The department for Climate Crisis & Sustainability is headed by Janna Ouedraogo
One focus of the department’s work is linking climate and environmental protection rather than playing these two issues off against each other. The political dimension of sustainability also plays an important role.
We address these issues both in various events that we organise for the student body and in university and city committees. It is important to us not to view environmental and climate protection in a vacuum. Instead, we are committed to a green, climate-neutral, feminist and discrimination-free university. In doing so, we want to inform, involve and represent students. So if you have any suggestions, questions or requests, please get in touch with us. You can reach us at oekologie@asta.uni-goettingen.de.
We are active at the following levels:
The effects of the climate crisis are becoming increasingly drastic. The decline of natural habitats is also leading to various problems. The University of Göttingen bears responsibility here at various levels – as a major greenhouse gas emitter, landowner and educational institution.
By setting itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030, the university has committed itself to implementing change. However, it is currently still a long way from achieving this goal. For this reason, we need a strong student representation that is committed to ensuring that our future is handled appropriately. The Department for Climate, Environmental Protection and Sustainability is represented in various committees. For example, we are working to make the university more sustainable in the University Senate Commission for Climate and Sustainability. We are also working constructively on solutions to the above-mentioned problems in the City Climate Advisory Council and the Göttingen Climate Alliance.
For example, we are currently working on issues such as sustainable canteens and climate and environmental protection in teaching. Another current issue is bird strikes at the university. Please report any dead birds you find at the university to our email address. You can find more information on this in our latest news.
Another focus of the department is organising events for students. The events are intended to raise awareness of climate and environmental protection and related issues among the student body, highlight new perspectives and motivate students to take action. In doing so, it is important to us to show that systemic and political solutions are needed above all else.
Our series of events for the winter semester has begun. There has been a clothes swap party, a pub quiz, lectures on a world without species extinction, climate change denial from the right, sustainable urban planning in Göttingen, and much more. There are also several events still to come:
Together with the university group Critical Economics, we are organising two lectures in January. On 7 January, the topic will be the future of economics. On 28 January, the lecture will focus on questions of ecological economics.
The topic of climate activism will be discussed in a panel discussion in January. The aim is to facilitate a constructive exchange between activists and (legal) scholars. The focus will be on the legal and state persecution of climate activism and the question of what activism is allowed to do.
On 20 January, the focus will be on the link between climate change and biodiversity loss. This is evident, among other things, in bird migration. This lecture will look at what bird migration research can look like and what insights it provides into the effects of the climate crisis.
On 18 February, an event entitled ‘besser um die Zukunft streiten’ (better to argue about the future) will take place in collaboration with the Literaturhaus. The two speakers will explore the question of what a constructive discourse on climate and environmental protection might look like.
To achieve these goals, we are in contact with various groups in the city. Feel free to approach us as a group if you need support or have ideas for joint events.
Events from last year:
