1. Efficiency of Using Weather- and Climate- Related Data Should Be Enhanced: Case Study from Ukraine
Viacheslav Manukalo, Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute
Mykola Kulbida, Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centre
Hanna Gerasymenko, Institute of Demography and Social Studies
CBS TECO-2016, Guangzhou, China, November 2016

2. Structure of Presentation
Used definition
Problem identification
Methodology
Results and their discussion
General background
Assessment of efficiency of providing and using hydrometeorological information and services
Measures which are undertaken to improve the efficiency of using weather- and climate - related data in different sectors of society

3. Used definition
Efficiency of Using Weather- and Climate-Related Data - the direct and indirect economic and any other benefit to be derived from using a good quality of diverse hydrometeoro- logical data to prevent economic, social and environmental losses caused by the impact of unfavorable weather conditions on the operation of users

4. Problem identification
Adverse weather-and climate -related phenomena annually cause the large damage to the Ukrainian economy
Protection policy from hazards should be based on the diverse hydrometeorological and climatological data: current information, forecasts, services and results of researches
But, a level of efficiency of using this data by the Ukrainian society is still poorly understood

5. Aim of presentation:
Presenting some principal results of the study focusing on the estimation of preparedness of Ukrainian society to effective using the diverse weather- and climate-related data
The study was carried out by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute and the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centre in the cooperation with the Institute of Demography and Social Study

6. Methodology The study is based on:
Results of the pilot project “Program of Technical and Technological Development of Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Service: Economic Efficiency Assessment”
Analysis of using results of hydrometeorological researches in programs of social and economic development which have been adopted in Ukraine for the last 30 years on the state, regional and sectoral levels;
Results of social survey of representatives from different groups of society: managers and experts from central and local governments and weather-depended sectors of economy as well as general public  

7. Results and their discussion. General background
In general, the efficiency of using the hydrometeorological information depends on a number of factors. In this article the following key factors are objects of our researches: 1) the quality of information and services provided by the Hydrometeorological Service; 2) skill level of using this data in activities of the weather-depended sectors
Following users were included in this study:
1) central and local governments; 2) weather-sensitive
sectors: agriculture; transport and communications; water
management; energy production; urban development
tourism and recreation; 3) hazards management and
environment protection authorities; 4) general public

8. Assessment of efficiency of providing and using hydrometeorological information and services
In order to assess the adequacy of quality of
hydrometeorological information and services to users
requirements, the survey named "The evaluation of the quality
of use of hydrometeorological information and services" was
carried out among users from the mentioned governmental
bodies, weather-sensitive sectors and general public
A number of questions were grouped in two groups. First group
contains questions, which reflect opinions of users concerning a
quality of hydrometeorological information and services. Second
group – questions concerning users willingness and skills to use
these information and services

9. Results of survey “The evaluation of the quality of use of hydrometeorological information and services” (first group of questions/answers)
Question/Answer 1: How the list of products and services,
including results of researches, meets the needs of your sector? /
All participants gave answer “partly satisfied”
Question/Answer 2: How the accuracy and led-time of
hydrometeorological information and forecasts meets the needs of
your sector?/
Answers "unsatisfied" were got from some local governments and
branches of sectors located in the Carpathians mountain region
where there is the high probability of formation of extreme
hydrometeorological events. The answers “partly satisfied”
were received from others recipients.

10. Results of survey “The evaluation of the quality of use of hydrometeorological information and services” (first group) - continued
Question/Answer 3: How information, products and services are
understood for practical using in your sectors?/ A few number of peoples
from the rural districts gave answers"unsatisfied". Answers “partly satisfied”
were got from sectors of urban development, tourism and recreation, and
environment protection. Others participants submitted answers “fully
satisfied”.
Question/Answer 4: How do you assess a level of professional training
of the experts from the State Hydrometeorological Service?/ Answers “fully
satisfied” were from agriculture, water management, energy production,
emergencies managemen; answers “partly satisfied” – from others.
Question/Answer 5: How do you assess a level of partnership
between your sector and the State Hydrometeorological Service?/ As
“partly satisfied” this level was estimated by urban development, tourism
and recreation. Answers “fully satisfied” were got in other cases.

11. Results of survey “The evaluation of the quality of use of hydrometeorological information and services” (second group of questions/answers)
Question/Answer 1: How often do you use the information, services,
and results of researches in the elaboration of short –(daily, monthly), medium-(up
to one year) and long-term (more one year) development programs in your
sectors?/
Agriculture, water management, energy production, urban development,
emergencies management “always’ use this information in short–term planning
and “often” use - in medium-term planning. Answers “practically never” were
obtained from all of recipients in the cases of long-term planning and from most of
others cases of medium-term planning.
Question/Answer 2: Can you estimate in monetary term the benefit
which your sector obtains from hydrometeorological information and services?/
Practically, all participants gave answer "no" because they have no a
methodology of this estimation. On their opinion, the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological
Institute should develop this methodology and provide all users with it.

12. Results of survey “The evaluation of the quality of use of hydrometeorological information and services” (second group) - continued
Question/Answer 3. Are you ready to take part jointly with the State Hydrometeorological Service in the assessment of economic efficiency of hydrometeorological information and services?/
Representatives from most of all sectors gave answers “yes” because they
understand that the assessment of economic efficiency of
hydrometeorological information and services is the actual issue both for
the Hydrometeorological Service and users.

13. Discussion of results
The researches have shown that there are a number of
shortcomings in the issues of providing and using the divers
hydrometeorological information, products and services. They
were divided into two groups.
1) Issues, which mostly related to the list, the order and the
quality of information and services provided by the
Hydrometeorological Service were included in Group 1.
2)Group 2 consists of issues which in mostly concern to
correct understanding and using this information and services
by consumers in order to obtain a benefit from them.

14. Issues of group 1
In some cases the consumers from the urban development, the
tourism and recreation and the environment protection have complained that
the information and products of the Hydrometeorologial Service don't
enough take into account the specificity of their activities
Practically, all weather-depended sectors want to expand the list of
products and services provided by the Hydrometeorological Service. But,
they don't take into consideration a current technological capability of the
Hydrometeorological Service and the level of development of the science in
general. For instance, the users from the energy production want to get in
September the forecasts of mean monthly temperatures for the cold period
of year (from October to March).

15. Issues of group 1- continued
Peoples, especially living in the regions with the difficult weather
conditions, note the increasing quality of hydrometeorological services.
However, the number of criticisms to timeliness and accuracy of forecasts
increases in periods of sharp change of synoptic processes
Weather-depended sectors and the general public show the interest
in the issue of climate change and its impact on the development of the
country. Unfortunately, users, especially from the general public, don't
know enough the results of studies which have been performed in Ukraine
in this topics over the past twenty years. Growing a list of publications on
this issue, which are often scientific unreasonable and have sometimes a
conjecture character, makes more difficult understanding a nature of this
problem

16. Issues of group 2
The authors believe that the decision - makers from the central
government don't understand enough the increasing importance of
hydrometeorological information, services and science to ensure the
sustainable socio-economic development of society. The central
government delays the carrying out of the institutional reforms aimed
improving the management of the State Hydrometeorological Service, in
particular, through delegating to the Service more authorities in
determining the strategy of development and in the operational
management
The most sectors don't include the results of study of science into
their long-term programs of development . It is also a consequence of the
lack of understanding among the top-managers the importance of
hydrometeorological information, products and researches for the
successful operation of their sectors.

17. Issues of group 2 - continued
Strengthening a knowledge in the field of hydrometeorology
among the managers from weather-depended sectors and the general public is very important issue for improving a quality of using the hydrometeorological information and services. Users should understand that the Hydrometeorological Service will not be able to develop a quality of its products and services without a collaboration with users. Joint researches to develop methodologies for quantifying the benefit of the information, products and services provided for needs of various socio-economic sectors should be recognized as one of the priority work in this area

18. Measures undertaken to improve the efficiency of using weather- and climate - related data in different sectors of society
The list and quality of information and services provided by the State
Hydrometeorological Service have considerably increased during the last
decade. Despite of that, there is a potential and necessity for improving a
quality of using the hydrometeorological information and services. The
problem of efficient use of hydrometeorological information and services can
be successfully solved only through the joint efforts of all concerning parties
In order "to give a push" which will facilitate strengthening a collaboration
between the provider and users, the State Hydrometeorological Service has elaborated: 1) Strategy of the development of the State Hydrometeorological Service till 2020; 2) a number of projects of cooperation agreements with the governmental authorities, which use the hydrometeorological information and services in their activity, and with users from the weather-depended sectors of economy

19. Measures undertaken to improve the efficiency of using weather- and climate - related data in different sectors of society – continued
The following actions were included in these documents:
Strengthening the institutional background governing the activity of the State
Hydrometeorological Service through the adoption of the relevant Decree of the
Government.
Strengthening capacity-building of experts from the Hydrometeorological
Service and from users to improve a knowledge of specific needs of weather-
depended sectors of economy and the skills of using the hydrometeorological
information and services through the relevant training programs.
Conducting the joint seminars aimed a consideration the most pressing
Issues of mutual interest.
Carrying out the multidisciplinary researches, first of all, in the field of
development of methodology for quantifying the benefit of using the
hydrometeorological information, products and services in the different sectors.
Improving the collaboration with the people’s communities from the different
regions of the country.

20. Thank you for your kind attention