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Hot Earth: Annual report on global climate documents new records

The international annual report on the State of the Climate, published in mid-August, confirms new climate records for 2024. Despite the natural climate anomaly El Niño fading at the beginning of last year and giving way to cooler La Niña conditions, a record high in global surface temperature over land and ocean was set. This makes 2015 to 2024 the warmest ten years on record. “Global greenhouse gas concentrations also broke previous records. The resulting increase in energy input into the climate system impacts the land surface, the oceans, the ice and the atmosphere,” explains Andrea Steiner from the Wegener Center at the University of Graz.

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Austria's greenhouse gas emissions continue to fall: Uni Graz researchers identify causes

Climate protection is working. Austria's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 2.56 percent between 2023 and 2024, the Environment Agency Austria announced on 13 August 2025. This marks the third consecutive year of decline for the country. However, the decline in 2024 was weaker than in previous years, and emissions are now slightly above the target set in the EU agreement. Researchers at the University of Graz have analysed the reasons for the reduction in the previous year. They show that climate protection measures are responsible for almost two-thirds of the savings.

New study shows: Ozone layer recovering over the Antarctic

Significant temperature changes have been observed in the atmosphere in recent decades. Due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, the troposphere, the weather layer of the atmosphere, is warming, while the stratosphere is cooling above. At the same time, the recovery of the ozone layer is warming the lower stratosphere. The fact that a warming is not observed over the Antarctic raised the question of whether the ozone layer is regenerating less effectively there. An international team of researchers, including a scientist from the University of Graz, has now refuted this theory and found that the cause is instead a slowdown in stratospheric circulation.

Amazonas in der Atmosphäre: Wenn sich Flüsse am Himmel bilden

Es gießt in Strömen – buchstäblich. Ausgehend von den Tropen bilden sich nämlich über den Ozeanen sogenannte „Atmospheric Rivers“, die oft doppelt so viel Wasser wie der gesamte Amazonas mit sich führen. Treffen diese „Himmelsmonster“ im Westen Europas an Land, kommt es zu extremen Niederschlägen. Klimaforscher der Uni Graz haben eine neue Methode entwickelt, diese atmosphärischen Flüsse genauer zu untersuchen und vorherzusagen.

Vegetation under stress: climate change increases the risk of forest fires in Austria

Large-scale forest fires have just been extinguished on the Croatian coast. The Greek island of Chios is still battling the flames. Here in Austria, fire brigades are currently tackling blazes in the Leoben and the Rax area. In our region, the risk of fire is actually highest in spring due to dry conditions. However, in recent years there have also been more forest fires in summer due to very high temperatures. Researchers at the University of Graz are investigating the links between this increase and climate change in the European Alpine region, as well as the consequences for affected areas.

New assessment report: climate change hits Austria particularly hard

Summer is in the starting blocks. Whether it will bring new temperature records remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Over the last few decades, the number of hot days in very hot years has tripled in Austria, as the recently published second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change shows. The publication provides well-founded information on observed and expected climate changes and their consequences and describes possible adaptation strategies. In the overall work of more than 200 scientists, researchers from the University of Graz are also responsible for several chapters of the report.

1. Österreichischer Hitzeaktionstag

Hitze ist das größte klimabedingte Gesundheitsrisiko – Zeit zu handeln!

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New research: intensity of extreme heatwaves could increase much more than expected

It is known that heatwaves become more severe as the climate warms. But a new study led by the University of Graz now shows that the most extreme heat…