News
Recent news stories from research, education, and the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich.
The toll of natural hazards on essential services
Severe weather damages property; insurances know this well and risk is often quantified from this angle. But what about less monetary impacts? A study looked at consequences of over 700 tropical cyclones and floods on essential services, such as healthcare, power, and telecommunication in 30 countries - and found that natural hazard risks to society may be vastly underestimated.
Mosaic grassland landscapes are the most beneficial
Like forests, grassland provides numerous ecological, economic and social benefits. Researchers have investigated ways to maintain and improve these benefits in the Swiss canton of Solothurn.
GreenTech Festival - How Drones map Biodiversity in Peru’s Canopies
Researchers are using drones to reach the hidden world of the rainforest canopy, collecting samples to identify the species living there. This collaborative project between the Environmental Robotics Lab and NGO Wilderness International will be presented at the GreenTech Festival in Berlin May 16-17.
How the plant world shapes the climate cycle
In order to understand the Earth's resilience, researchers at ETH Zurich are modelling climate changes from times long past. And they show: Plants are not simply victims of circumstances, but have helped to shape climate conditions on Earth.