[INVITED LECTURE] Ivan Güttler, PhD
"Climate change: a historical and personal perspective"
Since my early education I was intrigued by Nature and Earth’s complex systems. During my university days, I was attracted by climate change issues and its global impact. After more than 15 years in research and currently leading the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, I still find a strong impulse to bridge the gap: transforming complex scientific knowledge into understandable information for everyone. Recognizing the power of clear communication in tackling climate challenges, I’m trying to find impactful ways to share climate science and empower people and organizations to act. My talk will highlight the importance of collaborating across different scientific disciplines to understand climate change, as well as addressing climate skepticism with concrete evidence. While keeping a global perspective, I will discuss specific climate challenges and opportunities within Croatia. Ultimately, the goal is to create a more informed and engaged public discussion on climate change, paving the way for collective action toward a healthier future for our planet and our citizens.
Ivan Güttler, PhD
Ivan Güttler, PhD, started his professional career in 2009 as a research assistant at the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ). His early work focused on the project “Climate Variations and Change and Response in Affected Systems”. In 2014, Güttler successfully defended his doctoral dissertation titled “Systematic Errors in Regional Climate Models in the Lower Atmosphere”. He won several awards for his scientific contributions, including the Dean’s Award (2007), European Meteorological Society Young Scientist Award (2010), Annual Award for Scientific Achievement in Natural Sciences (2013), and the Croatian Meteorological Society Young Hope of Croatian Meteorology Award (2014). He participates actively in multiple working groups, such as the Working Group on International Environmental Issues – Climate Change, the Working Group for Developing Program Documents for the EU Financial Period 2021–2027 – Green Croatia, and the Working Group for Developing the Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan.
During his term as Deputy Director General of DHMZ, he supported the biggest modernization efforts in the history of the DHMZ enhancing the quality of meteorological and hydrological services and laying the groundwork for future projects, including plans for a new DHMZ building which will consolidate all services, laboratories, and activities, thereby providing a centralized hub for meteorological and hydrological research and services. As the newly appointed General Director, beginning January 1st, 2024, he will continue to modernize DHMZ’s operations to further enhance efficiency and service quality. Güttler also contributes to the education of future meteorologists by holding lectures at the Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, mentoring doctoral students, guiding them through their thesis development, and participating actively in the evaluation of students’ work on various faculty committees.