Make Science not Miles

Global climate is changing rapidly due to human emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), and little time is left to keep global temperature rise within manageable levels. As reported by the last IPCC report: “climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a livable future”. 

The University of Zurich recognizes its duty to promote sustainable development through exemplary action in its university operations. One specific target of UZH is the reduction of GHG emissions caused by business flights. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, air travel was the largest source of GHG emissions at UZH, and in 2021 the University committed to reduce emissions due to air travel by at least 53% by 2030. 

Several principal investigators (PIs) at the Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany (ISEB) and at the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology (IPMB) agreed to take a commitment toward reducing air travel. See the list here. The goal of this initiative is to inspire all members of the IPMB and ISEB to modify their travel habits and thereby contribute to decrease GHG emissions.