Introduction: Climate Variability, Predictability, and Climate Risks: A European Perspective (H. Wanner, M. Grosjean, R. Rothlisberger, E. Xoplaki) -- Climate Variability - Observations, Reconstructions, and Model Simulations for the Atlantic-European and Alpine region from 1500-2100 AD (C. C. Raible, C. Casty, J. Luterbacher, A. Pauling, J. Esper, D. C. Frank, U. Buntgen, A. C. Roeschz, P. Tschuck, M. Wild, P.-L. Vidale, C. Schar, H. Wanner) -- Challenges posed by and Approaches to the study of Seasonal-to-Decadal Climate Variability (C. Schwierz, C. Appenzeller, H. C. Davies, M. A. Liniger, W. Muller, T. F. Stocker, M. Yoshimori) -- Global Warming and the Summertime Evapotranspiration Regime of the Alpine Region (P. Calanca, A. Rosch, K. Jasper, M. Wild) -- Climate Risks and their Impact on Agriculture and Forests in Switzerland (J. Fuhrer, M. Beniston, A. Fischlin, Ch. Frei, S. Goyette, K. Jasper, Ch. Pfister) -- The Coupling of Optimal Economic Growth and Climate Dynamics (O. Bahn, L. Drouet, N. R. Edwards, A. Haurie, R. Knutti, S. Kypreos, T. F. Stoker, J.-P. Vial) -- Modeling Endogenous Learning and Imperfect Competition Effects in Climate Change Economics (L. Viguier, L. Barreto, A. Haurie, S. Kypreos, P. Rafaj) -- Economics of Climate Policy and Collective Decision Making (B. Burgenmeier, A. Baranzini, C. Ferrier, C. Germond-Duret, K. Ingold, S. Perret, P. Rafaj, S. Kypreos, A. Wokaun).