General questions (GQs)

1. a) What are the responsibilities of your job?

b) What factors do you consider in making decisions?

2. a) For which of these responsibilities do you see climate information as important?

b) What type of information do you consult in your decision making? [Prompt historic, current, predictive]

3. Are you able to find the climate information you need?

If no, what are the reasons? [Prompt lack of access to communication technology? Information not produced? Information produced not reliable?]

4. Are there information gaps or is there information that you have been unable to find?
5. Are there reports or information that you know exists but have had difficulty locating?
6. a) Do you record or collect any of your own climate related data?

b) Could this data be made available to the public?

7. What groups or committees do you belong to? [In what kind of networks is the stakeholder active?]
8. How satisfied are you with the climate information that you have found?

 

Sector Specific Impacts

Farming (FM)

1. What size farm do you operate?
2. Are the crops sold on a local, national, or global market?
3. What crops are cultivated? For each crop: What are the most significant climatic elements that affect the value and productivity of the crop?
4. What factors or strategies exist/are employed to mitigate the potential for damage caused by climate variability?

 

Land Management (LM)

1. What kind of land does you manage?
2. Do you issue permits? If yes, based on what climate information do you issue the permit?
4. What factors or strategies exist/are employed to mitigate the potential for damage caused by climate variability?

 

Emergency Response (ER)

1. To what natural disasters is the city most vulnerable? (floods, fire, etc.) With what factors are you most concerned? (Snow-pack, streamflow)
2. What information do you monitor to anticipate such an event and during such an event?
3. What factors or strategies exist/are employed to mitigate the potential for damage caused by such an event? (i.e. how do you respond?)

 

Politicians (P)

1. What policies are most closely related to issues of climate variability? What information does you consult in developing each policy?

 

Water Provider (W)

1. Is your primary source surface or groundwater?
2. Are your operations impacted by climate? If yes, how? What factors or strategies exist/are employed to mitigate any impacts caused by climate variability?

 

Ranching (R)

1. On what kinds of land does you run your cattle? (National Forest, BLM, etc..)
2. What factors or strategies exist/are employed to mitigate the potential for damage caused by climate variability?

 

For annual calendar (used with every stakeholder) Record periods of information need on the below graphic.

1. Think about your yearly decision making cycle. For what types of things do you plan?
2. For which of these plans do you see climate information as important?

 

 

Time-line

1. Think back about the flood of 1993. Were you aware that the flood was coming?

If so, how? How far in advance did you know? Was there other information, besides

knowing the flood was coming, that you gathered? What kind? From where?

Did the results of this event change how you collected climate information?

2. Can you think of another climate event that impacted your livelihood? [Prompt for fire, drought, wind, flood, freeze, and insect damage.]

 

Information List

1. What information sources have you used to forecast the weather for your occupation? Please be as specific as possible, including the name of the source

• Radio broadcasts  

            If yes, which one(s)?

            If no, why not?

• TV (local and/or national)  

            If yes, which one(s)?

            If no, why not?

• Newspaper

            If yes, which one(s)?

            If no, why not?

• Internet

            If yes, which site(s)?

            If no, why not?

• Periodicals  

            If yes, which one(s)?

            If no, why not?

• Newsletter

            If yes, who sponsors it?

            If no, why not?

• Technical reports  

            If yes, whose report?

            If no, why not?

• Consulting professionals (i.e., extension agents)  

            If yes, what kind of professional?

            If no, why not?

• Word of mouth (i.e., friends, neighbors)

            If yes, who?

            If no, why not?

• Natural or personal indicators  

            If yes, what are they?

            If no, why not?

• Other

 

The core office (C)

1. Would you use a climate information core office that indexed climate information and provided links to agencies that produce the information you need? If so, how would you best access it? (Internet, phone, mail, site visit)
2. For your purposes, what might be the best format for climate information? Spatial and temporal frequency and extent of data needed?
3. Would you be interested in attending workshops which help you interpret existing climate data or understanding new data? Suggestions on topics?
4.  

General observations(GOs): Basic demographic information is gathered through observation (gender) and questions. Include contextual information about the city, region, and industry/agency in which the respondent works.

 

< Appendix 1

Works Cited >