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ETH-Klimablog

Wissenschaft aus erster Hand mit Stimmen aus der Gesellschaft. >zum Blog

 

ETH Sustainability Report 2011-2012

>here (pdf in Englisch)

 

seed sustainability

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Nikolaus Gotsch

Dr. Nikolaus Gotsch, head of the Competence Center Environment and Sustainability at the ETH (CCES)

In the first half of the eighties, "Forest Dieback" was the environmental topic that dominated in Switzerland. I was studying agronomics at the time and it is no surprise that the often heated political and economical debates of that time landed with students on fertile terrain. It was soon clear to us that the human influence on the environment had reached a hitherto unwitnessed magnitude and that we were dealing with a complex problem with no simple solutions. The Forest Dieback debate has been truncated but more recent environmental problems, such as the human-caused greenhouse effect, show us that similarly complex problems still await solutions. Ever since, questions on sustainability have accompanied me during my scientific and managerial career.

To identify, understand and, within my capacities, contribute towards solutions for multilayered ecological, economic and societal problems is a great concern to me both professionally and privately. To come even close to understanding and finding realistic solutions to these problems, it is necessary that people with different competencies, skills, backgrounds and influences think, discuss and act collectively. To meet such people, connect them and encourage an understanding for alternative views of problems, is my main aim in relation to sustainable development.

The institutions of the ETH command a great potential to understand and develop solutions for the causes and interdependencies of complex ecological, technological and societal problems. In the future, however, it is essential that researchers increasingly take these steps alongside societal and political stakeholders. But this is also a complex and drawn out process as it requires that researchers move away from the traditional role of technology and knowledge transfer towards partnerships with various protagonists on all levels and right up until the implementation of solutions. As the head of the Competence Center Environment and Sustainability, I can and will contribute towards this.

Kompetenzzentrums Umwelt und Nachhaltigkeit