Those of you who are active in proposal writing might know the programme Water4All Partnership – Water Security for the Planet. It is a funding programme for scientific research in freshwater with the goal to address urgent water-related challenges. The programme is co-funded by the European Union within the frame of the Horizon Europe programme (lasting until 2027) and includes 90 partners ...[Read More]
Public engagement in science: how to position ourselves?
The recent student protests against the war in Gaza reminded all of us that being a member of the academic community requires us to reflect upon our role in society. In Switzerland, the university occupations (see SwissInfo) led to several open letter-type reactions from academic staff, either supporting the protests or on the contrary, recalling that scientists should abstain from activism. This ...[Read More]
Historical evolution of water management: the example of Switzerland over 200 years
How can we use and manage natural resources more sustainably? This question stands at the core of many social, political and scientific debates about how we can reach the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The targets are ambitious, and there is a growing consensus that rapid and extensive structural change is needed in various sectors simultaneously. However, how transformation ...[Read More]
The water crisis in Bengaluru, India, and its direct link to the degradation of the city’s lake system
In the heart of India’s rapid urban expansion, Bengaluru city’s escalating water crisis reveals a direct connection to the deteriorating health of its lake systems, once the lifeline of this burgeoning city. Bengaluru has an area of about 741 sq km and a population of 13.6 million (2023) and has been historically celebrated as the “city of lakes.” These lakes are interconnected with canals/ ...[Read More]