RIFS Blog

Attending the ChangeNOW conference in Paris this past April was both energizing and thought-provoking. With a buzz of changemakers in the air, it truly felt like the beating heart of the sustainability movement had gathered in Grand Palais. The conference delivered on its promise to spotlight bold ideas and connect mission-driven entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and activists across sectors, but also raised additional points of reflection that I will address in this blogpost.

In the race to limit global warming to 1.5°C, one crucial element has been largely under-addressed: our lifestyles. While renewable energy, electric vehicles and green technologies dominate the climate policy headlines, the fundamental way we live – what we eat, how we travel, the size of our homes, the frequency of our air travel – plays a key role in determining our collective carbon footprint.

One striking feature of today’s far-right politics is its fixation on masculinity – and Brazil’s Bolsonaro is no exception. The term Amazon-masculinity helps us reflect on the relationship between man and nature — and how that relationship is shaped by “positive” notions of masculinity: strength, domination, aggressiveness, intelligence, authority, credibility, civility, virility and vigour. Recounting the history of Amazonian colonization in the 20th century helps us to shed light on the destructive dynamic between man and nature, and on the domination exerted by a possessive form of masculinity.

Why do we drive or fly to scientific conferences? Was your last conference really worth the trip? What made the journey worthwhile for you? An unexpected encounter, a new collaboration, an inspiring conversation?

2024 is on track to become the warmest year on record and the first full year to breach the 1.5°C limit, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Services This news has caused alarm globally. Media and press have started to talk of the failure failure and the implausibility of achieving this monumental target. At the same time the UNFCCC’ COPs (Conferences of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change) have cleaved to the slogan of ‘Keep 1.5°C alive!’.

On 15 April, the RIFS research group reIMAGINE Arctic Research hosted a screening of the documentary “Orgusiak – The White Gold of Greenland”, directed by Otto Rosing and Claus Pilehave, as part of a workshop on creative research methods and the unsettling of dominant narratives through film. The screening and discussion were led by professor Dr. Naja Dyrendom Graugaard in her roles as both associate professor at Copenhagen University, focusing on critical Inuit studies and (de)colonial relations between Denmark and Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), and as the lead protagonist of the film, sharing her family history.

Can research both engage with complex realities and be recognized by society? This was both the opening and closing question of the first annual conference of the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF), held in early April 2025, in Frankfurt. The question speaks to one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how can research bridge the gap between the pursuit of knowledge and its ethical and social responsibilities? The answer begins where science and society embark on a shared journey.

Hydrogen is an important energy carrier that will be essential for decarbonizing our economies, in particular for industrial sectors like steel and chemical production. But hydrogen itself is an indirect greenhouse gas (GHG), and emissions along the hydrogen value chain – including those of methane and CO2 if blue hydrogen is part of the mix – have the potential to reduce the climate benefits of hydrogen if not properly managed. In a recent study, we evaluated the potential impact of climate-warming emissions in Germany’s future hydrogen economy and provide recommendations for German and EU policymakers on how to avoid them.

Ambitious climate protection is not a question of "if", but of "how" and "how fast". Nevertheless, a lack of political resolve continues to stall efforts. In 2024, the Federal Climate Action Act was watered down in the wake of heated debates: sectoral targets were relaxed and accountability mechanisms were weakened, resulting in a patchwork of measures that is barely sufficient to achieve the climate targets set by government.

In today’s highly interconnected world, crises are becoming increasingly complex and intertwined. From climate change to COVID-19, from disasters caused by extreme weather events to political upheavals, risks are no longer isolated events but cascading, multidimensional, and systemic challenges. Environmental degradation, more frequent and intense climate events, and geopolitical instability all contribute to a growing web of risks. This complexity demands a comprehensive, all-hands-on-deck approach to Disaster Risk Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Climate Change Adaptation. If European societies—and individual communities—are to build resilience against these mounting stressors, they must embrace policies that address risk in a holistic way.

Sustainable regional development is a complex process aimed at securing long-term economic stability, social equity, and environmental sustainability. This requires the careful balancing of measures for environmental and climate protection, economic development, and social justice – issues that affect different stakeholders with often conflicting interests. Collaboration between science and practitioners can help to bridge gaps and create opportunities to trial solutions. Universities contribute scientific expertise, while practitioners – companies, municipalities or civil society organisations – possess first-hand knowledge of the relevant regional challenges and implementation options. While numerous studies have sought to identify the factors that make collaborations successful for universities, little research has been conducted on the perspectives of practitioners.

Although climate change was rarely mentioned in recent election campaigns, the next government will play a decisive role in shaping Germany’s future climate policy. The CDU/CSU campaign manifesto emphasised the importance of “technology openness”. In practice, this position often merely serves to delay crucial policy decisions and slow emission reductions. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is likely to be a key point of contention for the future government.