Climate Risk Service Using the Example of Drought

In the CRiSDA project, a team led by GeoSphere Austria developed a demonstrator for a climate risk service on the topic of drought in agriculture. This standardized procedure takes various factors into account, determines the climate risk for the coming decades, and provides tools to monitor current developments in the area of drought. Based on this, for example, federal states could develop evidence-based strategies and measures for adapting to climate change and regularly review their effectiveness.

Changes in climate affect different areas in various ways. To efficiently counteract the possible negative consequences of climate change, not only climatic factors must be considered, but all influencing factors.

"This is where a climate risk service comes in," says Stefan Kienberger from the RiskLab at GeoSphere Austria. "A climate risk service is a service that assesses and prepares climate-related risks to support decision-makers in adapting to climate change. It does not only consider climatic hazards such as droughts, storms, or floods. It is also about exposure and vulnerability—i.e., the questions of who or what is affected by the changes and how susceptible they are. A comprehensive climate risk service helps to reduce the economic losses and social consequences caused by climate change in the long term."

From 2022 to 2025, in the project "CRiSDA – Climate Risk Service Austria," GeoSphere Austria (project lead), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Quantuum Transformation Consulting, and the Environment Agency Austria, together with users from the federal states of Salzburg, Upper Austria, and Lower Austria, as well as selected regions of the "KLAR! – Climate Change Adaptation Regions" program, developed a demonstrator for a climate risk service for drought in agriculture. CRiSDA was funded by the Climate and Energy Fund as part of the "Austrian Climate Research Program."

"The goal was to develop a standardized procedure that takes all relevant factors for drought into account," explains CRiSDA project leader Stefan Kienberger from GeoSphere Austria. "This enables decision-makers in agriculture and water supply to assess long-term developments and develop adaptation measures, as well as monitor the current situation to identify upcoming drought periods in time and, in an operational system, evaluate the effectiveness of the measures."

For the development of the climate risk service, weather data and climate scenarios were integrated, impact chains were developed with experts (illustrating key processes and their interconnections), and possible damages and consequences were assessed using risk models. This was done in co-design with users, resulting in a guideline for future adaptation to other topics.

The results of the climate risk service for drought in agriculture have been compiled on a publicly accessible website (CRiSDA Demonstrator ). Here, all relevant factors are presented in a story map, and interactive maps allow users to determine drought risk based on different factors.

Additionally, within the framework of CRiSDA, the "Handbook for Co-Creation of a Climate Risk Service in Austria" was created (CRiSDA Handbook). "This handbook shows how a climate risk service can be developed for different climate parameters," says Stefan Kienberger from GeoSphere Austria. "It presents standardized procedures and provides examples and experiences for implementation. The handbook also aims to demonstrate how a co-creation process involving science, businesses, authorities, and the public can collaboratively develop solutions."

A key component of the CRiSDA project was close collaboration with users to best meet their requirements.

Andreas Drack, Climate Protection Officer at the State of Upper Austria: "The project was interesting for us because early information on drought and dryness can efficiently prevent damage at a low cost. The handbook on co-creation has also provided a useful template for future projects to optimize collaboration between research and application."

"With CRiSDA, Austria now has, for the first time, a comprehensive, systemic, and standardized foundation for a climate risk service," says CRiSDA project leader Stefan Kienberger. "Based on this, operational systems can be developed to efficiently adapt to climate change, thereby reducing economic damage and negative social consequences."