Project overview
Central European Alliance for Increasing Climate Change Resilience to Combined Consequences of Drought, Heatwave, and Fire Weather through Regionally-Tuned Forecasting
Climate change increases the risk of severe weather events in central Europe. Increasing resilience to droughts, heatwaves and fires is urgent but tools that monitor and predict these phenomena are widely missing. The Clim4Cast project established a new weather forecast tool, which is integrated into existing national monitoring platforms of seven countries. Concrete action plans to set up regional response mechanisms were also developed.
-
1,91m €
-
Project Budget
-
80%
-
of the Budget is funded by ERDF
-
7
-
Countries
-
7
-
Regions
-
8
-
Partners
-
3
-
Pilots
Duration
Start date
End date
Project progress
About the project
The Central European region faces an increase in the frequency, duration, and severity of drought, heatwaves, and fire weather (DHF) due to ongoing climate change. While legal frameworks and attention have been directed toward water scarcity and drought, the insufficient consideration of heatwaves and fire weather in legislation poses a challenge, impeding efforts to increase resilience. Recognizing the direct threats posed by DHF events to human well-being and the environment, Clim4Cast has addressed the existing gap by introducing operational tools for monitoring, prediction, and raising awareness.
Clim4Cast project partners collaboratively developed and established a multi-temporal DHF forecast accessible at https://clim4cast.eu/ . Beyond forecasting, the project has assessed the impact of climate change on DHF event occurrences. The project's outcomes have contributed to a comprehensive strategy aimed at increasing climate change awareness, particularly for underreported extreme events. What sets Clim4Cast apart is the collaborative utilization of partner knowledge in extreme weather events, diverse communication strategies, and established networks of stakeholders.
The project's uniqueness lies in the development and implementation of multi-temporal forecasting, a crucial aspect currently missing in existing tools. The output of Clim4Cast now serves as an early warning system, empowering diverse stakeholders and facilitating integration into national legislative frameworks.
Project partnership
Project partners
Lead partner
Global Change Research Institute, CAS
Domain of Climate Analysis and Modelling
Project partner
Department of Geography, Faculty of Science
Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation
Department of Bioeconomy and Systems Analysis
Research Platform "Data Analysis & Simulation"
15374 Muencheberg
Meteorology and hydrology office
Meteorological Research and Development Division
Division Meteorological Service/Dpt. of Climatological Service
Roadmap
Challenge
Central Europe is increasingly affected by droughts, heatwaves and wildfires, which often occur simultaneously and have cascading impacts on agriculture, forestry, water resources, ecosystems and human health. Effective preparedness is further complicated by the region's diverse climatic conditions and the lack of harmonised monitoring and forecasting across national borders.
Approach
Clim4Cast brought together partners from seven Central European countries to jointly improve the monitoring, forecasting and management of droughts, heatwaves and wildfires. The project combined scientific expertise, Earth observation data, meteorological information and stakeholder knowledge to develop harmonised services, validate forecasting methods, and prepare coordinated national and transnational response approaches.
Solution
The project delivered the operational Clim4Cast Platform, providing daily monitoring and nine-day forecasts of droughts, heatwaves and wildfire risk across Central Europe. In addition, the project produced validated forecasting methods, seven National Action Plans and a transnational proactive response framework, supporting better preparedness, informed decision-making and long-term climate resilience across the region.
News
Events
Pilot actions
Outputs
Transnational Strategy for Climate Change Awareness on Compound DHF Events
Integrated Drought Forecasting for Central Europe
Integrated Heatwave Forecasting for Central Europe
Integrated Wildfires Forecasting for Central Europe
Regional Platform for Drought, Heatwave and Wildfire Monitoring
National Action Plans for Drought, Heatwave and Wildfire Preparedness
Project images
Clim4Cast
The project lead partner is responsible for the content of this project website.