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Reaching climate targets: analytical models must include all stakeholders

The next UN Climate Change Conference, COP 30, will begin in two weeks in Belém, Brazil. Every year, the international community agrees on targets to curb global warming. However, implementation by national governments, business stakeholders and citizens is lagging behind. An international group of researchers, including Stefan Nabernegg and Nina Knittel from the University of Graz, sees one reason for this discrepancy in the assessment models used for negotiations on climate targets. These models usually ignore the behaviour of institutions, households and individuals. However, for climate policy to be truly effective, such aspects must be taken into account. In a recent publication in the scientific journal PNAS, the researchers propose combining analysis models from different decision-making levels in order to better understand the gap between global climate agreements and local implementation and how to close it.

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.

Rückblick: 20 Jahre Wegener Center

Wege entstehen, indem wir sie gehen: Am 3. Oktober 2025 feierte das Wegener Center der Uni Graz sein 20-jähriges Bestehen.

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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