Are you interested in biodiversity management and conservation at the global, national, cantonal, and municipal level? Are you interested in how integrating scientific research results into the decision-making process and engaging at the science and policy interface successfully? If yes, join our upcoming science and policy workshop.
Continue reading New Course Offer – Capacity Building Workshop on Effective Science-Policy Collaboration in Biodiversity Management
Could Swiss agriculture produce Planetary Health Diet?
Grégoire Saboret1, Loïc Thurre2, Noémie Pidoux 3(2024). Food for Thought: Could Swiss agriculture provide healthy and sustainable food for its population? (PDF)
The Planetary Health Diet (PHD) is a reference diet for the entire population aimed at respecting the planetary boundaries for environmental resources while optimizing human’s population health (Willet et al. 2019). Swiss consumption of certain types of food is far from the PHD. This suggests that dietary habits should shift protein sources towards plant-based options, preferably non-transformed such as beans, lentils or soy. This change can’t be triggered without considering a transformation of our agricultural systems. Currently, one-third of Switzerland’s land is dedicated to agriculture, covering about 1.5 million cultivated hectares, or roughly one hectare per five to six inhabitants. We posed a simple question: Could Swiss agriculture theoretically produce the PHD on this area?
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CONGRATULATIONS – Fei Wu
Response Doctoral Program
Fei Wu, a RESPONSE fellow in the PhD program Science and Policy, successfully defended her PhD in March 2024!
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Perspectives for science-based policy advice as a young researcher in Switzerland
On June 19, 2024, Servan Grüninger will share his experiences on how can you prepare for a career at the interface between science and policy.
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Providing genomic resources for important forage grasses
Response Doctoral Programme
Forage grasses are the primary source of roughage for ruminant livestock and substantially contribute to sustainable milk and meat production. Cultivars adapted to specific environments and management conditions are needed to produce the required amounts of high-quality roughage. Moreover, there is a need to efficiently breed for novel forage grass cultivars to mitigate challenges emerging through climate change and to facilitate sustainable and productive agriculture.
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Towards Circular Nutrient Economy in Agriculture
Agriculture is facing a major challenge of feeding the growing world population. Since the green revolution, the abundant use of fertilizers has been widely regarded as a fundamental tool to address this challenge. Switzerland’s agriculture, on average, has used excessive amounts of fertilizers at relatively low efficiency, indicating the need to improve the nutrient use efficiency of Swiss agricultural production.
Continue reading Towards Circular Nutrient Economy in AgricultureFood for Thought: Towards Circular Nutrient Economy in Agriculture
Agriculture is facing a major challenge of feeding the growing world population. Since the green revolution, the abundant use of fertilizers has been widely regarded as a fundamental tool to address this challenge. Switzerland’s agriculture, on average, has used excessive amounts of fertilizers at relatively low efficiency, indicating the need to improve the nutrient use efficiency of Swiss agricultural production.
In this article we present a thought experiment on how to close nitrogen- and nutrient-cycles in Swiss agriculture and thus foster a more sustainable fertilization.
Radek Zenkl, Andreas Berlepsch-Valendas, Frank Liebisch (2024). Food for Thought: Towards Circular Nutrient Economy in Agriculture. Download the report (PDF)
The report was written during seminar: „Sustainable Plant Systems“ (551-0209-00L) at ETH Zurich in 2023.
Online Information Event: Get to know the PhD Program in Science and Policy
Did you already think about the impact you could have in your research field on policy-making and you want to learn how to achieve this? Are you enthusiastic to learn about new tools and competencies for successful engagement and communication at the science and policy interface? If yes, join the PhD Program in Science and Policy of ETH Zurich, University of Zurich and University of Basel.
For March 13, 2024 (1-2 pm, online) we cordially invite PhD students (ETHZ (incl ETH Domain), UZH, Uni Basel), PhD candidates, PhD supervisors and science and policy enthusiasts getting to know our team, our vision, the PhD program and our alumni.
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Science and Policy Summer School – Beyond the Lab
Beatenberg, Switzerland, June 25-28, 2024
Are you interested in exploring viable avenues for natural scientists and engineers to engage with society beyond the lab? Then apply for the Beyond the Lab summer school!
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Cost of direct air carbon capture to remain higher than hoped
Response Doctoral Programme
The publication of RESPONSE fellow Katrin Sievert shows that costs of removing large quantities of CO2 from the air will fall in the medium term, but not as much as previously hoped.
Continue reading Cost of direct air carbon capture to remain higher than hoped