CESAER and Science Europe to present Sci4Net0 joint report during webinar “Acting Together for Net-Zero – the role of research organisations” | 20 April
18 April 2023 | From UNICA
Following the Symposium ‘Interdisciplinarity for the Net-Zero Transition’ last November, jointly organised by CESAER, EUA, ISCN, Science Europe, UNICA, and the University of Strathclyde; Science Europe and the CESAER Task Force Sustainability are organising a webinar on the role of research organisations on the 20 April, at 2pm – 3pm CEST. The webinar will also count with representatives of the European Federation of Academies of Science and Humanities (ALLEA) and the European Sustainable Laboratories Network (SELS-Network). This will be the occasion to present the joint report on ‘Interdisciplinarity for the Net-Zero Transition. The perspectives of universities and research organisations’ written after the COP-27 Symposium.
Background
On 3 November 2022, CESAER, European University Association (EUA), the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), Science Europe, the Network of Universities from Capital Cities (UNICA), and the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, UK), jointly organised the COP27 lead-up event on “Interdisciplinarity for the Net-Zero Transition”. This Symposium came about following the Call to Action to Research and Higher Education Organisations for the Net-Zero Transition launched at the COP26 held in Glasgow in 2021.
The partners aim to enhance the contributions of universities, research funding and performing organisations, as well as the entire research and higher education ecosystem, towards achieving global emission reduction targets. Their common goal is to adopt a collaborative, systems-based approach, where research and education systems join forces with industry and society to tackle this critical societal challenge. This initiative is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: “Climate Action: take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.”
The Call to Action urges universities and research funding and performing organizations to evaluate how they can collectively elevate their actions and aspirations concerning climate actions.
Six key areas for the Net-Zero Transition were identified as follows:
- Responding to the complexity of the Net-Zero challenges by addressing them in an interdisciplinary way.
- Developing the next generation of students and researchers for the Net-Zero Transition.
- Reducing our own organisational carbon footprint.
- Supporting the Net-Zero Transition in policymaking at all levels.
- Improving the shared understanding of what needs to be done.
- Facing the challenges together.
With this spirit, the European Federation of Academies of Science and Humanities (ALLEA) and the European Sustainable Laboratories Network (SELS-Network) were invited to a conversation on how the research and academic systems can work together for the Net-Zero Transition.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.