climate crisis
The Climate Crisis: Why We Must Act Now
The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities HAdW) is a community of scholars from various disciplines. The Academy’s members aim to contribute their research expertise and knowledge to discussions on societal issues and to engage in dialogue with the public. To this end, the Academy focuses on relevant future-oriented topics that require interdisciplinary collaboration.
The “climate crisis” is one such issue of the future. This term refers not only to the climatological aspects of human-induced climate change but also to its associated ecological, social, and political dimensions. Members of the Academy have formed a working group on this topic. Together, they have organized a series of events, shared facts and expertise, and thereby fostered discussion and informed public opinion.
The climate crisis is clearly escalating rapidly. Further deterioration can only be prevented by transitioning our energy and economic systems to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, this transition has been proceeding far too slowly so far, meaning that valuable time has been lost. Of course, every individual must change their actions and behavior. But that alone cannot reduce our society’s carbon footprint to zero. This goal can only be achieved through measures that are accepted by society as a whole, technologically feasible, and economically viable. The solutions are, in principle, known, but they require significant effort and investment—especially since time is of the essence. However, this transition also presents opportunities. This is a challenge for society as a whole.
Event series
| date | Information about the events |
|---|---|
| November 16, 2021 Hohenheim | Volker Wulfmeyer (physicist and meteorologist, Hohenheim) Our Earth Has a Fever – Is There a Vaccine? The State of the Climate Crisis and Possible Solutions |
| December 7, 2021 Heidelberg | Axel Michaels (Indologist, Heidelberg) Can giving up meat save the climate? Event details (PDF) |
| January 18, 2022 Heidelberg | Ulrich Platt (Environmental Physicist, Heidelberg) The Potential of Renewable Energy in Europe What is possible? |
| February 22, 2022 Heidelberg | Klaus von Klitzing (physicist, Stuttgart) Solar Energy: Can Photovoltaics Prevent Climate Catastrophe? |
| March 8, 2022 Heidelberg | Friedemann Wenzel (Geophysicist, Karlsruhe) Can we, should we, and do we want to store large amounts of CO2 in geological formations? |
| April 5, 2022 Heidelberg | Thomas Koch (Engineer, Karlsruhe) Technology Alternatives for Low-Emission Mobility - An Assessment of Technology Options Moderator: Anthony D. Ho (Physician, Heidelberg) Summary of the event (PDF) |
| May 21, 2022 Heidelberg | Barbara Mittler (Sinologist, Heidelberg) Workshop organizer CREATIO - The End as a Beginning in a Global Perspective |
| June 21, 2022 | Joachim Quack (Egyptologist, Heidelberg) What do Egyptian apocalyptic texts contribute to the climate debate? |
| July 28, 2022 | Sabine Dabringhaus (Sinologist, Freiburg) China in the Climate Crisis: Authoritarian Environmental Policy and the Building of an Ecological Civilization |
| October 10, 2022 | Panel Discussion Participants
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| November 22, 2022 | Paul Kirchhof Protecting the Global Climate Through National, European, and International Law |
Members
Directed by:
- Sabine Dabringhaus
- Volker Wulfmeyer
Other members:
- Anthony Ho
- Gerhard Huisken
- Matthias Kind
- Helmut Kipphan
- Axel Michaels
- Barbara Mittler
- Ulrich Platt
- Joachim Quack
- Klaus von Klitzing
- Friedemann Wenzel
Athene Magazine on the Climate Crisis
The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities published issue 2/2022 of its Athene magazine, focusing on the “climate crisis” and featuring articles from the working group.