ETH Zurich centralises climate and Earth observation data for the research of tomorrow
AI models are playing an increasingly important role in weather forecasting and the early detection of natural hazards. Training these models requires vast amounts of climate and Earth observation data. Over the past few months, ETH Zurich has therefore copied openly available datasets from NASA to the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) in Lugano.
Swiss Climate Forum 2026: Register now!
The third ‘Swiss Climate Forum – Coping with Climate Change’ will take place on 29 October 2026 at the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern. The theme is ‘A Basis for Decision-Making on Adaptation’. The focus will be on the conclusion of the NCCS-Impacts programme, with a presentation and discussion of the key findings.
Image: NCCS
Cooling a hotter world: El Niño meets strong growth in global electricity demand
Over the past five years, the world has experienced some of its hottest years on record, and meteorologists are warning that El Niño – a periodic warming of Pacific Ocean surface waters – could drive a new series of extreme weather events in 2026 and 2027. This comes as the adoption of air conditioning around the world has already been accelerating – the result of rising incomes in many economies with hot climates and record-breaking heatwaves in regions that previously had only limited cooling demand. As extreme heat events become more frequent and widespread, perceptions of cooling are shifting, driving more consumers to consider purchasing an air conditioner (AC). At the same time, falling unit prices and elevated inventories across the supply chain are lowering barriers to AC adoption, suggesting that the number of households purchasing their first AC unit will reach new highs in the years ahead.
Image: analogicus (Pixabay.com)
When new nuclear power plants are worth it in Switzerland
In order for new nuclear power plants to be competitive in the future, the government would have to support nuclear energy – alongside renewables – and bear a portion of the financial risks. In return, new nuclear power plants could reduce electricity imports during winter. These are the conclusions drawn by a new study from ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
Image: distelAPPArath / pixabay
IPPC: Call for experts to review the First Order Draft of Working Group I contribution to the Seventh Assessment Report
The First Order Draft (FOD) of the Working Group I contribution to the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) will soon be open for review. The expert review of the First Order Draft will take place from 10 August to 2 October 2026 midnight (GMT+2).
Image: Taiwo Aina / Climate Visuals
Swiss glaciers have exhausted their snow reserves
From 29 June onwards, Switzerland’s glaciers will have exhausted their snow reserves. Every litre of meltwater now causes them to lose mass – this is Glacier Loss Day. Between the extreme years of 2003 and 2022 alone, 200 square kilometres of ice – an area almost as large as the canton of Zug – have disappeared. This is reflected in the volume of meltwater, as analyses show: although ice loss was more severe in the summer of 2022 than in 2003, less water flowed off the glaciers.
Image: Matthias Huss
