Our Stories

When science speaks, society benefits. Climate research is too urgent and complex to remain within academia. For the ECH, silence is not an option. This is why the ECH reaches out to society to communicate complex environmental research.

The burning of fossil fuels, megafires and land-use changes drive CO2 levels up. How will that affect the Amazon? Will the elevated carbon fertilise the forest, boosting leaves and roots so that they will store more CO2? Or will the nutrient-deficient soils nullify the fertilisation effect that works so well in glasshouses? A spectacular international project is about to find out - and ECH is on board.

Governments promised a green transition – yet emissions keep rising. New research from ECH members Ulrich Brand, Alina Brad, and Etienne Schneider in 'Nature Climate Change' reveals why the ‘decarbonisation state’ hits structural limits - and how a true transformation might redefine prosperity, justice, and the role of the state itself.

Peatlands are powerful carbon sinks - if we let them stay intact. New research from ECH members shows how wetland farming - magic word: paludiculture - and microbial life can work together to reduce emissions without sacrificing land use. A story of science, sustainability, and the surprising appetite of microorganisms.

Almost every day, we can see clouds in the sky, but rarely we are aware of their wide-ranging impact on the climate. They can both raise and drop temperatures and have complex interactions with the particles in the air. These could even allow us to influence the clouds to fight climate change.

PFAS, the so-called ‘forever chemicals’, are non-degradable and widespread in everyday products – despite their known health risks. As regulatory action often lags behind, civil lawsuits are playing an increasingly important role in addressing environmental toxins. An interdisciplinary approach reveals: lasting solutions will require cooperation between science, law, and policy.