To honour the past of CCCA and reinforce the future of the network, the 10th anniversary of CCCA was celebrated on 11.11.2021 together with numerous pioneers and companions, under the strictest COVID regulations. In addition to CCCA members and partners, representatives from ministries, the media, and further experts were invited. Around 80 guests accepted the invitation to celebrate the anniversary together with the board and team of CCCA. The message was clear: only collectively will we be able to tackle the challenges of climate change, and the independent voice of science plays a crucial role in this.
In order to successfully navigate the social, ecological, and economic challenges and opportunities that climate change presents, cooperation and input from all disciplines is needed from a scientific perspective. Within the framework of the Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA), a great number of these disciplines have successfully networked over many years: CCCA is the network of universities and non-university research institutions founded in 2011, which also use CCCA as a shared point of contact for science, policy, administration, and the public, thereby making their knowledge and expertise in the field of climate change available in a consolidated way. By establishing a national service centre, data centre, and a secretariat to coordinate the many activities, CCCA offers important services to establish and raise the profile of climate and climate impact research in Austria and internationally. This has allowed CCCA to establish itself in recent years as an independent voice of science, taking on an important role in the climate debate.
Ten years after its founding, the alarming trajectory of the climate makes the work of CCCA and its now 28 member organisations, 3 operational facilities, and numerous partner organisations ever more important and demands increasing engagement. CCCA looks back on ten eventful and successful years, yet its gaze is always directed forward as well.
"We live in a time of information overload, streaming in on us from all sides. A coordinated Austrian climate and climate impact research that speaks with one voice therefore brings enormous added value, so as not to confuse the public with the complexity and diversity of the challenge." Dr. Isabella Uhl-Hädicke, CCCA Deputy Chairwoman
Increasing heat, drought, and other extreme weather events will cause ever greater damage as this century progresses and threaten our quality of life. These worrying scenarios have also been expressed at the ongoing COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Political lip service is there, but concrete implementation pathways continue to be lacking.
CCCA therefore sees it as its social responsibility to make and communicate scientifically sound contributions to addressing the challenge of climate change, and supports researchers in their scientific work. As a network agent and mouthpiece for Austrian climate and climate impact research, CCCA provides access to its network and ensures that diversity of methods and opinion is reflected in its activities.
"The voice of science in public discourse is becoming increasingly important, so that debates can be conducted on a fact-based footing. Given the growing scepticism towards science among the public, we can no longer afford to ignore and simply observe inadequate or counterproductive activities. We need to engage scientifically in these processes." Prof. Johann Stötter, CCCA Deputy Chairman
Starting in 2021, humanity is entering decades that will be decisive for the future climate and therefore for life on Earth. It goes without saying that CCCA will continue to advocate for a liveable future in line with the Paris climate goals and the 2030 Agenda.
"The topic of climate change has gained significantly in public prominence in recent years, which has also brought greater attention to CCCA — and we are now called upon to make use of this in the spirit of our shared concern: the protection of the climate." Mag. Simon Tschannett, CCCA Deputy Treasurer
Given the dramatic escalation and the growing need for action, CCCA is tasked with the role of a critical oversight body. The measures set by political decisions and their implementation across all parts of society must be continuously questioned and examined as to whether they actually achieve the goals that are unquestionably necessary from a scientific perspective. The knowledge of the challenges and the potential for overcoming them gives rise to a great social responsibility for the Austrian climate research community and its network, CCCA, which must be upheld.
Event programme
A special thanks also goes to our funders, without whom this event would not have been possible!
