This summer has been a tough one for nature. Prolonged drought and high temperatures have put forests across Switzerland under severe stress. This was particularly evident in the Hardwald near Basel. Already known as a genetic outlier among Swiss beech populations, Hardwald stands as a living laboratory, providing important insights into how forests can adapt to a changing climate – or fail to do so.

Wie entwickeln sich Biodiversität und Ökosystemleistungen heute und in Zukunft – und wie können wir diese Entwicklung gezielt beeinflussen? Der ValPar.CH-Praxisnavigator bietet praktische Antworten und Handlungsempfehlungen auf Basis aktueller Forschungsergebnisse.

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 project “Flip it and reverse it” (FIRI), we set out on an ambitious journey to contribute to this shift by centering holistic Indigenous worldviews to rethink how humans relate to nature in Switzerland.

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 Universitäten Zürich, Bern und Basel Einblicke in die Arbeitswelt und Informationen über die verschiedenen Wege nach Abschluss des Studiums.

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 challenges is the sponge city concept. Students from the «Geography. Matters.» course explored its implementation in Zurich.

Die Universität Zürich hat im Rahmen ihrer Decarb 2030-Initiative Labore und Arbeitsgruppen systematisch zu ihrer Nachhaltigkeitspraxis befragt. Unsere GeoLabs, die gemeinsamen Labordienste mehrerer Forschungseinheiten des GIUZ, erhielten eine Auszeichnung in Gold.

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?

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 describe the different types of green tram tracks and explore whether this green infrastructure unintentionally helps to spread invasive plant species.

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 transformative action? What is the role of Higher Education in societal transformations? How can we co-create just and sustainable futures? Whose voices and knowledge count […]

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 in a new urban environment does not automatically mean feeling at home. Students from the GEO410 «Geography.Matters.» course accompanied two refugees to understand how physical places shape their sense of belonging in Zürich.