During the session, hosted by Felip Sandiumenge, an ICMAB researcher, Rödel emphasized that Europe is the fastest-warming continent and that seven planetary boundaries have already been transgressed. He warned that purely technological solutions will not be enough to save humankind and stressed the urgency of a profound socio-ecological transformation.
Rödel explained that the necessary infrastructure changes will take approximately 20 years to implement, while we are already approaching several tipping points. Therefore, he called for the participation of all sectors of society.
The seminar presented concrete examples of activities that students, researchers, and administrators can undertake, drawing on experiences from the alliance of societies for a sustainable future. Rödel, with an extensive background in materials science and a PhD from UC Berkeley, shared his insights on communicating the sustainability crisis.
“"To achieve this under best conditions will take 20 years due to changes in infrastructure alone, while we are hitting several tipping points. So, everyone has to help."
