Field course in Kiboga, Uganda

Students in the course Disability, Social justice and Climate reslient development had the chance to go to Uganda, to learn more about the challanges for people with disabilities in communities affected by cliamte change - read the travel letter from the trip here.

Thursday lunch: How is life for refugees in the Norwegian asylum system?

TOWARDS intern Linh organized a Thursday lunch at the Sustainability hub where Joseph Ceville from Caritas told us more about how refugees are recieved in the Norwegians asylum system.

TOWARDS - a sustainability journey

TOWARDS final seminar at Vitenparken. Where we shared research and insight from four years of activities.

2-Day Writing Workshop in Son

In January, TOWARDS held a two-day meeting at Son Hotel, where we worked on a joint application. Ten of us braved the snowstorm and gathered in Son.
On the first day, we had an insightful workshop facilitated by cChange. On the second day, we made great progress on the joint application.

Stormwater Management and Nature-Based Solutions

In an increasingly wild and wet climate, stormwater challenges are affecting more and more people. In Drøbak, with its steep slopes and old buildings, this has become a growing problem.
The Preservation Association of Old Drøbak invited several experts to present and discuss the topic. Among them were Associate Professors Line Rosef and Ingrid Ødegård from NMBU and TOWARDS, who gave a talk on nature-based solutions for stormwater management.
The event was free, and around 70 people attended – including representatives from political parties, various organizations, and individuals.

Loss & Damage Seminar

At COP28, significant funding was pledged to support countries most affected by climate change in dealing with irreversible consequences. However, there is still disagreement about what actually constitutes “loss and damage.”
TOWARDS, in collaboration with C-Hub, hosted a seminar on this topic in January at the House of Literature in Oslo. The goal was to shed light on ongoing debates and provide insight into issues related to climate-related loss and damage.

School Visit from Greåker Upper Secondary School

In February, NMBU welcomed two classes from Greåker Upper Secondary School. The students wanted to learn more about interdisciplinary research related to sustainability issues.
We put together a program with presentations from several sustainability initiatives at NMBU. Contributions included a case from the SDG300 course presented by Paule Bhérer-Breton, SmartPlast by Tina Tuveng, Urban Lab by Victor Talgø Syvertsen, NewsRoom by Riya Pankaj Dani, and TOWARDS by Siri Eriksen. Student ambassadors gave the students a campus tour, and they visited both Vitenparken and the Centre for Livestock Experiments. Around 60 students participated.

Climate-Resilient Planning Workshop with the Follo Region

The Climate and Energy Network in Follo and the TOWARDS Sustainability Arena invited participants to a workshop to mark the beginning of a broad collaboration between theory and practice, research and municipal initiatives in Follo.
The workshop was opened by Simon Oxholm Roy, Climate Coordinator in the Climate and Energy Network in Follo.

Workshop in Laikipia County, Kenya

On March 19, researchers from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) hosted a policy dialogue on climate-resilient development in Laikipia County in Nanyuki, Kenya.
NMBU and JOOUST have collaborated on research in Northern Laikipia since 2017, with a particular focus on the area around the Mukogodo Forest.

Lunch Seminar with Carin Smaller

Thursday lunch at the Sustainability Hub: How can research more effectively influence key political decisions on food security and climate, to help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger – by 2030?

Experiences from Field Course in Uganda

Students from the course FHV341 shared their experiences from the course and study trip to Uganda, showcasing photos and videos from the journey.

Site Visit Along Hovinbekken

Hovinbekken in Oslo is a great example of how nature-based solutions can be integrated into urban development. The reopened stream is intended not only to manage heavy rainfall but also to support biodiversity and improve quality of life for the local community.
On June 6, TOWARDS had the opportunity to visit Hovinbekken together with the research group FUGE.

Launch of Plantevalg.no

TOWARDS Summer Seminar at Breivoll

TOWARDS hosted a half-day seminar at Breivoll Farm to share recent work and discuss the way forward for the initiative.

Policy Dialogue on Land Neutrality

In collaboration with the Follo region, TOWARDS and KRED organized a policy dialogue on land neutrality and ecological compensation. The dialogue brought together several experts to discuss challenges, solutions, and the legal framework related to these topics.
Speakers included Jin Xue, Håvard Bergheim, Anders Gunnar Helle, and Mina Di Marino – all researchers at NMBU – as well as Ane Tingstad Grav and Hanna Utseth from the Follo region.
Land neutrality has become an increasingly important topic in Norwegian urban and regional planning in recent years. With growing pressure on natural resources, it is crucial to find a balance between development and conservation of natural areas.

Conflict, Democracy and Climate Change

Elise Remling from the University of Canberra and Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung from the University of Massachusetts (USA) presented their recent work. The presentation was followed by a discussion.

Plantevalg.no Workshop

Plantevalg held a workshop on edible plants at BIT in Ås. Both students and staff from BIOVIT and LANDSAM were represented, along with staff from Vitenparken and professionals from the industry through FAGUS – including landscape architects, gardeners, and horticulturists from Oslo Municipality.

Sustainability Festival

On November 5, students in the EDS355 course organized their third annual sustainability festival at the NMBU library.
This year’s festival featured events organized by the students, focusing on climate-resilient development in both local and global contexts.

IPCC's Synthesis Report - Important takeaways

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Synthesis Report, which synthesizes findings from across the working group and special reports that have come out during the sixth assessment cycle, is launched internationally on March 20th.

The NMBU Sustainability Hub will present key report findings in a seminar on March 27th (physical and digital). Siri Eriksen, who is an author on the report, will co-present key findings along with other invited international Synthesis Report authors. This is an opportunity to get an insight about into the impacts of climate change, options to address climate change through the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions as well as adaptation, and the implications for how we advance sustainable development for all in a context of climate change.

Siri Eriksen says:
"The negative consequences of climate change are increasing noticeably all over the world. Ongoing warming also amplifies the effects, especially when warming approaches and exceeds 1.5 degrees. Emissions must urgently and dramatically be reduced and we must adapt society to inevitable changes.
The UN climate panel's synthesis report compiles the three previous sub-reports in the UN's sixth main report on climate change. The synthesis report gives an interdisciplinary picture of climate change and its effects and puts the interim reports' findings into context. It has the answer to how we must change to a more climate-robust and sustainable society."

Disability, Social Justice, and Climate Resilient Development

Welcome to this seminar in the NMBU Sustainability Hub. The topic of disability, social justice and climate resilient development is increasingly emerging on the international agenda.

Through presentations and discussions with Dr Sarah Bell and Dr David Mfitumukiza, this seminar seeks to bridge the two fields of disability studies and climate change to provide important insights into how we understand the role of social equity in climate change action and support sustainable development for all.

Dr Sarah Bell, Exeter University, UK: Living dis/artfully: “Disability, nature and environmental change”
Dr David Mfitumukiza, Makerere University, Uganda: “Least Developed Countries Universities Consortium on Climate Change: Capacity Building for Locally led Adaptation”

Scientists are people too: Linking science with emotional ways of knowing to guide climate action

The seminar takes place as a dialogue between five Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) authors: Siri Eriksen, Shobha Maharaj, Lisa Schipper, Elisabeth Gilmore, Sherilee Harper

Siri Eriksen and Elisabeth Gilmore will be present physically in the NMBU Sustainability Hub, the rest digitally. The seminar takes place on June 20th from 14:30 to 16:00 CEST. For those who can, joining physically is probably most useful for this seminar, but you are also welcome to join digitally.

In this seminar, we reflect on what it takes to understand and act on climate change not only as climate scientists but as whole human beings – and the dangers of not doing so. In studying the climate change and its implications for people and nature, we often encounter moments of anger, fear, frustration and grief. Yet, these aspects and emotional forms of knowing tend to be silenced in climate change science-policy processes, serving to disempower as well as undermine climate action. In this seminar discussion, we explore what is often left unsaid, and discuss why taking on our burden of responsibility to engage with the existential and emotional understanding of climate change requires both courage and vulnerability. Can holding such engaged discomfort help engender deep urgency, that is, a richer understanding of climate change and determination to act?

First, the authors each give brief introductions by connecting selected key findings from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report to emotional encounters. We then discuss the implications of placing ourselves as whole human beings, rather than just scientists, within climate change. Scientists are not supposed to be angry – but how can climate change not make you angry? What are the consequences of silencing emotions like anger, and how can interrogating our emotional knowing of climate change build a richer, more compassionate, equitable and actionable understanding of climate change?

All welcome! Looking forward to rounding off the semester by reflecting deeply together regarding how we think and engage as scientists and fellow human beings in the face of climate change!

Dystopia/Utopia - PechaKucha Night

Is the world progressing? Or will forest fires, food shortages, water loss, artificial intelligence, and global unrest put an end to the good life out there in the future?

Join in as we dive deep into tomorrow's urban and local communities and explore sustainable solutions for tomorrow's cities, food, energy, and social justice. Join us at Campus Ås at Vitenparken, Doors open at 5:00 PM on October 11th. The event starts 5:30 PM.

Our speakers will share innovative projects and research, sparking interdisciplinary discussions on the opportunities and challenges of our rapidly changing world. A detailed program with an overview of the speakers will follow closer to date.

Don't miss out – be part of the conversation!"

17:00-17:30 Mingling
17:30-18:00
Pesentation: How to handle the increasing danger of heat waves: Anna Badke, Lene Eieland, Tiril Rødder Sægrov, Alva Håseth Julsrud
Presentation: Plants on the move, Alex Clarke
Presentation: Urbant landbruk: Alle kan bidra til økt matsikkerhet i Norge Maria Pettersen
18:00-18:20 Pause
18:20-18:50
Presentation: Use of Ecological Sanitation Toilet and human Urine Application in school garden: sharing experiences from Rupantaran NORHED project Manoj Pandey
Presentation Foodsharing, Milo Schulthes
Presentation Battery futures: Imagining industrial utopias in a contested energy transition, Anna-Sophie Hobi
Presentation “How your idea can change the status quo”?, Eva Nagelhus
18:50-19:00 Closing of the event, Hugo Nilsen, GreenSmart Sustainability Arena, NMBU

What is a PechaKucha?
PechaKucha is a Japanese presentation format in which a presenter has 20 seconds per slide for a total of 20 slides, resulting in an overall presentation lasting no longer than six minutes and 40 seconds. This unique yet engaging approach is used to effectively present challenging topics to the audience. Vitenparken is one of the few venues officially certified to host PechaKucha events in Norway and the only certified venue to host PechaKucha events in Ås

Educating in times of climate change - a philosophical perspective

The TOWARDS Sustainability Arena invite you to a seminar with Dr. Luis Fernández Carril on Monday the 13th of November from 15.00-16.00 at the Sustainability hub in the economy building.

Prof. Luis Fernández Carril is a leading climate change expert, and a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico's Climate Change Research Program and teaches Environmental Philosophy and Ethics at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Puebla Campus. With a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science from Tecnológico de Monterrey, he's published articles and spoken at Oxford University and UNESCO in Paris, focusing on international environmental governance, climate negotiations, and climate change ethics.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and please join us for an interesting and educational afternoon!

The SUStainability Festival - Don't be sus, be sustainable!

Let’s celebrate our planet on the 21st of November at 12–15 at the Sustainability Hub (Økonomibygningen). There will be various interesting activities. 🌿

For more updates, check out our Instagram @sus_festival and you can also find the event on the Sustainability hubs Facebook page.

We can't wait to see everyone there! ✨

Sustainability & Urban Development

What does sustainable urban development really mean? What is land-use neutrality, and can social, ecological, and economic interests be reconciled?

We will delve deep into Norwegian and international research while examining ongoing local political processes to learn more about sustainability in urban development on November 29th. Join us digitally or on Campus Ås at Vitenparken from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM!

Date: November 29th
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PMLocation: Campus Ås at Vitenparken
Serving: Food & drinks

We look forward to welcoming you to an informative and inspiring afternoon with knowledgeable researchers, entrepreneurs and experts in the field. Together, we can explore the path to a more sustainable urban future. Please feel free to bring questions and contributions to the discussion!

Open Seminar - Global Goal on Adaptation

What do Norwegian and international experts envision for the global goal on adaptation? How will climate change adaptation be addressed at COP27?

On October 13th, C-Hub (Learning Hub for Climate Change Adaptation in Development) invites you to an open seminar discussing the "Global Goal on Adaptation", one of the important topics at COP27. The seminar will consist of short presentations from Norwegian and international experts followed by an open discussion.

We are Waves of Potential: Engaging with climate change

We are all confronted with global climate change challenges and the urgent need for climate action. Welcome to a student-driven conference on climate change and the potential for engaging with transforming society. 29 November at Vitenparken.

What happened at COP 27 (UN Climate Conference)? Why are multiple knowledges and ways of knowing important to act on climate change? How do we communicate climate change in the science-policy-public interface? How does climate change affect key aspects of our well-being, such as health? And what does climate economics tell us about how we can act on climate change?

The conference will engage you through inspiring and interactive formats – expect some surprises! With this in mind, it is recommended that you join physically at Vitenparken, though online attendance will be possible.

We hope you’ll join and form part of our wave of potential.

Digitalt Seminar - Guest Speaker Carin Smaller: Lessons Learned from Ceres2030

The Ceres2030 research studies sustainable solutions to eradicate hunger, double the incomes of smallholders, and reduce agriculture´s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. GIZ and the European Commission requested to conduct a country level version of the study that integrates resilience and healthy diets for Ethiopia, Malawi and Nigeria. Carin Smaller will present the main lessons learned from this study, suggesting how different levels can strengthen their efforts to eradicate Hunger.

Digitalt Seminar - Sustainability and Justice: Linking social and environmental limits

NMBU's new Sustainability Arenas and C-Hub network invite you to explore the social and environmental limits to adaptation and sustainability. Join Cornell University's Rachel Bezner Kerr and some of our in-house sustainability experts and students for speed-talks and discussions. 9 December online.

We kick off with a short introduction to the Sustainability Arenas. With Erik Gómez-Baggethun, we explore the dilemma of how meeting human needs within planetary boundaries is a central idea of sustainability, yet formal recognition of limits contrasts with the promotion of unlimited economic expansion in policy and prevailing consumerist lifestyles.

Siri Eriksen will then take us through some key ideas underpinning how local transformation of cities and communities towards socially just and sustainable futures can take place in the face of global challenges.

Four of our students then take the floor in speed-talks that present their personal missions/projects that pursue sustainability and its social and environmental limits.

Following is an introduction to the Learning Hub for Climate Change Adaptation in Development (C-Hub) and a discussion of the linkages between the limits to adaptation and planetary boundaries. Cornell University's Rachel Bezner Kerr will present recent collaboration with NMBU on the limits to adaptation in food systems, and how the space for sustainable forms of adaptation is shaped both by societal processes and climate change.