News

A success story: 20 years of the Wegener Centre at the University of Graz

Paths emerge in that we walk them. In line with this motto, more than 70 scientists from the fields of geophysics, climate physics, meteorology, economics, transition research, geography and regional studies are conducting research at the Wegener Center of the University of Graz. What unites them is their expertise and commitment to slowing down climate change, developing strategies for adapting to changing environmental conditions and successfully managing the transition to a low-carbon future. On 3 October 2025, the Wegener Center celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Green Academia Award for Earth Sciences, Business Administration and History

A high number of publications in prestigious research journals in combination with climate-friendly behaviour when it comes to international business trips – researchers from the Earth Sciences at the University of Graz best fulfilled this requirement last year. For this, they were presented with the Green Academia Award 2025 on 22 September. As winners, the scientific discipline received 50,000 euros. Business administration came in second place, receiving 20,000 euros, History in third place, receiving 10,000 euros. The prize money is intended be used for research and teaching projects that promote climate protection and sustainability.

Climate change unabated: Researchers predict global warming of almost 1.5 degrees for 2025

Summer is over. Despite a partly quite cool July, the last three months were very warm overall in Austria, with over 30 hot days, not to mention the extremely high temperatures in other parts of Europe and the world. Researchers at the University of Graz can now, for the first time, provide a reliable forecast of global warming for the entire year before autumn: in 2025, it is expected to reach 1.48 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The long-term temperature increase – the average over a period of 20 years – is also already very close to the 1.5-degree limit of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Partnerschaft für Klimakompetenz: Security KAG unterstützt das Wegener Center

Ab 2025 unterstützt die Security KAG das Wegener Center für Klima und Globalen Wandel an der Universität Graz über ihre Social Tranches Initiative im Rahmen einer mehrjährigen Kooperation. Im Fokus stehen praxisnahe Forschung zu Klimaschutz und Transformation – und der gezielte Transfer wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse in Richtung Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft.

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.

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Researchers at the University of Graz enable reliable monitoring of Paris climate goals

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Julia Danzer gewinnt STEIRERIN Award!

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Masterprämierung der Umweltsystemwissenschaften 2025

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