Current State of the Climate

Services in Bulgaria

Anelia Gocheva, Tania Marinova,

Vesselin Alexandrov, and Ilian Gospodinov

National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

GFCS Meeting, 21-22 November 2014,

Antalya

Capacities for the management

of climatic data

Indicate the percentage of data that is not digitized:

The here given is the percentage of digitized data

climatological stations - almost 100%

synoptic stations – 20%

precipitation stations – about 70%

Indicate the percentage of quality controlled and homogenized data

standard control – by stored procedures developed in MBD

the data in MBD are not homogenized; for selected research purposes some homogenization procedures were implemented

Indicate if the databases in the country are integrated or not: yes /no – Yes

Indicate if there are available products derived from the climatic data base – Yes (some standard climatic parameters)

Indicate if there is a climatic atlas of your country – Yes (edition 1955); contemporary climatic maps are in process of development:

Indicate the reference climatological period in use – (1961 – 1990)basically but for specific applied purposes the period (1981 - 2010) is also used

Indicate if there is access to the climatic database and climatological products – Yes (under some restrictions according to NIMH rules for climate services )

Current capacities for climate

monitoring

Indicate if there is a permanent monitoring system for climate and information system for ENSO

– No but because it is not very relevant for the region of Bulgaria where

ENSO has little influence

Indicate if there is a defined national observation network for climatic purposes - Yes

Indicate if the stations of the observation network observe the standards established by GCOS -

Yes

Indicate if the NMHSs has conducted analysis of climatic extreme events at national and sub-

national levels - Yes

Indicated if the NMHSs maintains analysis of climatic trends and detection of climate change at

national and sub-national level - Yes;

Indicate id the NMHSs has data derived from climate change scenarios for analysis and

application - Yes

Current capacities for the

provision of climate services to

climate-sensitive sectors

Indicate what are the climate services you provide to the agricultural sector – by request

Indicate what are the climatic services you provide to the health sector – by request

Indicate what are the climate services you provide to the water sector – by request

Indicate what are the climate services you provide to the disaster risk reduction sector – by request

* Early warning systems are not considered in the answers of these questions

Indicate if you provide climate services to any other sector. Which services do you provide -

normative characteristics in terms of return period values for the purposes of

building design

Indicate if the climate services you provide are differentiated for each sector - Yes

Indicate how is the communication or interface with the users managed or maintained – by internet,

media, mobile communication

Indicate if National Climate Forums are conducted. Please indicate the frequency of these forums –

Yes; several times yearly

Limitations of the NMHSs in the

provision of climate services

Indicate what sectors do not benefit from specific climate services – N/A (as far as the climate

services are still by request)

Indicate how many people in the NMHSs are dedicated to the production of climate services – up to

20

Indicate what are the critical elements for the production of climate services operationally

The capacity of the end user to absorb on-line service and some times the

capacity of the institute to organize an online service upon a specific request

Indicate what would be the priorities to strengthen the provision of climate services by the NMHSs –

capacity building, providing additional funding, improvement of environmental

monitoring system,

Indicate what opportunities at national and international level you identify to strengthen the provision of

climate services in your country – development of national and international projects,

conferences, workshops for exchange of ideas, now-how; etc

Indicate what role the private sector could play to improve the provision of climate services in your country

– the role of private sector could be considerable in case of appropriate legislation

framework

User interface Platforms

Describe how was the interface with users developed and how it works –through

the NIMH’s web site; climate brochures;

Indicate if there are cooperation agreements for the co-production of specific

climate services – a few agreements between NIMH and other

Institutes of BAS have been initiated but also with other

governmental agencies

Indicate if the interface mechanisms with users are institutionalized or are Ad hoc

– still Ad hoc

Good practices in the

development and application of

climate services

Describe examples of good practices in the provision of climate services at national and local

level:

Climate data support to the municipalities for the monitoring of the

air quality in accordance with an agreement between the NIMH and

the ministry or environment

Climate data support to the ministry of food and agriculture for

various agrotechnicsal activities, crop yeald formation etc.

What were the lessons learnt

As a result of the communication with the users of climate services we are

convinced in the necessity of comprehensive strategy for development of

the climate information services in various socio – economic sectors. It is

very important to emphasize on the opportunities for collaboration with

governmental units and private representatives on different levels.

Current State of the Climate

Services in Bulgaria

Ilian Gospodinov

Ilian.Gospodinov@meteo.bg

National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences