Former WMO Director and Chief Scientist Prof. Jürg Luterbacher joins the 6th Governing Board of Tod’Aérs

Former WMO Director and Chief Scientist Prof. Jürg Luterbacher (Switzerland) joins the 6th Governing Board (2026-2027) of Tod’Aérs Global Network [TGN]. From January 2020 to June 2024, he was Chief Scientist and Director of Science and Innovation at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), providing strategic scientific leadership across weather, climate, environment, water and Earth-system science. During his tenure at WMO, Prof. Jürg Luterbacher led the Science and Innovation Department, with responsibility for the World Climate Research Programme, the World Weather Research Programme and the Global Atmosphere Watch, while significantly contributing to the implementation of the organisation’s global science and innovation agenda.

Prof. Jürg Luterbacher also served as an elected member and expert of the Scientific Advisory Board appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and was a Lead Author of Chapter 5 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report. He co-chaired the ITU/WMO/UNEP Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Natural Disaster Management, advancing international cooperation at the intersection of climate intelligence, emerging technology and disaster resilience. He is also associated with Princeton University’s Climate Change and History Research Initiative, serves as Co-Chair of the Association for Trans-Eurasia Exchange and Silk Road Civilization Development (ATES), and Co-Chair of a Working Group on proof-of-concept of the ITU Global Initiative RESOLUTION (Resilience to natural hazards through AI solutions).

Prof. Jürg Luterbacher also holds senior scientific advisory and governance roles in international initiatives addressing climate risks, Earth observation, digital twins, emergency management, urban heritage, water and health. These include the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory, the European Central Bank (ECB) Task Team on physical climate risk, the Nature Commission on Environment, Brain and Mental Health, the Scientific Steering Committee of the Earth Info Hub, the Board of Directors of the Climate and Water Initiative, and the advisory bodies of the European projects TerraDT and ARTEMIS and the Centre for Climate Change Research at Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń.

Since July 2024, Prof. Jürg Luterbacher has served as Full Professor and Chair of Climatology, Climate Dynamics and Climate Change and Member of the Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research at Justus Liebig University Giessen, where he coordinates the EU-funded Horizon Europe MedEWSa project on Mediterranean and pan-European forecasting and early-warning systems. Prof. Jürg Luterbacher holds a Degree in Geography with specialization in physical geography, climatology and meteorology and a PhD from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Bern. He completed his Habilitation (Post-Doctoral Qualification) at the same university, with research focused on North Atlantic-European climate variability over recent centuries. He is also a member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz and a Meritorious Member of the International Community of Academies, elected by its Board of Directors and the Academy of Athens. He has published more than 240 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

With an internationally distinguished career spanning palaeoclimatology, extreme-weather analysis and impacts on societies, climate modelling, early-warning systems and science-informed policymaking, Prof. Jürg Luterbacher brings exceptional scientific and institutional expertise to the Governing Board. His appointment will further strengthen Tod’Aérs’ mission to connect frontier science with strategic action and to advance evidence-based global governance, anticipatory climate resilience, sustainable development and responsible technological innovation for societies facing increasingly complex environmental challenges.