As climate change accelerates and CO2 emission reductions alone prove insufficient to meet climate targets, carbon removal has become essential for tackling hard-to-abate emissions. However, deploying carbon removal at scale presents a critical challenge for governments: How can they ensure it is both effective and affordable enough to secure public support? We show that this public support challenge can be overcome if carbon removal practices are deployed in combination with regulations that enhance the durability of CO2 removal , even if these regulations increase costs.
From the Burren in Ireland and the Erins in France to the Alps in Switzerland, grasslands are vital ecosystems that play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, providing ecosystem services, and ensuring food security. These vast and diverse grasslands are just a few of the many that cover around 17% of the European Union’s total surface area, as of 2018 (EUROSTAT 2021). Grasslands are among the most species-rich habitats on Earth (Petermann and Buzhdygan), home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, and are essential breeding grounds for birds and invertebrates. In addition, they provide numerous ecosystem services such as water purification, soil erosion prevention and carbon sequestration. Grasslands contain various species of forage grasses, crucial for feeding livestock. Forage grasses, such as Lolium spp. and Festuca spp. are valuable, environment-friendly sources of livestock feed. However, frequent and unpredictable droughts have threatened forage grass yields, posing significant challenges to farmers and livestock managers.
Vom Klimawandel über den Umgang mit Pandemien bis zu geopolitischen Konflikten – in diversen Politikfeldern spielt wissenschaftliche Expertise eine Rolle. Dadurch gerät Wissenschaft unter Druck: Ihr wachsender Einfluss als System, die Welt zu verstehen und zu erklären, weckt Begehrlichkeiten und Widerstände zugleich. Vor dem Hintergrund unserer 20 Thesen für eine wissenschaftsfreundliche Kultur möchten wir an dieser Podiumsdiskussion in Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Bern erörtern, wie politisch Wissenschaft sein darf.
It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for – the whole thing – rather than just one or two stars. – David Attenborough
When we think about ecological diversity, our minds often jump to different species of plants and animals. But what if there is more to this story? Diversity extends beyond genes, plants, and animals—it is also about the variety of ecosystems in the landscapes around us (Fig. 1). Imagine a patchwork quilt of croplands, forests, grasslands, wetlands and meadows. Could this mosaic be the key to a healthier, more resilient environment? Do these diverse ecosystems, working together, contribute to the overall balance of our landscapes on a grander scale?
Apple orchards across many parts of the world are under stress due to a rapidly-changing climate characterized by more frequent and intense extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and episodes of spring frost. Despite being the most produced fruit in Europe, can apples withstand the changing environmental conditions that accompany climate change? What have local farmers done so far and what should they do in the future to adapt to these changing circumstances? Laurent Giguère, is a PhD student at ETH Zurich, as well as a RESPONSE fellow in the PhD program Science and Policy. He sought to answer these questions using mixed methods involving econometric modelling, index-based hazard assessment as well as both quantitative and qualitative surveying.
Have you ever marveled at how a tiny seed grows into a towering tree? Seeds are at the foundation of all life, and their quality and yield are inevitably influenced by environmental conditions. Therefore, it is vital to enhance our understanding of how seeds form, such that sufficient yields can be ensured even during adverse conditions.
On December 5, 2024 (2-7 pm, ETH Zurich, Main Building, Audimax), we are celebrating the imminent completion of the RESPONSE doctoral program «RESPONSE – to society and policy needs through plant, food and energy sciences».
Warum wird in der Schweiz so wenig Buchweizen angebaut? SRF-1-Foodexpertin Esther Kern hat sich darüber in der Sendung «À point – Wissen aus der Küche auf den Punkt gebracht» mit RESPONSE Fellow Fabian Hess unterhalten. Als Doktorand an der ETH untersucht er über hundert Buchweizen-Sorten für den Anbau in der Schweiz.
