(Opinion piece) At first, environmentalism and right-wing extremism seem worlds apart. Most environmentalists such as us GCE students would consider ourselves as democratic, humanists, and progressive thinkers, invested in addressing climate change, global challenges and working for a sustainable future for all. Meanwhile, right-wing movements downplay or outright deny environmental problems. They typically follow a […]
I am sure you have already lost yourself in the vastness of the universe. Felt like time had stopped, and with it the liberating feeling that the presentation you had to give the next day might not be that important after all. Imagine if we could harness the transformative power of these experiences to address […]
In all its 8.5 million km² [1], Brazil contains six continental biomes: the Amazônia, the Pantanal, the Cerrado, the Caatinga, the Pampas, and the Mata Atlântica (Figure below). Each of these biomes have their own peculiarities, located in different climatic zones and hosting a wide variety of animal and plant species. Since the arrival of […]
In recent years, the importance of achieving gender equality and empowering women has been highly discussed. It has been a key topic for international institutions, governments, regional agendas, and conferences, such as the COP 26. Each of these entities have always mentioned that we should include more women in science, politics and as leaders of […]
As Summer approaches and we can finally enjoy the gift of studying together in a non-virtual environment again, I thought of sharing my experience of a great Summer School opportunity. I took this School on “Land Use and Ecosystem Change” organized by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology last year and this year’s application is still […]
It is an undeniable truth that water is a key element to life on Earth. However, our Blue Planet faces a water crisis that is not taken seriously worldwide. To bring this matter to light, “Brave Blue World: Racing to solve our water crisis” goes to space and back to Earth to alert, explain the […]
Water is a natural resource that is indispensable for life on the planet. Known as the Blue Planet, Earth has 71% of its surface covered by water. Nevertheless, out of the total amount of water present on our planet, 97% is in the oceans and only 3% is freshwater; this last comprising water in glaciers […]
Climate justice is social justice Have you ever asked yourself what does a jaguar or a tree have in common with you? My short answer would be that we live in the same house called Earth, that our food comes from the same soil, and we all need water every day to live. Being on […]
Wicked problems are issues with many interdependent factors, which make them seem impossible to be solved. Since the factors are often incomplete, in flux, and/or difficult to define, a deep understanding of the stakeholders involved, and innovative solution-oriented approaches are required to solve wicked problems. For instance, climate change is a wicked problem. And that’s […]
Sandy beaches, large tides, a hotspot for biodiversity … sounds like a beautiful, faraway place? In fact, it is not far from home at all. On the north coast of Germany lies the largest tidal flat system in the world: the Wadden Sea. Given that millions of tourists head there every year – and you […]
