Towards Climate Sustainability

A thorough transformation of every sector is necessary to reach a climate-sustainable society. The latest evidence presented in the IPCC report unequivocally indicates that no sector can continue with ‘business as usual.’ The academic sector is thus not exempt from the imperatives to operate sustainably. Academic institutions have long played a key role in providing evidence on the climate crisis as well as potential mitigation strategies, but what is the academic system itself doing with this evidence?

ALLEA’s latest report Towards Climate Sustainability of the Academic System in Europe and beyond suggests that, as it stands, the academic system is currently not sustainable, and that a change in culture is required where all stakeholders within the academic system become aware of their climate impact and act to reduce it. While some stakeholders have begun to engage with the topic of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are implementing first steps to track, disclose and reduce them, the report finds that the current evidence base needs to be extended to lessen underestimations and set realistic and consequential emission reduction goals.

As part of the Berlin Science Week 2022, and within the context of this year’s Science Summit’s theme ‘Paradigm Shift: Co-Creating a Sustainable Now”, ALLEA, the Swiss Embassy in Berlin and the German Young Academy are partnering up to host the event ‘Towards Climate Sustainability – Taking the Academic System from Evidence to Action.’ The event will present some of the major findings from ALLEA’s report, and it will also feature representatives from key stakeholder groups within the academic system who will present the programmes and strategies they have developed to embed sustainable practices in their operations and reduce the levels of emissions within their sectors.

The speakers will deliver brief impulse talks followed by a panel discussion and a Q&A session with the audience. A reception with refreshments will be served afterwards.