Open University Lecture
We are pleased to invite you to the 6th Open University Lecture hosted by the Centre for Climate Change Research, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Poland). The lecture, entitled: ‘From Forecasts to Action: The Horizon Europe Project MedEWSa Mediterranean and pan-European forecast and Early Warning System against natural hazards’ will be delivered by Professor Jürg Luterbacher, Climatology, Climate Dynamics and Climate Change and Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
The event will take place online via the Microsoft Teams on 3 December 2025 at 5:00 p.m. CET (UTC +01:00).
Link to participate in the meeting:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3841814575196196?p=UDaFvyDJNvseBxiyfi
Abstract
Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of weather- and climate-related hazards in many regions. Their interactions and cascading impacts place growing pressure on emergency services, civil protection authorities and vulnerable communities across Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa. Effective early warning therefore requires more than accurate forecasts. It must also identify who and what may be affected, communicate uncertainty clearly and provide information for timely action.
The Horizon Europe MedEWSa project (MEDiterranean and pan-European forecast and Early Warning System Against natural hazards, www.medewsa.eu) is developing an integrated, impact-based multi-hazard early warning system. This three-year Innovation Action brings together 29 partners from 15 countries and combines existing warning services, observations and forecasts, AI-enhanced tools, vulnerability and impact information, and stakeholder knowledge within a common decision-support framework.
MedEWSa pairs eight pilot sites in four twins: Attica and national parks in Ethiopia; Venice and the Alexandria–Nile Delta region; Košice and Tbilisi; and Catalonia and Sweden. Together, they address wildfires, floods, landslides, coastal flooding and storm surges, heatwaves and droughts. Linking regions exposed to similar hazards but differing in their climatic, environmental and institutional settings allows tools and knowledge to be jointly developed, tested and exchanged.
The presentation will introduce MedEWSa and highlight its main achievements. These include the initial deployment of a modular Decision Support and Dissemination System; AI-enhanced tools for hazard and impact forecasting; methods for integrating vulnerability and cascading impacts; and a Risk Transfer Platform linking forecasts with parametric approaches and forecast-based financing. Co-design, demonstrations and training with first responders, civil protection authorities and other stakeholders have helped adapt these developments to operational needs. The presentation will also discuss challenges related to data availability, interoperability, uncertainty and the communication of complex information in actionable warnings.
Bio:
Prof. Jürg Luterbacher is a world-renowned expert in weather, climate, water, and environmental sciences, with a distinguished career in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of these fields. He is currently Professor at the Justus Liebig University Giessen, responsible for research on Climate Change, Climatology, and Climate Dynamics. Previously, as Director of Science and Innovation and Chief Scientist at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), he led the Secretariat with responsibility for the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), and the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), and was responsible for implementing the WMO’s long-term scientific strategy “Advance Targeted Research”. Prof. Luterbacher coordinates the Horizon Europe project MedEWSa (www.medewsa.eu), a consortium of 29 partners from 15 countries that develops an AI-enhanced, impact-based multi-hazard early warning and decision-support system for Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa to support first responders with real-time forecasts, risk tools, and community engagement. As a trusted previous elected member of the Scientific Advisory Board to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and currently a member of Scientific Advisory Boards of European projects, he provides strategic guidance at the interface of science, policy, and practical implementation. Prof. Luterbacher drives global collaboration, capacity building, and science-policy engagement to foster innovation and strengthen resilience, advancing sustainable solutions for water and climate challenges worldwide. He has published more than 240 peer-reviewed articles and has served as a lead author for the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). He holds a Diploma in Geography, PhD, and Habilitation with specialisation in Climate Sciences from the University of Bern, Switzerland.
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