Access Is Not Action: An Agent-Based Model of Climate Information Flow and Usability in Institutional Networks

This study examines the conditions under which climate information becomes usable within institutional networks. Although substantial efforts have been devoted to improving the production and dissemination of climate information, a persistent gap remains between information availability and its practical use in adaptation decision-making. Existing research has identified numerous barriers and enabling conditions affecting climate information use, but less attention has been given to how these factors interact within institutional networks to shape usability outcomes. To address this gap, we develop an empirically grounded agent-based model of climate information flow and usability based on the network of ICLEI Europe and its member municipalities. The model integrates three complementary empirical sources: survey data on information creation, request, sharing, and exchange; qualitative interviews examining how climate information is translated into institutional action; and secondary datasets used as proxy indicators for institutional, political, and contextual conditions. Together, these data inform both the structure of the network and the behavioural mechanisms governing information use. The model simulates the creation, exchange, and evaluation of climate information between municipalities and explores how institutional capacity, peer support, co-creation, and political barriers influence usability. Results show that information availability within the network is consistently high, with most information requests being fulfilled. However, information use remains comparatively low, revealing a persistent access–use gap. Sensitivity analyses indicate that usability is primarily shaped by accumulated experience, peer support, and political and institutional barriers. Strong peer networks and collaborative experience can substantially improve usability. Methodologically, the study demonstrates how survey data, interview findings, and proxy indicators can be systematically integrated into an agent-based modelling framework. Substantively, it highlights that improving adaptation outcomes requires greater attention to the conditions that enable information use, rather than focusing exclusively on increasing information provision.