A Brief Overview of the National Adaptation Geo-information System

Why is it needed?

The effects of the global climate change are becoming increasingly evident in Hungary as well. The Earth’s surface has been warming since the beginning of industrialization, largely due to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Its consequences are felt across the entire globe, but the impacts manifest differently in various parts of the world. In Hungary, due to climate change, we must expect an increase in the frequency, duration, and intensity of heatwaves, a decrease in the number of cold days, and longer droughts and extreme weather events may become more common. Most of these are inevitable changes that will occur even if global cooperation succeeds in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Climate impacts and their consequences will also affect different regions of our country in various ways.

It is therefore important for our country to prepare to adapt to the consequences of current and anticipated climate impacts. The National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) serves as a tool for long-term planning, looking ahead to 2030 and 2050 and setting out courses of action. However, climate change poses challenges not only for policymaking. Government officials, local municipalities, business leaders, institutional heads, and even families must account for the long-term impacts. We need high-quality data and information to support planning at the local, regional, and national levels and to inform decision-making. The National Adaptation Geo-information System (NAGiS) provides assistance in this regard.

What is NAGiS?

The National Adaptation Geo-information System (NAGiS) is a multi-purpose data system that provides objective information to support flexible municipal and sectoral decision preparation, decision-making, and planning that adapts to changing conditions. NAGiS can directly support the implementation, review, and evaluation of the second National Climate Change Strategy, as well as the implementation and evaluation of the Environmental and Energy Efficiency Operational Program (EEEOP).

The system was developed in two phases:

Establishment of NAGiS (2013-2016) 

Further development of NAGiS (2016-2020) 

Main components of the system:

  1. Map visualization system a system with 10*10 km resolution and hundreds of layers, illustrating how various climate impacts may affect different regions of the country.
  2. Database (GeoDat) containing modelling-based calculation results (exposure, sensitivity, expected impact, adaptive capacity, vulnerability).
  3. Meta database, which helps navigating information (a kind of “data map” showing what can be found where).
  4. Document repository, a collection of research reports, publications, and other materials to support in the deeper interpretation of results.
  5. Decision support toolkit to support adaptation policy, sectoral, regional, and municipal strategic planning.

Legal basis

The legal basis for establishing the system was established by Act LX of 2007 on the Implementation Framework for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. Pursuant to Section 3 of the Act, the adaptation strategic framework – which forms part of the National Climate Change Strategy – is supported by the national adaptation geo-information system and regional and sectoral climate vulnerability assessment results building on it. Pursuant to statutory authorization, the Government Decree No. 94/2014 (III. 21.) on the detailed rules governing the operation of the National Adaptation Geo-information System was finalized in March 2014, and the NAGiS Operating Regulations were also adopted in May 2014.

Pursuant to Section 6(4) of Government Decree No. 547/2023. (XII. 12.) on Hungary’s national meteorological service provider and meteorological activities, HungaroMet Hungarian Meteorological Service Nonprofit Private Limited Company will perform the operational tasks of the National Adaptation Geo-information System starting January 1, 2024.

Potential Applications

Based on the above, within the framework defined by the regulation, NAGiS provides information on the country’s climate status, the impacts of climate change and other strategic risks related to long-term natural resource management, as well as adaptation options, using derived indicators, analyses, and impact studies based on the data. Based on results available through its research and analytical activities, NAGiS provides information to national, regional, and local government agencies, as well as municipalities, regarding sectoral and regional

  • climate policy,
  • energy policy,
  • transportation and infrastructure,
  • development policy,
  • agriculture, rural development and forestry,
  • regional, municipal, and local,
  • public service management,
  • tourism,
  • health and quality of life, and
  • disaster management

planning.

Target groups for using NAGiS:

  • decision-makers and policy planners;
  • economic and infrastructure development, investments, land use;
  • scientific research;
  • the general public, public information.
This portal was established with financial contributions from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through EEA grants and the REC. HungaroMet Hungarian Meteorological Service Nonprofit Private Limited Company is responsible for the content of the portal.
 
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