Zukunftsblog
The Zukunftsblog provides a forum for ETH experts to write about socially relevant research topics and sketch their ideas about the future. Blog posts reflect the personal opinions of their authors.
The road to Net Zero is rocky, but feasible
A sustainable transition to a climate-friendly and biodiversity-rich Switzerland is only possible if we tackle the energy transition, climate change mitigation and biodiversity loss together. This will not be easy, but it is worthwhile and ultimately indispensable, says Reto Knutti.
Biofabrication should be sustainable
While living matter can advance technology and render human activities more efficient and eco-friendly, the way in which we currently fabricate materials containing living cells is far from sustainable. Miriam Filippi calls us to rethink our biofabrication practices.
University funding: a national debate is needed
EPFL and ETH Zurich Presidents Martin Vetterli and Jo?l Mesot consider high tuition fees as in the English-speaking world to be the wrong approach to improving the financial situation of the two universities. Students should be seen as success factors for our country and not as cash cows.
The state of biodiversity is not a matter of opinion
Ahead of the vote on the biodiversity initiative, basic insights on the state of biodiversity and habitats in Switzerland are being discussed controversially. Lo?c Pellissier counters by holding up the scientific consensus.
How we can cool our cities
Southern Europe is currently battling a heat wave. Jan Carmeliet explains how cities can tackle the summer heat. It is a balancing act that calls for finely tuned measures.
We should not underestimate the increasingly warm summer temperatures
Despite a wet and grey June, summers in Switzerland are getting hotter than expected. The increased summer temperatures harbour risks that we are not well prepared for, says Dominik Schumacher.
Waging a war for land and soil
The war in Ukraine is also a war for soil. Sebastian D?tterl, Professor for Soil Resources at ETH Zurich explains what makes Ukrainian soil so valuable and why it will become even more geopolitically significant.
Medicine has yet to tap the potential of digitalisation
Despite digitalisation being a mainstay in many areas of life, the healthcare sector is lagging behind. J?rg Goldhahn explains what the medical field can learn from banks and travel companies.
How can we tax electric cars without slowing down the electromobility transition?
The federal government has plans to tax electric vehicles to secure funding for road infrastructure. However, a new levy could delay the switch to electromobility. Alessio Levis explains how this dilemma could be resolved.
Thinking climate action, biodiversity and energy supply together
Renewable energies are not the main driver of biodiversity loss. It is rather the other way round: renewables can limit climate change in order to preserve biodiversity. Cyril Brunner contextualises the trade-offs from a scientific perspective.
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