The landscape of climate services has evolved significantly in recent years. Across Europe, high-quality, free, and open climate data is now widely available, thanks to numerous EU initiatives. However, bridging the "last mile" remains a challenge. Despite the wealth of available data, uptake is still limited, and climate services (CS) have yet to reach their full potential.

When examining cities across the EU, it is evident that larger metropolitan areas are at the forefront of climate adaptation. Cities such as Milan, Athens, Rotterdam, London, and Copenhagen frequently lead the way, equipped with well-resourced administrations and expertise in adaptation planning. However, the vast majority of small and medium-sized towns are still at the beginning of their adaptation journey. The key question remains: How do we ensure that these smaller cities can effectively access and utilize climate services?

Lessons from the Dutch Delta Program

Ten years ago, the Dutch Delta Program launched an initiative called ‘Spatial Adaptation’, targeting all local governments, regardless of size. Each municipality was encouraged to conduct a climate stress test, supported by the Climate Impact Atlas. This platform was developed by the organization Climate Adaptation Services in collaboration with research organizations such as the KNMI (The Dutch Met Office), Deltares, Wageningen University, TNO, and others.

The Climate Adaptation Services’ approach was not to simply push data onto local administrations but rather to understand their specific needs and the first steps in their adaptation process.
Key lessons from this initiative include:

1. Keep It Simple: The Power of Basic Insights
   The first step in adaptation often requires only a basic understanding of climate change trends. Users need clear, visual information to communicate risks effectively to stakeholders unfamiliar with climate science. For short adaptation journeys, a bicycle—simple, efficient, and accessible—is the best option. The Dutch love their bikes…. There is no need to introduce overly complex models ("the car") at this stage.
   
   
2. Integration with Broader Urban Challenges
   Systemic change is required to align urban planning and climate adaptation with broader socio-economic and environmental transformations. Many cities face multiple challenges, including globalization, demographic shifts, technological changes, mobility constraints, and social inequality. Climate change should not be viewed in isolation but rather as one of many factors shaping urban resilience. Consequently, adaptation strategies must distill complex scientific insights into clear, actionable messages that seamlessly integrate into urban governance frameworks.
   
   
3. Framing Adaptation as an Opportunity, Not Just a Risk
   Traditional climate adaptation often focuses on "bouncing back" after climate shocks. However, a more progressive approach emphasizes "bouncing forward"—leveraging adaptation efforts to create economic, social, and environmental opportunities. Climate service providers must expand their role beyond risk communication to becoming advocates of positive change, promoting long-term resilience through participatory and innovative solutions, preferably embedded in a vision of a resilient future.
   
   

The Climate Impact Atlas and associated tools have significantly enhanced climate service uptake across Dutch municipalities. By 2023, nearly 100% of municipalities had completed their stress tests, benefiting from a growing market of adaptation specialists and an extensive suite of tools. The Climate Impact Atlas and the Climate Adaptation Knowledge Portal attract approximately 2,000 daily users, with data widely used by both public and private sectors.

The Netherlands is now entering the second cycle of the Spatial Adaptation program. The KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) released updated climate scenarios in 2023, and work is underway to update the Climate Impact Atlas accordingly. As cities advance in their adaptation journey, they may no longer rely solely on "bicycles"—some may opt for a more sophisticated yet practical means of transport that would take them further.

To support this transition, national standards have been developed, including:

• The Framework on Climate Adaptive Buildings (DGBC) – A standardized approach for climate risk assessments in real estate which is a step towards climate labelling for buildings.
  
  
• Minimum requirements for Climate-Proofing New Developments – A guideline for embedding climate resilience into urban development planning.
  
  
• Tailored Climate Scenarios by KNMI – authorized localized projections for improved decision-making.

Lessons from the REACHOUT project

The REACHOUT project offered a broad offer range of climate services that 7 selected cities could choose from for further co-development. The broad and more diverse range of climate adaptation services was appreciated by the cities to support them effectively. Currently, climate services are overly focused on risk assessments and risk-based approaches, which can lead to incremental solutions that may lead to quick technical fixes over long-term adaptation towards building broader societal resilience. True transformative adaptation requires a more holistic, visionary approach that encourages ambition-setting. The climate services community must expand its toolkit and collaborate with related fields to integrate climate data with other urban planning tools and approaches.

The project also learnt that brokers play a crucial role in tailoring and co-creating information on risks, impacts and vulnerability to the city level. Brokers also play an important role in guiding cities in identifying their needs. What is the next step in their adaptation journey. REACHOUT started with the development of a logical climate services roadmap for each city. We learnt that each city designed a different roadmap, choosing different services in different order. This depends on the maturity level of the city, but also on where they stand in their adaptation journey.

Users first: navigating toward climate resilience

The evolution of climate services in the Netherlands and in the REACHOUT project demonstrates that a strategic, user-centered approach can significantly enhance climate adaptation efforts and climate services uptake. By providing accessible, relevant, and integrated tools, smaller cities can effectively begin their adaptation journey without being overwhelmed by complexity. The key takeaway: start simple, integrate climate adaptation into broader urban development, and frame adaptation as an opportunity rather than a burden.

As we move forward, the challenge is ensuring that climate services remain adaptable and responsive to the diverse needs of cities at different stages of their resilience journey. Whether you choose a bike or a car, the ultimate goal is to ensure that every city, large or small, can navigate the path toward climate resilience effectively.