Climate status report 2024: Austria between extreme weather and alarm signs

Climate status report 2024: Austria between extreme weather and alarm signs

The climatic status report 2024, which was created on behalf of the climate and energy fund and the nine federal states, impressively documents the extreme weather events that Austria and the world shaped last year. It was carried out by the Climate Change Center Austria (CCCA) in collaboration with the University of Natural Resources and Hall (Boku) and Geosphere Austria. The aim of the report is to highlight the effects of man -made climate change in Austria. According to [Kleine Zeitung] (https://www.kleinezeitung.at/service/newsticker/chronik/19737348/klimastatus report-2024-dio-der- der-Extreme), higher temperatures have significantly increased the probability of extreme precipitation.

In autumn 2024, there were violent flood events in Austria, which cost six people the lives and caused considerable damage to buildings, infrastructure and agriculture. The costs of these extreme weather events amounted to several billion euros. Climate minister Norbert Tettschnig emphasized that climate protection must be regarded as an essential component of disaster protection.

temperature records in Austria

2024 was the hottest year since the temperature recordings began in Austria, with an average temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius, which corresponds to an increase of three degrees compared to the climate medium 1961-1990. February 2024 in particular showed an average temperature of 6.6 degrees, while the first half of April crossed the 30-degree mark. This early warmth led to a refresher of the flowering period of plants, but was counteracted by a cold air slump with subsequent late frost. The damage in fruit and viticultural cultures alone was 56 million euros.

Vienna recorded a record with 53 tropical nights, in which the temperature was not below 20 degrees. The report also reported that the regions under 500 meters in Austria experienced an average of 90 summer days, which is twice as many as in previous years. Bernd Vogl, managing director of the climate and energy fund, also emphasized the direct effects of climate change on the daily life of people.

global developments and extreme weather events

The Situation worldwide shows similar alarming patterns. According to [Federal Environment Agency] (https://www.umweltbundamt.de/themen/klima-energie/klimawandel/weltwaiten- Temperatures- Temperatures-Extremwetterfeitenseit), the hottest year since the beginning of global recordings, with an average temperature, which was almost 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial level. Extreme weather events such as heat waves in North America, drought in Madagascar and heavy rains in Libya are just a few examples of the devastating effects of climate change that led to thousands of deaths and significant destruction.

The increase in such extreme weather events is confirmed by scientific reports, such as that of working group I of the World Climate Darat wwf. This report shows that the ear heating not only increases the surface temperature of the earth, but also increases the likelihood of extreme weather events. The predictions indicate that coastal floods that previously occurred over a period of 100 years could occur more and more often in the future. Solutions such as the recovery of natural flood areas are considered necessary to alleviate the effects of climate change.