In the interdisciplinary lecture series “Sustainability Now!”, Right Livelihood Award recipients talk about how they have been able to initiate sustainable developments, from peacebuilding to preserving biodiversity. The lectures are presented and chaired by students who want to learn how to translate academic learning into practice. More …

Investors can contribute to the sustainable development of the economy, says economist Falko Paetzold. Supporting innovative start-ups is the most high-impact way of doing so. More …

Over a dozen climate-related lawsuits are pending at the European Court of Human Rights, putting legal processes at the institution to the test. Two UZH lawyers are investigating how courts can reach fair and judicious decisions in climate cases. More …

The University of Zurich is introducing a new degree program on biodiversity in the 2023 Fall Semester. Students can complete the study program, the only one of its kind in German-speaking countries, at Bachelor’s and Master’s level. More …

Hot days followed by sweltering nights without any temperature relief in between might become a new norm towards the end of the 21st century. Researchers from the University of Zurich have analyzed the frequency, intensity and length of such extreme events for five Swiss cities. Lugano and Geneva would be most affected. More …

Students garden on the Irchel Campus, and a literary scholar gets involved in a farming cooperative: the act of growing one's own vegetables contributes to food security, brings people together, makes them healthier and promotes sustainability. More …

Important patents for gene-edited seeds are held by universities. While this presents an opportunity for farmers in developing countries, we are unlikely to see speedy deregulation of this new technology anytime soon. More …

Simultaneous extreme heat and drought have consequences in a variety of areas – for example the economy, health and food production. In addition, due to complex socio-economic connections, such extreme events can cause knock-on effects. More …

If we want to avoid destroying our planet, we need to transform our eating habits – and this starts in our kitchens. We have to find a balance of healthy and sustainable food, with less meat and more veg. More …

At the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos this week, the focus is on how to slow down species loss and protect ecosystems. The UZH-organized conference aims to inspire action by bringing together researchers and practitioners. More …

Sustainability has many aspects to it. Working at UZH also has an impact on the environment. We have compiled a few tips on how you can go about saving your data and using drinking water in a more sustainable way. More …

Private banks across Europe are meeting more client demands, new regulations and pressure from stakeholders with better qualified advisors. A new study carried out at the University of Zurich shows that banks are rising to the challenge of investing sustainably with varying degrees of success. More …

Multispecies tree plantations are more productive than monocultures, according to a new study carried out in China. UZH environmental scientist Bernhard Schmid was involved in the research. More …

When a plant community is exposed to drought, the different species undergo evolutionary changes. An international study with UZH participation now shows that this leads to improved resilience to future drought stress over time. More …

Global biodiversity assessments require the collection of data on changes in plant biodiversity on an ongoing basis. Researchers from the universities of Zurich and Montréal have now shown that plant communities can be reliably monitored using imaging spectroscopy, which in the future will be possible via satellite. This paves the way for near real-time global biodiversity monitoring. More …

Working group III of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change yesterday presented their latest report. The report aims to provide science-based information to policymakers worldwide. Stefano Battiston is one of the lead authors of the chapter on investment and finance. More …

To test if a single gene could affect an entire ecosystem, a research team of the University of Zurich conducted a lab experiment with a plant and its associated ecosystem of insects. They found that plants with a mutation at a specific gene foster ecosystems with more insect species. The discovery of such a “keystone gene” could change current biodiversity conservation strategies. More …

Due to climate change, Arctic winters are getting warmer. An international study by UZH researchers shows that Arctic warming causes temperature anomalies and cold damage thousands of kilometers away in East Asia. This in turn leads to reduced vegetation growth, later blossoming, smaller harvests and reduced CO2 absorption by the forests in the region. More …

Sociologist Katja Rost discusses the sharing economy, sustainable behavior, status-oriented thinking, and sharing culture at UZH. More …

The University of Zurich wants its members to reduce air travel by at least 53 percent by 2030. Environmental psychologist and sustainability expert Somara Gantenbein on the background, significance and implementation of the goals. More …