More than the sum of its parts: Acting to better observe, understand, forecast and react to climate change in a combined Network of European High-Altitude Research Stations: The Virtual Alpine Observatory (VAO)

The Alpine region experiences climate change at an accelerated pace compared to the rest of Europe, leading to profound and measurable impacts across all geospheres. To monitor, understand, and forecast these developments, European alpine observatories and research facilities have formed the interdisciplinary and cross-border Virtual Alpine Observatory Network (VAO). This collaborative network aims to unify and amplify individual research efforts, focusing on the comprehensive analysis and prediction of climate change effects throughout the Alpine Arc.

By exploring individual monitoring datasets for transnational patterns, the VAO creates a collective knowledge base that transcends the limitations of isolated understanding. This approach fosters innovative insights into the interconnected dynamics of the Alpine environment and enhances the ability to address climate challenges at a regional and global scale.

This study highlights the VAO network's expansion, its extensive data availability across Europe, and its potential for facilitating groundbreaking spatial analyses of geodata from various observatory stations. The findings illustrate the power of collaborative research in advancing climate science and informing strategies for environmental resilience.

The VAO network is substantially funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection.