The Subseasonal Applications for Agriculture and Environment (SAGE) project within the World Weather Research Programme: Making subseasonal predictions more useful for sectoral applications
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Subseasonal forecasts are routinely produced by different prediction centers around the globe, offering actionable lead time for decisions across climate-sensitive sectors. However, the uptake of these forecasts is still limited. We argue that this gap persists not because of a single barrier but because of a set of obstacles: insufficient understanding of how and where subseasonal information enters real decision processes; limited knowledge of when forecasts can be trusted; weak methods for communicating and incorporating uncertainty into operational workflows; and few demonstrated success stories linking forecast use to improved outcomes. In this Perspective, we synthesize the evidence accumulated during the Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Prediction (S2S) Project and identify the critical gaps that limit the transition from prediction science to climate services, and present the research-and-implementation agenda of SAGE (Subseasonal Applications for Agriculture and Environment), a five-year project under the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP). SAGE prioritizes user needs to advance in the understanding on how and where information at subseasonal timescales is and can be used. We outline key scientific questions for the broader community, describe the phased research plan and its expected outcomes. SAGE encourages the entire community of scientists and practitioners to contribute to this agenda.
Source: Climate Services
Authors: Marisol Osman, Victor Marchezini, Steve Woolnough, Nico Caltabiano, Rachel Lowe, Emma E.H. Doyle, Dewald van Niekerk, Juan Bazo, Roger Stone, Arun Kumar, Yuhei Takaya, Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay, Ziqiang Han, Masilin Gudoshava, Cristiana Stan, Shipra Jain, Atul Kumar Sahai, Kunio Yoneyama, Estelle de Coning
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto Franco-Argentino sobre Estudios de Clima y sus Impactos, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centro Nacional de Monitoramento e Alertas de Desastres Naturais, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, World Meteorological Organization, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, National University of Singapore, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Massey University, North-West University, Climate Centre, University of Southern Queensland, James Cook University, Japan Meteorological Agency, Meteorological Research Institute, Ashoka University, Shandong University, IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Center, George Mason University, University College London, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,290
OpenAlex ID: W7170201491