GCUA 2030 Climate Action Challenge

Note! Planning is in process for 2024.

Several GCUA 2030 partners are currently developing a Climate Action Challenge. This is a hybrid activity that GCUA 2030 PhD students can either follow as a credited course (6 ECTS) or a freestanding activity.

Students will engage in a case study activity as part of an international and interdisciplinary group, in which they will develop a Nature-based Solution (NbS) for a specific location and socio-ecological system to mitigate climate change and/or the effects of climate change. NbS use the capacity of natural processes and/or ecosystems to take up emitted carbon (e.g., tree planting, wetland restoration) and/or reduce negative impacts of climate change (e.g., flooding, fire).

After developing their specific NbS case, students will then analyse how their NbS may be generalised to other socio-ecological, cultural, and geographic contexts. Students will also analyse synergies and trade-offs of their proposed NbS with other SDGs, beyond SDG 13, using an intercultural and interdisciplinary approach.

Based on the outcome of these analyses, students will re-assess their solution and adjust it to maximise synergies and minimise trade-offs with other SDGs. Each group will present their final solution in a fact sheet and pre-recorded video pitch, highlighting the synergies and trade-offs between their NbS and other SDGs. The outputs will be evaluated by an independent panel of GCUA 2030 experts who will award the winning group with an attractive prize.