held with the goal of allowing interaction between the members of the consortium and external stakeholder groups such as the specialist scientific community, affiliated research initiatives and Societal Engagement Groups (SEGs). The Blue-Action Annual General Assembly is to be coupled with the Project annual meetings however, given that internal communications isn’t covered in this document, this function of project annual meeting will be ignored here. The project’s annual meeting will be used to:

Update and inform all partners and key stakeholders as to the progress and achievements of the Blue-Action project

Act as a forum in which partners and stakeholders can meet and exchange information and ideas

Frequency: Annually


At least one representative for each Project partner Work package representative attendance (7 WP representatives, 87.5% of work packages)


Number of key external stakeholders in attendance over project duration Feedback from other communities (i.e. SEG group)

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3.3 Project workshopsThe workshops will bring together scientists from the consortium with a wide variety of stakeholders. Depending on the nature of the workshop these may be climate service end users (from WP5 and beyond), businesses, members of the scientific community and political decision-makers. The events will be organised for the:

Presentation of project goals Identification of end-user needs Identification of stakeholder needs Assessment of the suitability of climate forecast parameters for stakeholders’ use Presentation of success stories within the project Presentation of scientific achievements

Throughout the duration of Blue-Action a number of workshops will be conducted within WPs 5, 6 and 8. As much as is feasible workshops will be recorded and made available via webcasts for larger audiences.

For the case study on the Temperature-related human mortality in European regions, we are planning to have peer-to-peer online meetings with relevant external institutions,and that are key to understand end-user demands, such as theUK MetOffice, Public Health England, Deutsche Wetter Dienst (DWD), the World Health andMeteorological Organizations, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

Materials of the workshops will be made available in ZENODO (https://zenodo.org/).

Frequency: Deliverable dependent

Indicators for monitoring:

Two workshops for each case study in WP5 (one at the beginning of the case study activities, one at the end) counting the participation of relevant external stakeholders.

3.4 Website (D8.3)The website www.blueaction.eu contains:

• Description of project goals, consortium, structure and expected outputs (presented in lay-man’s terms)

• Information on the case studies• News• The media homepage containing an article archive, infographics, videos, press releases,

factsheets• Guidelines and Blue-Action training material• Link to deliverables, reports and publications (with the status of “public”)• Overview on the most important results of the project

Frequency: Regularly


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Traffic statistics

3.5 Conference participation Blue-Action’s project objectives and results will be presented by a variety of partners and scientists with the following objectives:

Raising awareness of the project progress, planned activities and results Identifying opportunities for collaboration and idea development Getting feedback of the scientific community for evaluation of the scientific quality of the

project and developing goals and activities accordingly

In each case communication will be tailored according to the target audience of the events. We will maximize the interaction/networking possibilities with the scientific community and other H2020 projects, and, where possible, we will try to implement specific Blue-Action sessions within established scientific conferences.

Talks at conferences will be made available in ZENODO (https://zenodo.org/).

Frequency: Regularly but dependent on external factors


Number of conferences participated in (12) Participant feedback

3.6 Panel discussions at relevant eventsPanel discussions are applicable to a number of tasks and deliverables (notably D8.5 and D8.15) and represent an effective method of reaching targeted audiences.

Inform and discuss how Blue-Action results can lead to industry developments, opportunities and Challenges in the Arctic region.

Engage relevant actors about sustainable development in the Arctic region Receive feedback on Blue-Action’s co-development and business outreach activities


Number of panel discussions participated in (2) Number of participants Participant feedback

3.7 Climate-KIC’s NetworkClimate-KIC is Europe’s largest public-private innovation partnership focused on climate change, consisting of dynamic companies, the best academic institutions and the public sector. Climate-KIC integrates education, entrepreneurship and innovation resulting in connected, creative transformation of knowledge and ideas into economically viable products or services that help to mitigate climate change, bringing together, and empowering a dynamic community to build a zero carbon economy and climate resilient society. The vision with engaging with emerging business actors is to enable Europe to lead the global transformation towards sustainability. Climate-KIC provides its start-ups community with innovative and imaginative platforms for developing solutions to climate change via a dynamic alliance

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of European partners drawn from academia, industry and the public sector. Climate-KIC’s network can be used to:

Source startups to be involved in the project activities as potential users and testers of specific project results (WP5).

Engage established industries



Number of CKIC startups registering an interest in work package five Number of established businesses and business organisations involved in dialogue with the Blue-

Action project

3.8 World Ocean Council’s (WOC) NetworkThe World Ocean Council (WOC) is a network of ocean companies, associations and organizations from all over the world who have formed an alliance with the WOC to make a difference in ocean sustainability, science and governance and to exemplify leadership in corporate ocean sustainability. The WOC’s membership includes organizations from shipping, commercial fishing, energy and mining, aquaculture and tourism, and other sectors. The alliance forms the platform for coordinating collective action in developing solutions to the ocean environment and sustainability challenges facing the ocean business community. The WOC provides the eyes, ears and voice in the ocean sustainability policy fora and processes, and catalyzes collective action on priority issues. The WOC’s network represents an opportunity to:

Engage established industries



Attendance at WOC conference (2) Presentations made at WOC conference (2) Number of WOC businesses registering an interest in WP5 “Developing and Valuing Climate

Services”

3.9 Seminars / webinarsSeminars / webinars are both primarily designed as a tool for the dissemination of project progress and results which also facilitates a two-way dialogue between end-users/stakeholders and the present Blue-Action partners. The two communications tools are largely the same in terms of end-result however, webinars require less in term of logistics and application of resources. Furthermore, they require less commitment from attendees and therefore can be used to attract “less-interested” stakeholders.

Regional dissemination of progress and results to business end users Dissemination of progress and results

Materials of the seminars/webinars will be made available in ZENODO (https://zenodo.org/).

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Number of seminars/webinars Number of participants Participant feedback

3.10 Roadshow and meet and pitch activities – direct engagement Roadshow and meet & pitch activities represent a way of engaging directly with businesses relevant to the work Blue-Action will produce. Road show and meet and pitch activities are often organised at industry specific conferences and other such events and may attract many of prospective buyers interested in learning more about the offering. Furthermore, it is common practice to take advantage of the internet and post versions of road show presentations online. These activities represent a good opportunity to:

Inform about and raise awareness of Blue-Action and more specifically its climate services How utilizing these may be beneficial for those involved. Conduct question-and-answer sessions


Number of roadshows/meet and pitch events attended (4) % of climate services end user groups at event (3, 75% of identified climate service end user

groups)


Number of follow up enquiries after event

3.11 Match making eventsA matchmaking event is one in which organisations who are interested in similar fields or operate in the same sectors or industries come together to network and find perfect matches for collaboration. These processes are also known as brokerage events and represent a faster method of networking than traditional search methods, thus save time and money. In Blue-Action these events can be used to:

Match core scientific groups with emerging business actors Incorporate the outputs of Blue-Action into the business models of emerging business actors

Frequency: Infrequently


Number of match making events attended / held (2) Number of participants at match making events Number of matches made

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3.12 Peer‐reviewed articles It is expected that the project will result in a number of publications in scientific, peer reviewed journals,‐ especially during the final year of its lifetime. Peer reviewed articles are to be used as a tool for technical knowledge dissemination and as a method for validating/inviting specialist feedback on research conducted by the Blue-Action consortia. Blue-Action scientists will ensure that electronic copies of peer-reviewed scientific publications become freely available to anyone as soon as possible and in all cases no later than six months after publication. As a general rule, we will privilege Open Access Journals for publishing our articles.

A comprehensive list of the journals is provided by the Directory of Open Access Journals http://www.doaj.org

Policy for open access of journals can be checked here: http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/index.php

OpenAIRE (https://www.openaire.eu/) is the key infrastructure for reporting H2020 scientific publications as it is loosely coupled to the EC Participant Portal for monitoring publications related to H2020 projects. Peer-reviewed scientific publications will also appear in OpenAIRE when the embargo time is over.

Frequency: Infrequently, dependent on research progress


Number of articles made for publication (10) Feedback on articles

3.13 Policy briefsPolicy briefings refer to reports or ad hoc meetings with European and national representatives / policy makers. It is envisaged that the policy briefings be used to inform decision makers about topics including:

Updates concerning how the results of Blue-Action build on and change current predictions concerning medium-long term change in the climate of the Artic and Northern Hemisphere more broadly

Provide brief summary of issues associated with climate change, climate services, weather and extreme events

Summarise the policy options which could be used – or are being used – to deal with these issues

Make some recommendations as to the best policy options. Recommended policy options will always retain scientific neutrality

An element of training will be included in policy reports and briefings in order to bridge the gap between data-provider (WP1-4) and data users.

Include the Gap Maps drafted together with clustered projects in WP6 “Clustering for Blue Growth”.

These materials will all be made available in ZENODO (https://zenodo.org/).

Frequency: Irregularly

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Meetings with policy makers (2 meetings are planned, 2 briefs will be prepared for the meetings). These are linked to the deliverables D8.11 and D8.16.

Feedback from policy makers.

3.14 Gap MapsGap maps can be used – along with policy briefs – as a means of providing stakeholders easy to digest yet high level information, in the case of Blue-Action these will cover key policy issues such as weather, observation, prediction and climate change response and adaptation.

The gap maps are the outcome of the exchanges with other projects and initiatives implemented in the WP6 “Clustering for Blue Growth”, in particular with the projects belonging to the Arctic cluster funded by the European Commission (i.e. APPLICATE, INTAROS, EU-PolarNet and the project on permafrost). The maps contain key scientific inputs and provide a map of what we know and do not know in terms of forecasting and climate adaptation. The maps will be used as a basis for collaborative policy briefings and Policy Reports addressed to policy makers, mostly at European level, involved in determining key policy issues relating to weather observation, prediction, climate change response and adaptation. Policy reports -which contain the gap maps-and briefings will be prepared by KDM and presented at two briefings held in months 15 and 50 (D8.11 and D8.16) for allowing dialogue between policy makers and scientist for use in policy action at local/national and European level.


Frequency: Deliverable and external project dependent. Frequency might also depend on the number of interactions with the other project of the EU Arctic Cluster.


Number of downloads

3.15 Case studies and reports on WP5 “Developing and Valuing Climate Services”Work Package 5 represents the “bridge” between research based work packages 1 – 4 and many of Blue-Action’s stakeholders and ultimate end-users. Thus, case study and reporting materials produced as a result of WP5 are vital in proving Blue-Action’s relevance to Arctic, weather, and climate dependent industries. The case studies and reports on WP5 will include:

Information concerning what WP5 is about and its aims The tangible results of WP5 for the stakeholders including how utilizing the developed climate

services has created value for the recipients in the five case studies Climate service specification sheets

Information about how the climate services can be applicable to industries and stakeholders outside of those directly involved in their co-development



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Number of views Number of downloads Recipient feedback

3.16 Training modulesTraining materials in the form of videos and documentation can be used to transmit the findings of Blue-Action to wider audiences.


In particular, but not limited to, training modules will include:

Results and findings of WP5 relevant to wider business audience Embedding a better understanding of climate Promoting the importance of climate-resilient strategies Developing an understanding of the opportunities and challenges for sustainable region

development

Frequency: Once over the project duration


Number of modules created Number of organisations who receive training modules Number of downloads Number of watches

3.17 Online resources – fact sheets and infographics Fact sheets can be used to highlight the main features of the project and can be updated on the website regularly with little effort. Typically, fact sheets are made publicly available and present the project activities, partnership, goals and impacts in a language understandable by most audiences. Furthermore, regularly updated fact sheets represent a good resource for use at dissemination activities hosted and or attended by Blue-Action partners. Examples: Fact sheets on the case studies in the project.

Infographics can be used to portray and summarise data, statistics, facts, information and reports effectively and in particular is useful for reaching non-specialist audiences. An increasingly used tool, infographics can be embedded in every document and media tool and can be used to enhance the ease at which a document can be understood but also its appeal to readers who appreciate visualisation and a break in text.


Frequency: Relatively frequently however, dependent on research progress


Number of fact sheets and infographics created Number of views/downloads

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Use at Blue-Action events Viewer feedback

3.18 Print materialPrint material can vary in size and content however, its intention is to disseminate relevant information to stakeholders either at events or delivered through the post. Print material can include information on:

The advancement of the scientific knowledge relating to the affect that changes in the artic will have on the climate and weather systems

The progress being made on establishing climate services in WP5 Benefits and uses for climate services within industry and other organisations

Frequency: Infrequent, deliverable and progress dependent


Number of work packages covered in print material Number of recipients of the information Reader feedback

3.19 Media coverage Media agencies and relevant magazines with desired readerships represent effective channels to reach target audiences and raise awareness of the work of Blue-Action and the subject areas it operates in. For example, it would be beneficial for dissemination and awareness raising purposes that work conducted by the “scientific core” (WP1-4) and the project “clustering” efforts (WP6) of Blue-Action is featured in scientific media. In the same vein, work from WP5 would benefit from being involved relevant business publications. For scientific media, coverage is usually ascertained through releasing peer-reviewed articles. This coverage can be encouraged through the production of complementary materials that can enhance ‘pick up’ by science media. The attention of industry publications is usually ascertained through direct contact with individual publications.

Frequency: Relatively frequently however, dependent on research progress


Number of articles based on Blue-Action content Feedback from journalists

3.20 Press releases Press releases are drafted in alignment with events, relevant outcome of the project, scientific findings and important publications.

Channels for press releases include:

The Blue-Action press channels Press and communication officers of the partners Press and communication channels of the EU Commission Press and communication channels of other EU funded initiative and networks

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Internet press center /science new services for European science and technology such as AlphaGalileo http://www.alphagalileo.org/ , EurekaAlert http://www.eurekalert.org/ and similar

Twitter LinkedIn

Additionally, similar channels at national level will be used by our partners in their respective countries / greater-regions (i.e. pan Nordic channels can be utilized by partners in for example Denmark).


% of partners who create a relevant press release annually (31, 75% of partners)

3.21 Social mediaSocial media represents a wide reaching and cost effective method of engaging large audiences. Social media platforms relevant to Blue-Action primarily include Twitter, although other platforms such as Linkedin, Storify and others may be relevant for the activities of some partners.

Twitter

Our Twitter account is @ BG10Blueaction , the account will be used as the primary tool of interaction with several actors, automatically reporting about it, and to launch news related to the project.



Number of tweets from the Blue-Action handle Number of retweets Number of likes Number of follows

3.22 Deliverables, progress reports, grey literature and other reportsDeliverables and reports will be made available on the website and in ZENODO (https://zenodo.org/) and OpenAIRE if they have a public status. If not, they will be made available in the intranet.

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Zenodo, hosted by CERN, enables Blue-Action to deposit articles and research data. Zenodo exposes its data to OpenAIRE https://www.openaire.eu/ , helping researchers to comply with the Open Access demands from the EC.

Frequency: deliverable and report dependent


Number of views Number of downloads

3.23 Direct engagementDirect engagement simply refers to the process of contacting individual stakeholders directly in order to make them aware of the work and progress Blue-Action is making.

Frequency: Infrequent

indicators for monitoring:

Number of stakeholders successfully reached out to via direct engagement

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