About the project

Summary

The National Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Climate Change led by the University of Pannonia, is a professional collaboration between Hungarian universities, research institutions and the HungaroMet Hungarian Meteorological Service (until 2023: Hungarian Meteorological Service). The laboratory will carry out multidiscliplinary research projects under the supervision of the steering board. The major focus will be on specific climate-forcing agents and on the impacts of climate change on the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, as well as on human health, economy and society. In addition, methods of technological, economic and social adaptation and mitigation will also be in the focus of our R&D activities.

Research areas

• Effects of soot particles on climate;
• Lake sediments and biominerals;
• Bioaccumulators by integrated bioelectrochemical systems;
• Data-driven research of climate change mitigation solutions;
• Water related research and development progress;
• The impact of climate change on economic and business life;
• Social aspects of climate change;
• Interactions in aquatic ecosystem between the chemical communication and climate change;
• Impact of climatic change on planktonic organisms in Lake Balaton;
• Biodiversity conservation research;
• Climate data series for climate change impact assessment;
• Meteorological information system development for climate change impact assessment;
• Improving meteorological services and communication on climate change impacts;
• The effect of climate change on the invisible part of the water cycle, direct and indirect ecological impacts and adaptation;
• Drivers and environmental impacts of climate change in the Carpathian Basin;
• Impacts of climate change in different sectors;
• Potential effects of climate change on air quality;
• Effects of atmospheric and air pollution parameters on acute cardiovascular diseases;
• Content specification of national clinical meteorological and air pollution forecasting system in the light of clinical research;
• Reducing CO₂ emissions from industrial processes;
• Development of a low-cost sensor-based environmental monitoring network

Tasks of HungaroMet (until 2023: OMSZ)

Climate data series for climate change impact assessment:

Investigation of observed and future climate change and impact studies require high climate data. The main aim of this research is to prepare high quality representative datasets of essential climate variables. The basic meteorological observations data will be provided in high spatio-temporal resolution and regularly updated for further use. Homogenized and gridded climate observations and regional climate model projections will be available to study the recent and future climate change and to support adaptation strategies.

Meteorological information system development for climate change impact assessment:

Investigation of climate change requires high-quality meteorological time series. Nevertheless, not only basic meteorological data, but also calculation of climate indicators are needed to quantify the climate change impacts in different sectors. The main objective of the project is to develop special climate products based on observations and model data, focussing on 4 areas: climate change impacts on air quality, agriculture, water management and urban climate change.

Improving meteorological services and communication on climate change impacts:

The climate change have been already occurred and expected in Hungary cause economical and societal challenges. The Hungarian meteorological service inclusively provide high quality and representative climate data for climate change monitoring for the country. Numerous essential climate variables and derived climate indicators will be freely available to support the adaptation to climate change. The sectorial information will be tailored according to the needs to different applications and impact studies and support the strategic decisions by policy makers. HungaroMet will also take a roll in shaping the attitude of the general public to the ongoing and expected future climate change.