Rethinking Change: Putting Indigenous Worldviews at the Heart of Human-Nature Relations
As the world faces a deepening ‘polycrisis’ – from biodiversity loss and climate change to social inequity and political instability – transformative change is urgently needed. With our SNSF Spark …
Nationales Geographisches Berufspodium 2026: Inspiration und Netzwerken
Am Donnerstag, dem 7. Mai 2026, fand an der Universität Zürich das Berufspodium für Geographie und Erdsystemwissenschaften statt. Organisiert vom Geoteam bot es rund 200 Studierenden der …
The high proportion of sealed surfaces in cities leads to significant heating of urban areas, reduces rainwater infiltration, and increases the risk of flooding. One approach to deal with these …
Nachhaltigkeit im Labor: Gold-Zertifizierung für die GeoLabs
Die Universität Zürich hat im Rahmen ihrer Decarb 2030-Initiative Labore und Arbeitsgruppen systematisch zu ihrer Nachhaltigkeitspraxis befragt. Unsere GeoLabs, die gemeinsamen Labordienste mehrerer …
Drought in Switzerland: How the CrowdWater app fills data gaps
The current drought is affecting small streams in particular—yet they are rarely monitored. This is where the citizen science project CrowdWater comes in: With the app, anyone can collect data and …
How much can digital data reveal about our cities?
We have more data about our cities than ever before. This can tempt us to focus primarily on answering questions for which data is available. However, we shouldn't lose sight of the pressing issues …
A year on from the devastating landslide, the future of the Valais mountain village of Blatten is uncertain. How should we approach the issue of mountain regions that are increasingly threatened by …
Simply Complex – The Concrete Benefits of Biodiversity
From 13 to 22 June 2026, part of Kirchner Park in Davos will be transformed into a sculpture park. Twelve sculptures will present scientific findings on the topic of biodiversity. This exhibition …
The HiBiDiS mission aims to provide new insights into forest understory biodiversity, answering key questions about its composition, the state of ecosystems, the global carbon cycle and climate …
Tracking the slopes: A model to estimate backcountry skiing activity
Many of us enjoy going backcountry skiing and lots of us plan and even share our trips online. But did you know that the digital traces that you leave online could help make backcountry touring safer?
In an interview with the WOZ, social geographer Hanna Hilbrandt analyzes the SVP’s population control initiative as a distraction from the real problems facing the housing market. She discusses the …
Green tramlines: biodiversity or spreading invasive species?
Zürich’s green tram tracks may seem like a simple aesthetic upgrade, but they could be doing far more than just making the city look greener. Students from the GEO410 «Geography.Matters.» course …
The Department of Geography will open its doors on Thursday, May 21, 2026, offering exciting insights into its research and teaching. It’s also a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas – …
Transformative knowledge for transformative change
What makes change ‘transformative’? How useful is the term ‘polycrisis’ for the global challenges we face today? How do we narrow the gap between knowledge about global sustainability challenges and …
Despite strong political pushback, the number of people searching for protection in Europe is not decreasing. Urban spaces, especially, are the destination of many seeking a new home. Yet, arriving …
Where does Switzerland stand in addressing climate change? The latest report from the Swiss Academies of Sciences (SCNAT) provides an answer to this question. It also assesses future risks …
Thousands of people in Switzerland work part-time against their will, often because they are denied the opportunity to work longer hours. For those affected, this can lead to financial insecurity …
Satellites and genomics to support coral reef conservation in the warming Indian Ocean
Tropical coral reefs are hotspots of biodiversity, but they are suffering severe degradation due to anomalous heatwaves. A recent study combined satellite observation of ocean conditions with …
Climate change affects the landscape: practical knowledge from experience and research
From droughts to heavy rainfall and retreating glaciers – climate change is altering Switzerland's landscapes. At the same time these landscapes protect us from the consequences of climate change, …
