GeoSphere Austria's Global Support Team: successful results after its first year
GeoSphere Austria's Global Support Team regularly produces analyses and weather forecasts for global organisations such as the EU Crisis Centre and the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR. Topics covered include extreme weather, earthquakes and space weather.
GeoSphere Austria launched the Global Support Team a year ago, in March 2025. ‘We are ten experts in the fields of meteorology and atmospheric physics and advise European and international organisations on current or impending extreme weather events worldwide. This enables relief operations, for example, to be planned in a timely and efficient manner,’ explains team leader Monika Weis. ‘Our colleagues from various departments in Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Graz are available to the Global Support Team in addition to their normal work and provide 24/7 support with regular reports and on-call services.’
An important focus of the work is the so-called multi-hazard approach. ‘The multi-hazard approach considers how different natural hazards interact or reinforce each other and how this can affect the overall situation. For example, if rain or snow is expected in the region after an earthquake, aid organisations must prepare for additional requirements. Weather is therefore important in every natural disaster,’ says Weis.
The Global Support Team at GeoSphere Austria is responsible for three major areas of responsibility, some of which have been in place for some time:
ARISTOTLE (EU): ARISTOTLE is a project funded by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) and provides the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) with round-the-clock expertise on global natural disasters.
GeoSphere Austria has been a partner of ARISTOTLE since 2016, both as a contributing organisation to this international cooperation and by providing active support in the field of earthquakes. Since 2024, operational services have been expanded, and since 2025, the Global Support Team has been providing operational services in the field of weather 17 weeks per year.
Worldwide Coordination Mechanism of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO): The WMO Coordination Mechanism produces worldwide reports on expected extreme events, focusing on heavy rain, flooding, drought and heat. Among others, it supports the UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) with a focus on regions with refugee camps. The multi-hazard approach takes into account, for example, the specific characteristics of countries and regions in terms of vulnerability, risk and coping capacity. GeoSphere Austria works together with the German Weather Service, MeteoSchweiz and the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD).
AMAS Global for Austria's Ministry of the Interior and Crisis Security Office: AMAS Global is a pilot project that provides the Ministry of the Interior and the Crisis Security Office in Austria with regular assessments of global natural events such as extreme weather, earthquakes, solar storms, volcanic eruptions, sandstorms and forest fires. AMAS Global is based on GeoSphere Austria's Austrian Multi-Hazard Impact-based Advice Service (AMAS), which coordinates between different organisations such as disaster control, weather services, earthquake services, flood protection, avalanche warning services, geological services, state health departments and torrent and avalanche control services.
Monika Weis, head of the Global Support Team at GeoSphere Austria, gives a thoroughly positive assessment after the first year of operation: ‘We have gained a lot of additional knowledge and experience, especially in the area of multi-hazard, which deals with the combination of hazards. We receive valuable input from international cooperation with other organisations and can also contribute a great deal ourselves. Regular feedback sessions with end users confirm how helpful and important our work is. This is also reflected in the desire to expand and supplement our products. Through our work in the Global Support Team, we are strengthening GeoSphere Austria's position as a valuable partner in international projects and services and also promoting Austria's reputation as a reliable partner at the international level.’
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)