Knowledge transfer & dialog
In April 2018, the university’s second Sustainability Week focused on the topic of mobility. During the third Basel Sustainability Forum in June, well-known researchers discussed the topic of climate change together with people working in the areas of policy, economics and from NGOs. In addition, significant publications from SCCER CREST and the environmental sciences caught the attention of the media and political sphere.
Goals 2019 - 2021
Building on the 2018 database (see "Status 2018"), the University of Basel developed goals and actions for the 2019-2021 timeframe to strengthen dialogue and knowledge transfer in sustainability issues.
Intensifying international networking and the discussion surrounding sustainability
- The University of Basel will become a member of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN)
Sustainability Office
- Financial support and organization of the 8th World Sustainability Forum (September 2020)
Prof. M. Bergman
Firmly establishing Student’s Sustainability Week at the University of Basel
- Concept, planning and implementation of Sustainability Week in 2020 and 2021 with the support of the Sustainability Office
Students for Sustainability at the University of Basel (SDUBS)
Greater visibility of sustainability-related issues at the University of Basel for staff and students
- Communications including at least one UniNews article on a sustainability-related topic each month
Sustainability Office
in collaboration with the Communications & Marketing department
Status 2018
Decision-making aids for Swiss policy makers
Publications, events, print and online media – in 2018, the University of Basel used a range of channels to make new knowledge available to society, the economy and the political sphere as well as for further discussion.
As a national Center of Excellence for non-technical energy research, SCCER CREST is building a bridge between policy and business and, to this end, is coordinating research at nine Swiss universities. In 2018, CREST researchers published three major white papers (two of which under the direction of University of Basel researchers) which serve as aids for making policy decisions and which generated a great deal of interest in the Swiss media. One particular highlight is Prof. Dr. Hannes Weigt’s co-authorship in modeling system adequacy in the Swiss electricity sector, which is one of the most important sources of data for making decisions in drafting the new Electricity Supply Act.
The work on invasive species in the Basel region, microplastics in the Rhine, climate change and the student senate’s petition to ban short-haul flights for excursions also attracted similar media attention.
Highlights
Environmental scientists from the University of Basel were also involved in authoring the new children’s book Globi und die neuen Arten (Globi and New Species), featuring the cartoon character Globi. It helps raise awareness of the invasive fish species that continues to spread its way up the Rhine.
Public dialog – sustainability events
Last year’s events calendar was filled with sustainability events. Over 40 events addressed topics related to climate change, sustainable food and mobility, and energy supplies of the future. Particularly noteworthy examples are the second Sustainability Week, «Tatort Mobilität», organized by the Sustainability Office, as well as the 3rd Basel Sustainability Forum on climate change, which was spearheaded by Prof. Max Bergman and organized by MDPI.
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Sustainability Week: Over 300 people participated in the Sustainability Week at the thirteen different events, which included the events about the opportunities and risks of digitization for sustainable mobility, bicycle repair workshops and the film evening on "Freightened - the Real Price of Shipping". Image: University of Basel, Roger Langeneggerlink.zoom -
Sustainability Week: During the whole week, the Cafeteria served the «kilometer menu» with information about the travel distances of the individual ingredients. Image: University of Basel, Roger Langeneggerlink.zoom -
Sustainability Week: On the mobility of «meat, milk and almonds» - Prof. Dr. Wild, professor of ethics, gave a lecture on global animal transport. Image: University of Basel, Roger Langeneggerlink.zoom -
Sustainability Week: This event also had to do with the bicycle: On the tour «By bike to the university gardens» the student association showed their work on the university garden areas. Image: University of Basel, Unigärtenlink.zoom -
Basel Sustainability Forum: The 3rd Basel Sustainability Forum was entirely dedicated to climate change and global warming and the associated economic, social and ecological consequences. Image: MDPI Sustainability Foundationlink.zoom -
Basel Sustainability Forum: Particular attention was paid to pricing and consumption of fossil fuels, the right of developing countries to pursue their own development path and competition between economic interests and their social or environmental consequences. Image: MDPI Sustainability Foundationlink.zoom -
Basel Sustainability Forum: roundtable participants were Thomas Hügli (AXA), Fabian Käser (HelpCancerVillages), Angela Hinel (University of Basel), Chinwe Speranza (University of Bern), Andreas Zivy (AMEROPA Foundation), Ed Constable and Marco Piffaretti (both University of Basel). Image: MDPI Sustainability Foundationlink.zoom
