CCCA Science Plan for Austrian climate research presented

05/04/2017

Gerhard Wotawa, Helga Kromp-Kolb and Douglas Maraun presented the Science Plan to the public.

On 3 May 2017, CCCA held a press conference to present the Science Plan for Austrian climate research at the premises of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

"Climate research in itself doesn't mean that climate protection is being pursued. But it does provide the decision-making basis for taking the best possible measures against climate change." Helga Kromp-Kolb made it clear at the presentation of the Science Plan for the strategic development of climate research in Austria that this document doesn't offer simple solutions to the climate problem. But, as the climate researcher put it: "For the first time, there's consensus within the scientific community about the relevant fields of research. Because not everything that's scientifically interesting actually helps us solve the problems we're facing." Around 70 Austrian researchers took part in the transparent, open, bottom-up process, led by Kromp-Kolb and Douglas Maraun (Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change, University of Graz), and agreed on where research is needed: the major themes identified by the Science Plan are climate change, influencing factors and manifestations, impacts on the environment and society, adaptation options, climate protection measures, societal transformation processes, and specific inter- and transdisciplinary subject areas.

A research plan defined in this way hasn't existed before: climate research was long dominated by natural science disciplines such as meteorology — now the social and economic sciences are increasingly making their voices heard: "Our process also gave a platform to researchers who don't swim in the climate mainstream. Sociologists, for example, who identify different problems than we climatologists do," says Kromp-Kolb. These different perspectives are also reflected in the Science Plan: major thematic blocks such as societal transformation processes are included alongside specific areas such as the costs of climate change.

"For us, the Science Plan is a milestone because it contains the most important research priorities that need to be pursued in Austria," says Gerhard Wotawa, Chair of CCCA. As a specialist in climate data and models at ZAMG, he points to the enormous complexity of climate research — and to the difficulty of providing simple answers to the challenges posed by climate change. It's equally difficult to bring different scientific disciplines to a common denominator: "Every researcher thinks that what they do is the most important thing. That's why it's a great achievement when different research interests can agree on a shared research plan."

The aim of the Science Plan is to serve as a guiding framework for Austrian climate research and to improve its societal impact and acceptance. The document is also intended to influence research policy decisions and provide a well-founded basis for the allocation of research funding. Above all, though, the Science Plan strengthens Austrian climate researchers, who want to become better networked and more visible within the international community. Austria already stands out internationally thanks to its long-running climate records and its expertise in climate change in the Alpine region.

The Science Plan can be downloaded <link https: www.ccca.ac.at de ccca-aktivitaeten science-plan _blank>here.

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Photo: CCCA.

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CCCA Science Plan for Austrian climate research presented