The challenge of climate change
Climate change and biodiversity loss pose serious threats to present-day society. The Earth and the development of life, natural and energy resources, environment and climate issues, natural disasters and sustainable development: everything is interconnected. Climate change is a complex societal challenge that requires cross-cutting knowledge from multiple research areas. Innovative approaches are needed to meet the manifold challenges of climate change.
We now know that all the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities results in global warming, with consequences for our planet and all life. Climate change is already affecting our day-to-day lives, with rising food prices and a declining supply of clean drinking water. Research and education are needed in the urgent quest for answers to some of the most burning issues raised by climate change. Research on climate change encompasses areas ranging from nature and natural resources, biodiversity, energy and ecosystems, to psychology, economics, politics and society. How can we reverse the trend?
Examples of ongoing research
Photosynthesis under threat in an increasingly warm world
The basis of all life on Earth is photosynthesis. So, what happens if it is disrupted? Today, advanced measurement tools can reveal how clim...
Adaptability of trees persists after millions of years
Seven of the most common forest trees in Europe have been shown to be able to shelter their genetic diversity from major shifts in environme...
Support for meat rationing to protect climate
Rationing of goods such as meat and fuel can both effectively and fairly reduce consumption with high climate impact. Almost 40 percent of t...
Centres, nodes, infrastructures and projects
Climate Change Leadership
The overall objective of Climate Change Leadership is to actively create an inter- and cross-disciplinary intellectual environment that combines education, research and outreach in innovative ways and applies knowledge through equitable and just climate measures.
Erken Laboratory
The Erken Laboratory field station has served since the 1940s as a combined research station and study centre for researchers and students at Uppsala University. The laboratory has developed an extensive monitoring programme for Lake Erken, which has led to participation in several major EU projects focusing on the impact of climate change and automatic monitoring of phytoplankton trends in lakes.
Swedish Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science (SITES)
Uppsala University is one of five principals responsible for the Swedish Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science (SITES), a national infrastructure for terrestrial and limnological field research. SITES aims to attract and promote high-quality research through long-term field measurements and field experiments and by making data available.
Swedish Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science (SITES)
The Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS)
The Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS) is a national platform for research on the nexus between socio-technical vulnerability and extreme events.
The research environment brings together early career scientists and leading researchers from engineering, social and earth sciences to work together on collaborative projects on natural hazards, socio-technological vulnerabilities, and societal security.
The Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS)
Swedish center for the impacts of climate extremes
Swedish center for the impacts of climate extremes (climes) is an interdisciplinary research center aimed at exploring and understanding the consequences of climate extremes. The research at climes focuses on data collection, model development, and creating strategies to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience to climate changes.