As wildlife populations recover across Europe, research from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development highlights the importance of open dialogue with farmers.
At the Summit of the Future, held on September 22-23, 2024, world leaders agreed to take bold, ambitious, accelerated, just, and transformative actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Integrating renewable energy sources into the design of the AtLAST telescope would introduce the astronomical community on the Chajnantor plateau and the nearby residential areas to more sustainable energy systems.
Sietze Norder talks about his experiences as a biogeographer working on remote islands, the parallels between ecology and culture, and the inspiration behind his children’s book, Fire Island.
FERTILE SOILS, a consortium comprising of scientists from three EWUU partners, 10 knowledge institutions, and 30 practical partners, has been awarded €5,500,000.
This May the Island and Oceans imaginaries workshop took place at Utrecht University. Researchers and others interested in the Caribbean came together to learn more about islands, islanders, their relationship to the ocean, and the unique challenges they face in the wake of a changing climate.
Despite the growth in circular businesses and initiatives, Utrecht University research reveals that a circular transition in the Netherlands is being held back by other major societal challenges such as the energy transition, the housing crisis, and geopolitical conflicts related to supply chains.
An international collaboration led by Utrecht University is calling for the closure of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), asserting that the organization has fulfilled its purpose and now operates as a "zombie" institution.
We invite abstracts for ‘The Future of Public Values in the Algorithmic Society’, a two-day international conference hosted by AlgoSoc, taking place at Felix Meritis in Amsterdam on April 10 and 11, 2025.
On July 17th 2024, the Reconfiguring Energy for Social Equity (ReSET) project launches an innovative, experimental website to share research findings on just energy transitions more effectively and engagingly.
The Copernicus Institute is offering visiting scholar positions fully funded by ERC project "Problem-Shifting between International Environmental Treaty Regimes: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions".
PhD students from Utrecht University are investigating what administrative and legal options are available to comply with the Water Framework Directive.
Utrecht researchers developed a broader method to measure welfare: the Better Well-being Index (BWI). This year, broad welfare in the Netherlands increased.
Academics, frustrated by limited impact on the ecological crisis, are turning to scholar-activism. Embracing this could foster new knowledge, networks, and social change. Blog by Lisette van Beek
The European Forest Institute has awarded €140,000 to the Research & Education Hub Utrechtse Heuvelrug for research into climate-smart forest management on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.
In the biodiversity-rich Banggai archipelago, researchers are enhancing the conservation options for indigenous communities, whilst bridging critical gaps in governance.
For the opening keynote for the 16th Nordic Environmental Social Sciences Conference, Josie Chambers chose not to focus on the dominant ways people have been co-producing knowledge and action for sustainability. But rather, to take stock of the field and ask: what exactly are we co-producing? Are we producing knowledge that reinforces how the world is? Or are we imagining and prefiguring explorations of how the world can be otherwise?
New research shows that promoting innovation through diplomatic channels can facilitate the commercialization of technologies necessary for the transition to a more sustainable future.
Are leased products less well looked after than their owned counterparts? Researchers reveal this is often the case and work with designers to come up business model solutions to challenge this.
Last weekend, I cried at an academic conference. It’s not normal for me. I look back with part gratitude, part embarrassment. The experience has triggered me to transform how I carry myself in professional spaces. It started off pretty run-of-the-mill…
We sit down with Joost Vervoort, Associate Professor of Transformative Imagination at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development and lecturer on the Sustainable Development programme to get to know him and his teaching philosophy.
Until now, biodiversity mainstreaming has been largely ineffective due to non-binding commitments, vaguely formulated targets, “add-on” biodiversity initiatives, and too few resources.
Art-science collaborations are on the rise everywhere. Yet, what these relations constitute in practice is less clear. The very term “art-science” is itself limiting. Many collaborations seek to go beyond this simple binary, exploring the potential that exists at the intersection of artistic and research practices.
With increasing pressure from consumers and regulators, corporations worldwide increasingly seek to certify their targets and activities as 'Paris-aligned'. However, recent research led by Utrecht University unveils flaws lurking behind claims of 'Paris-alignment'.
From most people’s gut perspective, belonging is rooted in a kind of from-ness. Like a tree, you are rooted in a place. Though it’s not easily admitted in liberal society, one’s rootedness is usually detected by skin colour and facial features. Even amongst the most welcoming of insiders, there is an unspoken assumption that those here first get to decide how things ought to be. On a secondary level, cultural behaviour confers belonging. “Okay, their grandparents aren’t from here, but at least they get our way of life.” But what is this “our” anyway?
Two PhD Candidates from Utrecht University, Clara Colonna (Agri-food Law) and Sara Ramezani (Urban Planning), embarked on a unique learning journey in Montpellier, south France.
The Institute for a Circular Society (i4CS) is excited to introduce a new round of seed funding for researchers at TU/e, WUR, UU or UMCU who are passionate about advancing circular solutions through inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration and innovative research. This seed funding is a co-production between i4CS’s new theme Urban-Rural circularity (URC) and the province and city of Utrecht.
For five years (2019-2024), the UNMAKING project researched whether and how agrifood grassroots initiatives such as community supported agriculture unmake environmentally disruptive institutions and practices that are deeply ingrained in capitalist societies
Through the "Mobility in a Sustainable Future" program, NWO has committed funding for a four-year project exploring how challenges in mobility, energy and housing can be addressed together.
NWO has committed funding for a five-year research project on one of the most complex challenges of our time: scaling digital innovation in a responsible way.
Throughout history, people have tried to give shape to the future. This piece offers no comprehensive tour of this history. Yet it does share some glimpses of how we might see the future in different ways, or rather different worlds. Here we begin our journey around the future in eighty worlds, even if we visit just a few for now…
Roxana Roos, senior researcher at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, set out to discover what the most important barriers to the participation of local and indigenous communities are.
An international team of researchers have created 9 dimensions for evaluating how art and creative practice can contribute to sustainability transformations.
Five Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development researchers were recently awarded impressive grants by the European Research Council (ERC) and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Because of declining concentrations of tritium the conventional way of studying underground flows of water is at risk of becoming useless. A group of researchers including scientists from Utrecht University worked out just how long the old tritium method will still be useful across the world.
A new briefing on justice in sustainability transitions has been published online by the European Environment Agency (EEA) using input from Utrecht University researchers.
I just returned from a train trip up north with my partner and two-year-old daughter. Specifically, to Kiruna and Abisko in Sweden. Partly, I wanted to meet one of Europe’s peripheries and, in so doing, better understand its centres. Most of all, I hoped to engage with the Sami, the EU’s only recognised indigenous group. I was sorely disappointed.
Between November 2023 and January 2024, the Urban Futures Studio turned its’ annual Mixed Classroom into a fictive social movement. What can we learn from this experiment?
Having spent much of my life in classrooms — as student or teacher, I have seen that learning goals and content only go so far. We must fundamentally reimagine the form of the classroom. Here I share my recent experiment in creating a utopian classroom.
Grant for a research project by the School of Economics on stakeholder involvement for groundwater solutions to reduce the extreme effects of climate change.
Freedom remains one of the most evocative political rallying cries around the world. It is central to the notion of humanitarian intervention, which has dragged Western nations into war since the 18th century. It was successfully mobilised to found the welfare state. And it is now a buzzword for the nativists being swept to power across the world…Even if the urge for freedom speaks to something deep within us, what it means changes from place to place, and from one generation to the next. Both lessons are crucial for those wishing to mobilise environmental action. Those who write the book of freedom gain huge political rewards.
When offered the chance to perform a live musical opening for the 14th International Sustainability Transitions Conference, Josie Chambers, Steve Williams & Noor Noor sought to connect emotionally to where we are with sustainability transitions, yet also offer a glimpse of what could be. In this first blog they explore the question: can music deepen our reflection and imagination in global spaces?
An Utrecht University research team ventured to Minh Khai Craft Village, the largest recycling hub in Vietnam, to follow the path of Europe's recycled plastic.
A new podcast explores the legacy, stories, and living memories of an isolated Indigenous Arctic community fighting to ensure food security while preserving its unique way of life.
New research shows that by prioritizing targeted increases in rainfall, forestation programs may not only mitigate global climate change but also reduce adverse effects such as droughts.
A recently published article in Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations led by Utrecht University’s Melanie van Driel investigated if international organizations steer other actors towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Brian Dermody (Sustainable Development) and Marjolein Naudé (Earth Sciences) are the lucky winners of the GEO Teacher Awards 2024. On Thursday 21 December, both received this award.
In David Abram’s enchanting The Spell of the Sensuous, he tells the story of how he lost the ability to commune with the more-than-human world. For me, one of the surest paths to losing connectedness was analysing my experiences for academic purposes.
Each year, Global Sustainability Science students work with a diverse set of societal partners – commercial enterprises, non-profits, and even the University itself – to tackle a variety of sustainability challenges together.
The GroenvermogenNL R&D consortium HyUSE will develop the use of hydrogen in the transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy future in the Netherlands.
Worldwide, large tracts of land are contaminated with PFAS. Instead of the classic "dig and dump" method, the university wants to explore the possibilities of sustainable remediation.
The COMBINED project— ten knowledge institutes and fourteen societal partners—will develop the knowledge required for a successful approach to climate change and biodiversity loss.
On 29th September 2023, policymakers, researchers, students, farmers, and social movements came together to explore what a degrowth perspective can bring to the debate on agri-food system sustainability.
New research shines a light on Japan's experience with circularity, offering valuable insights for policymakers and others who aim to transform their own economies.
Researchers, an NGO, and residents of Moyaneng in South Africa have worked together in a unique approach to transdisciplinary research with direct impact on local communities.
Utrecht University plans to be zero waste by 2030. With research and teaching laboratories, restaurants, and hundreds of offices, this is no small task. Delving into the complexities of waste management on campus, insights from ‘living lab’ research connecting research, education and operations hope to shift the university’s waste management paradigm.
The term 'tradition' is widely used to refer to indigenous wisdom and fossil-free farming. Such thinking is important in challenging modernist techno-optimism. But it also makes tradition seem like something that belongs to the past and political margins.
Call for contributors to the textbook project of Jan Pieter Beetz (the Utrecht University School of Governance) and Selin Dilli ( Department of History and Art History).
Utrecht University and 17 diverse societal and academic organisations are part of WildlifeNL, a research programme investigating how humans and wildlife can learn to live together more harmoniously.
A Dutch-Indonesian team investigated the potential of mangrove restoration as a cost-effective and sustainable solution for coastal protection in rapidly subsiding areas.
Energy scientist Dr. Matteo Gazzani and earth scientist Dr. Suzanne Hangx will study the potential for upscaling green hydrogen and the associated subsurface storage solutions.
A recent study finds that the SDGs have had little impact on communication, policies, institutional structures or country-level processes within the World Bank.
New analysis led by Utrecht University & the Data-driven EnviroLab underscores the crucial role of subnational governments and private businesses in driving climate action.
Many have long marvelled at humans’ capacity for technological innovation. Especially now, amid cascading environmental crises, technology seems to take on a magical quality. We acknowledge the many great things technological innovation has achieved. But holding faith with technological innovation alone is not only high risk: it ignores the exploitation of people and planet on which it depends.
Swarnendu Banerjee explains the undervalued role of vegetation patterns in ecosystem tipping points and how this can help us fine-tune conservation interventions.
With research showing that the SDGs have had little political impact, the UN SDG Summit, researchers call for four major changes to how the SDGs are implemented and governed globally.
Robin Aanstoot speaks to teacher Stefanie Lutz and Ivor de Baat, project leader at Utrechts Landschap about student research in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.
Several hundred million kg of Dutch plastic waste remain off the radar. That applies to both plastic waste within the Netherlands and Dutch plastic waste that is exported to other countries.
Glass defects in solar panels can be repaired while maintaining the panel's energy performance. The inspiration for this solution came from the automotive industry.
Een nieuwe investering in een onderzoeksprogramma vormt het startsein voor het instituut CropXR, dat plantenbiologie, simulatiemodellen en kunstmatige intelligentie gaat integreren in slimme veredelingsmethoden.
Aan zes van de achttien projecten die een toekenning hebben gekregen van het Nationaal Groeifonds nemen onderzoekers van de faculteit Geowetenschappen deel.
Prof. Wilfried van Sark proposes the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring system that would ensure a reliable and sustainable electricity supply.
A consortium of researchers from several universities and NGO’s will be investigating the synergies and trade-offs that multiple Nature Based Solutions bring.
When it comes to environmental politics, everywhere we look, there’s a feeling of being stuck. UN summits take one step forwards and two steps back. Scientists are gluing their papers to buildings and their hands to the road because governments are failing to act. Most of us look on dejectedly, wondering what we’re supposed to do, or why we should do it if no one else does.
From June 28th to June 30th, the IOS Fair Transitions Platform and LANDac are hosting the IOS Fair Transitions / LANDac International Conference 2023 at the heart of Utrecht City Centre. Join us!
Researchers learn from how CSA unmakes destructive capitalist practices and how this could play a role in the large-scale changes needed to reach sustainability.
A new Utrecht University-led study finds that circular policies in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Glasgow fail to adequately promote social and environmental justice.
A new European Commission JRC Science for Policy report provides valuable insights for policymakers across Europe striving to make policies more transformative.
The Urban Futures Studio and the African Centre for Cities launch www.infrahub.africa - a online database featuring sustainable infrastructure case studies from Africa as an entry point for imagining more sustainable, equitable cities.
Through fundamental research and societal collaboration, Save the tiger! Save the grasslands! Save the water! aims to provide a sustainable habitat for tigers in the Himalayan foothills.
We are excited to host a range of lectures and activities at the crossroads of the fair transitions and land governance debates in this year’s Summer School: Fair Transitions and the Politics of Land: Institutions and Imaginaries for Inclusive Futures. We hope it will draw many of you to Utrecht!
At Utrecht University, climate modellers from the IPCC are collaborating with two artists.. Article on the Pathways to Sustainability Conference and the cooperation with artists, originally written for NRC.
In contemporary conversation, “myth” is commonly used to mean “misconception”. The usage stems from colonial times when anthropologists differentiated between primitive religions, replete with myths, and the scientific worldview. But in creating this dichotomy, the children of the Enlightenment have been doing themselves a disservice.
Recent Utrecht University research identifies some of the main challenges in the governance of subsiding peatlands and gives suggestions on how to move forward.
When you hear the words religion and climate change, many think of evangelical climate deniers and conspiracy theorists. Very few think of the pristine boardrooms of scientists and policymakers...
With a convincing pitch of Silja Zimmermann about her research to ensure food security for Arctic Indigenous communities, 'Tipping the iceberg' won this year’s Pathways to Sustainability Award.
The role combines innovation around inter- and transdisciplinary sustainability education with her research exploring the role of natural vegetation in climate.
A recently published article investigated how the SDGs affect international cooperation in the field of data collection. "Top-down steering will be necessary."
Sixty-five students following the same Master’s programme at the same time, but scattered over and moving between the premises of five different European universities. It might sound peculiar, but this is exactly what CHARM-EU Master’s students do.
Prof. Ellen Moors, director of the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, dives into what she enjoys most about the job, as well as her hopes for the institute.
A new study proposes a new research agenda exploring the questions degrowth researchers need to ask to advance the transition to a sustainable and just global food system.
A recent study in Sustainability Science identifies three research directions crucial to help enable a sustainable future for Arctic Indigenous food systems.
Digital technologies are expected to play a major role in a circular economy. New UU study suggests their sustainability impact must be better understood.
Would you like to practice and improve your pitch skills? We invite early career researchers to participate in pitch competition Breaking Science 2023.
Intensive agriculture is an important cause of biodiversity loss. Utrecht researchers are currently studying how changes in agricultural practice may turn the tide.
Copernicus Institute researchers Mariska te Beest & Silja Zimmermann on what needs to come next when it comes to the biodiversity crisis and species protection.
The Material Flow Monitor provides insight into the circularity of different sectors. A new article co-authored by Vivian Tunn shares this innovative methodology.
Utrecht University contributed to the ICER report, including the Material Flow Monitor and analysis of six areas from a mission-oriented innovation perspective.
The Good Living 2050 contest aims to fill the gaps in our collective imagination by challenging contestants to develop images of what everyday life might look like in 3 decades’ time.
Composed of eminent scholars, the Scientific Council establishes the programme for the implementation of ERC activities. The appointment is of 1 January 2023.
New report indicates the public sees a circular future to be more socially and environmentally oriented than the tech-focused approach common in our institutions.
In his PhD, Paul Stegmann shows we need to drastically improve recycling efforts and switch from fossil to biogenic resources if plastics are to fit in a sustainable future.
A series of six policy briefs issues a wake-up call to address the climate change-induced consequences of extreme weather and sea-level rise on Greater Jakarta.
Max Rietkerk, Arjen Doelman, Ehud Meron and Isla Myers-Smith have received a €10 million ERC Synergy grant with their project RESILIENCE. They will investigate whether and how tipping points can be prevented or avoided.
Anna van der Kaaden dives into her research on cold-water corals, making scientific animations, and the importance of research reaching a broader audience.
The documentary 'New Connections', about the impact of energy transition in Rotterdam's Bospolder-Tussendijken neighbourhood, is now available online. The film is made by the Urban Futures Studio as part of a research project.
The Netherlands has an ambitious goal of having a 100% circular textile industry by 2050. Will second-hand clothing get us there? No, says recent research by Denise Reike and others.
Laura A. Weiss and Tina Venema were awarded Pathways to Sustainability seed funding for the project ‘Saving the climate and being happy – Can we have it all?’.
If every country complied with all the environmental treaties that exist in the world, would we end up in a better place? Dr. Rak Kim is investigating.
Diversity and inclusion should be top of the agenda in strengthening public engagement and transdisciplinary science as part of the broader Open Science movement, say researchers
Many municipalities have the ambition and intention to take measures to make cities climate-proof, but often implementation is still lacking. Why does this happen?
The production of renewable fuels can be increased by more than 40 per cent without having to cultivate a single square metre more of land, this study shows.
Since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, international organizations have become more likely to collaborate with organisations working on similar issues to them.
EU circular economy policy ensures electronic waste is appropriately processed locally but overlooks loophole exports to the Global South, researchers have found.
To learn more about the research behind living labs and how Utrecht University is engaging with them we talked to Harm van den Heiligenberg and Claudia Stuckrath Alvarado.
Researchers call for a profound overhaul of how we approach systems of food production, processing, distribution and consumption, and demand innovative, sustainable solutions to meet today’s urgent global challenges.
Utrecht University research hopes to empower Arctic Indigenous community members to come up with pathways to a future of food security and sovereignty on Alaska's St. Paul Island.
EU policy must expand to include a new set of responsibilities for producers so they move beyond promoting recycling to truly engaging in and facilitating a circular economy.
Research led by Utrecht University shows that the Sustainable Development Goals are having limited impact, and may instead be contributing to greenwashing.
The consequences of further and further deepening waterways in the harbour of Rotterdam are bigger than those of rising sea levels for the time being, geographer Jana Cox argues.
The immense challenge countries are facing in Glasgow is the consequence of postponing climate policy for years. We cannot continue to put problems ahead of us, Oreane Edelenbosch and Detlef van Vuuren argue.
On 16 May, Minister Staghouwer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) signed a new Green Deal ‘Nature-inclusive Agriculture in Green Education’.
In order to halt the decline of ecosystems and reduce costs, the EU needs an integrated nutrient directive that regulates the combined use of nitrogen and phosphorus by agriculture.
On 14 April, Chris Backes and Walter Vermeulen, experts in environmental law and circular economy from Utrecht University, gave a briefing on EPR to the House of Representatives
Collaboration with other sectors such as agriculture and spatial planning must be strengthened in order to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.
The goal of the Paris climate agreement will become out of sight unless countries collectively show more ambition and take immediate action. That is the opinion of the five Dutch climate experts who contributed to the IPCC report.
Concerning plastics, Dutch policy focuses too much on technological innovations and loses sight of the big picture of a sustainable future, researchers say.
Martin Calisto Friant, Kieran Campbell-Johnston, Kaustubh Thapa and Walter Vermeulen have disclosed three inconvenient truths about circular economy practices so far, and policy advises to deal with these.
A team of researchers pinpoint five major issues that block farmers’ transition to a nature-inclusive farming practice. "It requires change from within."
The Oiconomy Price, developed by Dr Pim Croes and Dr Walter J.V. Vermeulen (Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development), measures the cost distance to a fully sustainable alternative for the product, incorporating all triple-P aspects (Planet, People and Prosperity) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Scientists and policy makers are calling to frame climate change as an emergency, to make quick large-scale political decisions. But is this a good strategy?
Creating a sustainable city does not come from a single radical moment of change; instead, it requires persistent small steps over time. What are the challenges in sustainable transformation?
10.000 citizend were asked to give advice on government on climate policy. On June 17th the final report was handed over to the president of the Negotiations on the Dutch Climate Agreement.
What if you could install solar panels at sea? Sara Golroodbari received her doctorate on exactly that subject. We give you an overview of her most important results.
Infrabedrijf Roelofs start met de aanleg van 's werelds eerste testweg van bio-asfalt gemaakt met volledig plantaardige lignine, als vervanger van bitumen in asfalt, dat wordt gewonnen uit ruwe olie.
Is it possible and affordable to produce food responsibly and protect nature at the same time? Yes, says Vincent de Leijster, who investigated this for almond orchards in Spain and coffee plantations in Colombia.
Utrecht University is hiring two PhD candidates through an ERC Starting Grant for a new project exploring major dilemmas in global environmental governance.
Biermann has shown that he plays an important role in furthering research on global environmental governance. His colleagues talk about why the win was well-deserved.
This toolbox, developed by researchers, provides a hands-on overview of foresight methods, including guidance on how to make them more participatory through citizen engagement.
SIL is a new partnership in which academia, government, industry, societal parties and environmental organizations work together to accelerate the sustainable transition of industry.
Build onshore wind turbines, raise gas prices or maybe impose a meat tax? What does the Dutch population think about Dutch climate policy? Researchers from TU Delft and Utrecht University invite Dutch people to contribute their ideas.
February 2nd is World Wetlands Day. Dr. Rakhyun Kim questions whether, at 50, the Ramsar Convention will have sufficient impact on wetlands in the long term.
Achieving a positive operating result is particularly difficult for companies with a large potential contribution to reducing the global CO2-emissions.
In the Mixed Classroom of the Urban Futures Studio, students and policy staff investigate together how we imagine the future and how we can do better. With this innovative form of education in which students and professionals learn from and with each other, Utrecht University is competing for the Nederlandse Hogeronderwijspremie 2021.
The Dutch climate policy only covers greenhouse gas emissions in our own country. But is this actually right, wonders Birka Wicke from Utrecht University.
The Web of Science list of the most highly cited researchers has been published again and this year’s edition features eight researchers from Geosciences.
Deltas have historically been the focus of human development. Some deltas became locked-in, too costly to return to natural states. Researchers conducted a historical analysis on anthropogenic pressures over the past 300 years over 48 deltas world-wide.
Scientists are less willing to cooperate with companies in their research. They prefer to do research together with fellow scientists. A study by Utrecht University and the Rathenau Institute has shown this.
In the science-policy interface scenarios to a low-carbon future are often made using Integrated Assessment Models. But there are many more ways to explore the future, such as visioning, gaming and speculative design. Why have IAMs become such dominant tools?
Sandra van der Hel explains her PhD research on the role of science in sustainability governance. How can research effectively address society's challenges?
Smart Solar Charging was selected as one of five most innovative best practices in Europe of sustainable policy according to the Regiostars Awards organized by the European Commission. Starting from the Utrecht Region in The Netherlands, Smart Solar Charging develops and expands this sustainable energy system of tomorrow.
Circular Economy has become a popular discourse, but the actual definition and objectives are still unclear, inconsistent, and contested. What are the differences between all the visions and can they be classified?
Here you will find our 15-minute survey, made for UU employees & students. Through this survey, we want to learn what you think the Green Office should be.
A research team from Utrecht University, KWR Water and ten other European and Israeli institutes developed a social platform to address urban water issues.
For their paper The Impact of Transitioning to Shared Electric Vehicles on Grid Congestion and Management, Nico Brinkel, Tarek Alskaif en Wilfried van Sark received a Best Paper Award at the international Conference on Smart Energy Systems and Technologies (SEST).
Working from home resulted in an impressive 750 metres of cable in the home of Eelke Bontekoe, researcher at the Copernicus Institute of Utrecht University.
The average body size of grazing animals in a landscape affects the balance of nutrients that are available to plants, researchers from Utrecht University find.
Over a period of 30 years, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) can only play a modest role in reaching the Paris Agreement climate targets.
A new study analysed how EU agricultural subsidies flow down to the local level - the majority of payments go to regions causing most environmental damage.
Hade Dorst explains her PhD research exploring the barriers to using so-called nature-based solutions for more attractive, liveable, healthy, sustainable and climate resilient cities.
Dr. Iris Wanzenböck explains why it’s so important to reflect on how we are using "Mission-oriented Innovation Policy" for more effective and inclusive solutions to societal challenges.
Dr. Andrea Herrmann explains her surprising findings on online labour markets, and how increasing collaboration with industry may not necessarily be a positive thing.
A recent paper defines and explains the principles and characteristics of a circular bioeconomy and discusses how far it could contribute to a more sustainable society.
If we optimised the charging process, on average electric cars would contribute more to the peak demand than all of the Netherlands’ coal-powered plants combined.
Experts from several disciplines raise concerns about the use of falsely precise models to guide policies in complex matters like the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Contribution to report “Biodiversity and the financial sector: a cross-pollination?” by Dutch Central Bank and Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
The Cooperation South Africa – the Netherlands programme has granted two Utrecht University projects working on the water-energy-food nexus in South Africa.
The Mission-oriented Innovation Policy Observatory promotes a critical, empirically informed dialogue in order to improve understanding of when and how missions can be effective.
Knowledge sharing between pilot projects is less than what is required for the transition to a sustainable economy, say researchers from Aalborg and Utrecht universities.
The introduction of panda to more diverse habitats and food may promote the conservation of the species, an international team of researchers hypothesise.
An international study, coordinated by Utrecht University and PBL, has developed scenarios to take stock of current climate actions to reach the Paris Agreement
Master student’s paper combining microgrid based energy production and consumption with trading and a blockchain control system published in Applied Energy
Joost Vervoort and Laura Pereira reflect on ten years of successful policy guidance with the CCAFS Scenarios Project, hosted since 2016 at Utrecht University.
Scientists of Utrecht University participated in a workshop on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. The UN is working on a treaty on this.
Three Utrecht University PhD researchers have launched a podcast exploring science and society and life as early career researchers in today’s university.
New research from Education University of Hong Kong and Utrecht University identifies novel and concrete policy ideas that would help reach a circular economy.
Smart Solar Charging (SSC) is helping Utrecht become the first region in the world that can balance its energy needs using bi-directional charging technology.
The project will test the feasibility of transforming harbour sediment into a building material with neutral or negative CO2 footprint in the Port of Rotterdam.
European climate policy should not focus solely on stimulating the use of sustainable energy sources, but should also focus on scaling down the use of coal.
Harriet Bulkeley and Helen Toxopeus are involved in this course on nature based solutions from Lund University, Utrecht University and Durham University.
A workshop with leading circular economy researchers was organized by Julian Kirchherr and Thomas Bauwens from the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University.
Achieving 17 very different goals of supposed equal importance is no easy feat. How are countries dealing with this, and what implications does this have?
Integrated site-specific agricultural management enables crop residue use for bioenergy to contribute to climate goals while respecting soil and water quality.
Five experts including Utrecht University’s Prof. Hens Runhaar write an open letter to Prime Minister Rutte calling for a shift to nature-inclusive agriculture.
Utrecht University researchers are exploring how to make a neighbourhood resilient to a future climate and that suits the needs and wishes of its inhabitants.
Researchers, participants from the shipping sector, and biofuel manufacturers discussed the challenges and opportunities of biofuels use in the marine sector.
Utrecht University's Blanca Corona explains how the use of proper metrics and incorporation of behaviour is essential for progress in the circular economy.
New method developed by Utrecht University researcher Matteo Gazzani & colleagues from ETH Zurich published in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research.
The Utrecht University developed knowledge agenda will be used by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to guide research and innovation in the field.
A team including circular economy researchers from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development will develop a sustainable circular housing cooperative.
Environmental scientist Iris Pit investigated the environmental effects of the Sand Engine, a large artificial hook-shaped sand spit off the Dutch coast
For more accurate predictions of future global change, modeller Kees Klein Goldewijk is working with other disciplines to better understand historic land use.
Utrecht University researcher Sara Ramírez Gómez worked with the indigenous communities to create a basic tool for communicating with the outside world.
A recent study led by Utrecht University researcher Kieran Campbell-Johnston gives insight into the challenges and opportunities facing three Dutch cities.
Our consumption patterns are causing environmental degradation and contributing to climate change. So what influences consumption and what are the alternatives?
To support newly emerging topics, research themes and impact events, different objectives are eligible for funding through the Acceleration Grant Scheme.
Utrecht University's Prof Harriet Bulkeley is made a Fellow of the British Academy for her contribution to the politics and governance of environmental issues.
Are we going to opt for the conventional approaches of using CO2 storage, biomass and hydrogen or should we speed up the development of synthetic fuels?
A recent publication by Utrecht University researchers suggests that coffee certification programmes may be an avenue for large scale climate adaptation.
Institutions for Open Societies is pleased to announce that dr. Lea Fuenfschilling (Lund University) will come to Utrecht University as IOS Visiting Fellow.
Utrecht University is part of Horizon2020-funded COST Action project aeroGels: Advanced Engineering and Research of aeroGels for Environment and Life Sciences.
Recent publications by Utrecht University researchers explore opportunities for linking organisations unlikely to collaborate in solving societal challenges.
The Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University has recently been given access to a field station in the Kempenbroek nature area.
Utrecht University researcher Dr Joost Vervoort awarded an NWO Vidi grant to research how simulation gaming can experiment with sustainable future societies.
Working with stakeholders is key to achieving a sustainable society. But how do you do that well? Interview with Utrecht University Visiting Prof John Robinson.
Different types of residential areas will get extra money to adapt to hotter summers and heavier showers. Utrecht University is monitoring these projects.
Utrecht University PhD Chris Eveleens has studied if and why incubation improves performance of startups providing innovative sustainability solutions.
As wolves re-establish themselves in the Netherlands, researchers put forward recommendations for protecting wolves and preventing them from attacking livestock
UU/PBL researcher Mathijs Harmsen investigated how low cost mitigation strategies to reduce non-CO2 emissions could contribute to global climate goals.
Five Utrecht University researchers have taken part in the Dutch House of Representatives’ round-table discussions about among others energy transition.
Three of six Dutch projects selected for ERA-NET co-fund AXIS awarded to researchers from Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development.
PhD candidate Kieran Campbell-Johnston is part of a team of architects, activists and researchers developing a circular housing cooperative in Amsterdam Oost.
A new UN report with contributions from Utrecht University concludes that the world is not on track to achieve internationally agreed environmental targets.
Every year this conference brings together 200 international researchers from disciplines such as innovation management, entrepreneurship and public policy.
Utrecht University to develop strategic advice facilitating the rapid availability of new antimalarial therapies on the African and Southeast Asian markets.
Utrecht University researcher Tarek AlSkaif awarded grant to develop a peer-to-peer energy trading platform guaranteeing a reliable decentralised energy grid.
Utrecht University and HKU University of the Arts Utrecht students developed applied games addressing complex and deeply uncertain sustainability issues.
UU has now opted for the following guiding principles when designing, building and managing university property: healthy, energy-generating and circular.
A new paper examines whether participatory local democracy can help achieve key SDGs and contribute to a greater level of social and environmental justice.
Report and video registration of the Pathways to Sustainability conference 2019 with memorable keynotes by Diederik Samsom and Harvard Prof Sheila Jasanoff.
Utrecht University hosted the 2018 edition of the Earth System Governance Conference. From January it will host the alliance’s International Project Office.
Utrecht University PhD researcher Madelon Eelderink explains her work studying Participatory Action Research from a Social Ecological Systems perspective.
Peter Driessen and Dries Hegger from Utrecht University have written an editorial describing a system that is designed to fail safely from time to time.
On 17th November 2018 Sander Chan (Utrecht University/DIE) gave a TEDx Talk in Bonn on how we can move from despair about climate change towards action.
Utrecht University researchers Tarek Alskaif and Wilfried van Sark interviewed about their work with EU project PARENT and its pilot in the East of Amsterdam.
Detlef van Vuuren gives us a behind-the-scenes look at research on global climate scenarios. How is scientific research contributing to complex climate policy?
The social behavioural skills of key figures within an organisation are crucial for effectively embedding sustainability ambitions, says Angela van der Heijden.
Utrecht University students and researchers invited to engage with Utrecht City Council policymakers about local sustainability policy in the Climate Planet.
How should the Chinese commons be governed? Utrecht University’s Frank van Laerhoven was a keynote at the Tsinghua University Conference on Chinese Commons.
Researchers and students from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development came together to discuss their research and get to know each other better.
Climate scientist Detlef van Vuuren of Utrecht University wins the prestigious Huibregtsen Prize for his work developing the IMAGE climate forecasting model.
Utrecht University PhD Candidate Marte Gerritsma has been awarded a €5000 Hofvijverkring Fellowship to study smart solar charging of electric vehicles.
Researchers and students from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, involved in 6th UN Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6).
Utrecht University researchers spoke to employees of BNP Paribas in Amsterdam and London about the role of the private sector in a climate change world.
Over 140 Utrecht University students came together to present global pathways to achieving the Global Goals to 40 sustainability practitioners and academics.
The Amazon rainforest stabilises itself, especially during dry periods, reports a new study by Wageningen University & Research, and Utrecht University.
Researchers at Utrecht University have set out a framework for modelling the complexities of food and water security under globalisation and urbanisation
Martin Junginger and Gert Jan Kramer argue that solar and wind energy alone are not sufficient. They contemplates a future of clean energy and clean fuels.
Research by UU has found a link between the super insecticide imidacloprid and a decline in abundance of insects and other invertebrates in surface-water