On the last day of January, first-year students from universities all across the ENB gathered for a massive welcome event. It was an incredible opportunity to meet people from different Universities from all over Bavaria with wildly diverse academic backgrounds, ranging from immunology to economics. It was refreshing to talk to peers who are either deeply entrenched in the traditional academic path or forging entirely new ones by combining what seem to be completely unrelated fields. Ultimately, this network is designed to help you broaden your perspective, grow your social circle, and expand your opportunities in life.

GCEs receiving career advice.

During the event, we learned about the extensive benefits and opportunities that come with being part of the ENB. Beyond just academics, the network supports a well-rounded student life. There are exclusive scholarships you can apply for, language courses, and educational workshops tailored to building essential soft skills. There is even space for social gatherings, in form of sports events—like the annual football ENB cup, which GCE has been participating consistently. But the highlight that I found most fascinating? The annual meet-up where students get the chance to interact with previous Nobel Prize laureates.

As the formal presentations wrapped up, we had one last chance to walk around and put our networking skills to the test. It was the perfect time to casually chat with the speakers, fellow new members, and ENB alumni. I even took the chance to step out of my comfort zone, grab the attention of a brilliant innovator, and boldly ask her for an internship. While it might not have landed me a position this time around, I am confident I left a lasting impression—and sometimes, planting that seed is exactly what networking is all about.

Speaking to Sarah Fleidcher, Co-Founder and CEO of ToZero, a German based lethium-battery recycling company.

The benefits don’t end when the event is over. Once you’re part of the ENB, you gain lifelong access to a digital platform where you can connect with members past and present. We are highly encouraged to reach out to this community for career guidance, collaborative opportunities, or simply to make a new friend.

For those of us in the Global Change Ecology (GCE) study program, this is a massive bonus. Our field inherently needs us to look at the big picture, and the ENB allows us to step outside our specific bubble. It connects us with people walking completely different—yet equally fascinating—paths of science and life, ready to share advice, opportunities, and friendships along the way.

The post The Elite Network of Bavaria Get-Together 2026 appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

During the excursion, we traveled along the Tagliamento River from its source to its confluence with the sea. Our scientific journey began in the stunning Alpine region of northern Italy and continued to the Mediterranean lagoons near Bibione. The Tagliamento is one of the last wild rivers in Europe. In some areas, the riverbed is several hundred meters wide, creating ideal conditions for dynamic sedimentation and erosion processes. The photograph illustrates the “braided river” structures and highlights the Tagliamento’s expansive riverbed. The surrounding floodplain soils are important for the rich biodiversity we observed because they provide habitats for numerous plant and animal species.

Figure 1: The “braided river” structures of the Tagliamento.

We examined the features of a natural river that has remained largely unaltered by humans. This is in stark contrast to most rivers in Germany, which have been altered and lack natural wildness. Restoring rivers like the Tagliamento could mitigate flooding problems, which are becoming more frequent in many cities due to climate change.

During the excursion days, participants could sign up for different workshops, which gave me the chance to gain experience in ornithology, zoology, botany, and hydrology. Using binoculars to observe vultures and measuring and sketching the river cross-section were valuable experiences that were completely new to me. I also enjoyed carrying out a saprobic test to assess water quality and examining water bodies for nitrate levels. A particular highlight was catching and identifying various wild bees and butterflies with an expert from the University of Salzburg.

Flower diversity

Figure 2: The common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris).

Then there are the bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) and the late spider orchid (Ophrys holoserica), which closely resemble each other. These orchids imitate the appearance of female bees in order to attract male bees, who then pollinate the flowers. What a fascinating example of coevolution!

Figure 3: The late spider orchid (Ophrys holoserica).

Ecological Perspective

The visit to the limestone fen near Flambro was particularly enlightening, as it is considered one of the most remarkable sites in Europe. The area is characterized by the convergence of various small-scale habitats that provide refuge for many endangered species.

The flora was impressive, but the fauna caught our attention as well. We discovered a western green lizard on the campground by chance. Later, in the Vallevecchia Nature Reserve near the Mediterranean Sea, we spotted a European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis). We even caught a common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus). Of course, we released it back into the wild after a few minutes.

Figure 4: The western green lizard, European pond turtle, and common blue butterfly.

Students Activities

During the excursion, students gave presentations on various topics, embodying the spirit of learning reflected by the motto, “Take all the knowledge you can get and don’t let it go.” This approach enabled us to gain in-depth knowledge in a variety of subjects. Our group of over 70 participants included students from various degree programs at several German universities, including those in Bayreuth, Tübingen, Hohenheim, Münster, and Rottenburg.

In the evenings and between activities, we discussed upcoming master’s theses, internships, and research interests. Our group of students from Bayreuth was incredible, and it was delightful to meet students from other programs and hear about their experiences.

We enjoyed an amazing picnic lunch every day, followed by a delicious pizza in the evening. To top it all off, we enjoyed the best Italian ice cream in Gemona!

Personal Impressions

This excursion was an incredible and unforgettable experience. I gained valuable insights into river systems, geology, and local flora and fauna. I also enjoyed delicious Italian food and met wonderful people who became friends during this exciting journey. I wholeheartedly recommend the Tagliamento excursion and can only praise it.

Figure 5: The riparian forest of the Tagliamento.

The post The Tagliamento – Exploring the Last Wild River in the Alps appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

This is how I start every guided tour in my job on the MS Wissenschaft: for a total of five weeks, I accompany this swimming science centre to various cities and towns in Germany and Austria. How did this happen? I already visited the MS Wissenschaft in Mainz when I was a child, and then again last year when two friends who also studied GCE and Geoecology worked on the ship. I got curious about this job, even more when I got to know this year’s topic. So, I decided to apply.

The 27 exhibits have been created by scientists themselves to present their research to the public. The exhibition is organised by Wissenschaft im Dialog (Science in Dialogue). Accordingly, I would like to enter a dialogue with you during this tour. So, what do you associate with “Future Energy”?

Entrance to the exhibition

Guided tours are my favourite task here but by far not the only one. We – a team of four students working in two-week shifts – are responsible to run the exhibition: we open for the public at 10 am (on school days already at 9), welcome visitors at the info desk, take care that the exhibits work and fix them if not, set up (and recollect) info boards out in the streets, and after closing at 18:30, we disinfect the exhibits and treat the yellow carpet with industrial vacuum cleaners before we switch off electricity.

While more than half of the electric energy produced in Germany, on average, already comes from “renewable” sources like wind or solar power, other sectors are still mostly dependent on fossil fuels. Heating and cooling, for example, have a fossil share higher than 80 percent. Most households are still heating with fossil gas or oil. Geothermal energy and electric heat pumps are the main technologies to transform this sector.

One of my favourite exhibits is the one on geothermal energy by the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

Yes, we also live on the ship: there are two small apartments with a comfort somewhere between a caravan and a hostel. So, I had to be ready to share a limited space and nearly all my time with people I didn’t know before, except for a two-days introductory meeting in Berlin in April. But so far, this experience has been excellent. I have only worked with nice people who have a good time together but can also rely on each other in critical moments.

Another big challenge of the energy transition is to store energy from “renewable” sources for times of high electricity demand or diverse other applications. All technologies have advantages and disadvantages. Lithium-ion batteries which we all use in our phones, for example, have a high efficiency. But they contain resources like lithium, which is currently extracted with severe environmental damages, mostly in Latin America. Therefore, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for New Materials in Saarbrücken are aiming to scale up electrochemical lithium extraction which would allow to produce or recycle lithium regionally with little environmental impacts.

On the Moselle

What I like most about working on the MS Wissenschaft is that I learn a lot – and not just about energy. I also get to know various places and people in Germany (and, in September, Austria). Without this job, I would probably never have visited the Bucher Brack nature conservation area in the Elbe floodplain, nor the water mill museum in Saarburg. The best are the passages between the stops, when we sit on deck and enjoy the view on the landscapes – and on impressive constructions like the canal bridge over the Elbe, giant sluices, and hydropower stations.

Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a long-established technology: when excess electricity is available, water is pumped up to a reservoir. Once the energy is needed, the water can be released to power turbines. Advantages of this storage technology are its high capacity and flexibility. However, the facilities require a lot of space which means massive interventions in the landscape and its ecosystems. Nevertheless, researchers of the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology are working on a new type of pumped-storage hydroelectricity, Stored Energy at Sea (StEnSea): hollow concrete spheres on the deep-sea floor with a pump-turbine to empty or fill the sphere with seawater on demand.

Several hundreds of people visit our exhibition every day. As a facilitator, I have the chance to meet people of all ages and social backgrounds: a shepherd from rural Saxony-Anhalt, the last manager of a coal mine, or the science minister of Saarland. I also learn a lot from our guests – ranging from trivial facts (for example, that windmills always turn clockwise), to their views on and experiences with the energy transition, and sometimes their entire life stories.

Hydrogen is a major topic in politics and media recently, and also in our exhibition: about one third of the exhibits is directly related to hydrogen production and use. Currently, most hydrogen in Germany is produced from fossil gas; only about 5 percent is “green hydrogen” generated with “renewable” energy through electrolysis. A lot of research focuses on scaling up this and associated technologies.

Not the least, I have the chance to apply some knowledge that I gained in my GCE studies. For example, when I had my first full conversation with a man who denied that climate change is anthropogenic, I felt very well prepared thanks to Prof. Buermann’s climatology lecture.

A disadvantage of hydrogen as an energy storage is its low efficiency: with current technologies, about half the energy invested is lost during transformations. Therefore, hydrogen is sometimes called the “Champagne” of the energy transition. Nevertheless, it can play an important role in substituting fossil fuel in processes that otherwise could hardly be decarbonised, like steel production or chemical industries.

While I overall like this job very much, the tasks are also tiresome and repetitive, and I grew very critical of the exhibition. For example, in my view, there are too many screens, and several exhibits lack comprehensive explanations. But my main critique is that the exhibition overall focuses on “technological solutions” while there is nearly no trace of energy sufficiency and the behavioural changes towards economies and societies within planetary boundaries. I believe this is the precondition for science and technology to be part of the solution to our pressing ecological crises.

Who of you has already heard of e-fuels? I’d like to finish our tour with the production of synthetic liquid fuel using the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This process was already invented 100 years ago to make liquid fuel from coal. Our ship, too, runs on fuel made with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, but from fossil gas. Scientists at the Max Planck Institutes in Mülheim an der Ruhr are developing this process further to generate nearly carbon-neutral liquid fuels from “green hydrogen” and carbon dioxide. However, neither electrolysis nor carbon capture are available on large scales yet, and even if so, a lot of energy will always be lost throughout the process, making the end product highly inefficient. Therefore, we should not fall for the lies of the fossil industry that tries to promote e-fuels as a pretext to go on with their dirty businesses. For instance, it would make no sense to power private cars or heating with e-fuels because these applications can be electrified directly and, thus, more efficiently. Synthetic fuels might, however, be needed to decarbonise purposes that cannot be electrified more directly, such as aviation or ships.

The MS Wissenschaft will stop in Bamberg from August 31 to September 3, and in Nürnberg from September 4 to 7. The entrance is free. I will not be there, but my colleagues surely would be happy to welcome you. You can find more information on the website (https://ms-wissenschaft.de) and on Instagram (@mswissenschaft).

Thank you for your attention and enjoy your stay aboard!

The post MS Wissenschaft: Science Communication in a Special Place appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

After facing each other in last year’s quarter-finals, this year’s team consisted not only of GCE alumni and spectators, but also members of the Bayreuth-based elite study programme ‘Scientific Computing’. Thanks to Vroni, they were able to organise and design a beautiful set of jerseys. All in all, there were around 20 of us.

Building on last year’s positive performance, we practised a few times beforehand with the clear aim of forming a team, devising a tactical game plan and, of course, practising penalties. As with last year, we finalised our tactical adjustments on the train to Munich. On 14 June, we were blessed with a sunny day, hinting at a warm summer to come.

Our tournament began with two consecutive games, which constituted our entire group phase. Each game lasted 15 minutes and was played with six players and a goalkeeper. We had a rough start to the first game, as we didn’t have a proper warm-up and were up against a very physical team consisting mainly of grown men. We ended up losing 2–0, which was disappointing.

With little time to adjust our game plan, we faced our next opponents. Once again, we really struggled to find our rhythm, but we managed to win 1–0 thanks to a penalty scored by Mateo and won by JC. Although we had reached our target of advancing to the quarter-finals, we were disappointed with our performance. After this short but intense playing session, we had a longer break which included lunch.

After the lunch break, we played our quarter-final. Within the first three minutes, we managed to take the lead thanks to another penalty, which was both drawn and scored by Mateo. After that, it was a hard-fought match, but this time we were able to fight back, with our defence mainly occupied with defending against the opponent’s top striker. At the same time, we kept pushing and, with a beautiful long shot, we scored our second goal. In the final minutes, we focused on not conceding any goals. Ultimately, we limited our opponents to one shot on goal, and we were pleased with both the result and our mentality on the pitch. This was the first time we felt like we were in the tournament.

We reached the stage where we lost last year: the semi-finals. During the semi-final, our opponents put us under a lot of pressure and we were unable to make any offensive moves. Nevertheless, we tried to hold on to the 0–0 draw, bearing in mind that we had practised penalties beforehand. However, with a beautiful move and literally in the last second, our opponents scored, sending us to the lower bracket.

This was a blow for all of us, and we only faced our next opponent after a short break. We ended up losing 3:1. Our goal was scored beautifully following a long throw-in by Vroni. By this point, we had already exceeded the expected tournament time, and we were exhausted from spending hours in the bright sun. This is why we were all kind of happy to be out of the tournament, knowing that we had a long train ride ahead of us. On the other hand, there was also a sense of having missed an opportunity. In the end, we all had a nice day in Munich, and we arrived in Bayreuth at around 9 pm, which was fine too.

We hope to continue joining forces with the Scientific Computing Programme next year. With some minor adjustments and some of our missing players joining, we are confident that we can still dream of winning the ENB Cup.

The post ENB-Cup in München 2025 appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

If you are interested in joining our program, you can submit your application via CAMPUSonline. International applicants should also ensure that they obtain their VPD (preliminary review documentation) from UNI-assist before completing their application.

About the program

The Master’s program in Global Change Ecology is dedicated to understanding and analyzing one of the most pressing environmental issues of the 21st century: Global Change. Addressing challenges of an entirely new and interdisciplinary nature requires innovative approaches in both research and education. A key focus of the program is to combine natural science perspectives on global change with approaches from social science disciplines, preparing students to address complex environmental issues from multiple dimensions.

Key application information:

• Application Platform: Apply via CAMPUSonline: Apply here
• International applicants: A VPD from UNI-assist is required prior to application. Details on how to obtain this document can be found here: UBT International Office – UNI-assist
• Step-by-Step Guide for International Applicants: Use this guide to navigate the application process smoothly: Application Guide

Why apply?

The GCE Master’s program offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to global environmental challenges, providing you with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a diverse academic community and benefit from a high quality education at the University of Bayreuth.

Application Timeline

The application period will remain open for two more months, so there is still time to apply. Don’t miss your chance to join our program!

Stay tuned for our next blog post with more details about the program from our program director in an upcoming online event. In the meantime, get your application started today!

If you have any additional questions, please visit the Application Guide website or contact us via email.

The post Call for Applications: Apply Now to be the next GCE! appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

(Some) outcomes of COP29

As COP 29 (like all COPs) was very large, with many negotiations and other events going on in parallel, it was difficult for us as observers to understand what was agreed. A structured overview of the outcomes is only possible with the help of additional research, such as Carbon Brief’s website, where both summaries and details can be found. A brief overview based on our experience is provided here.

First, although the newspapers may give the impression that COPs in general are mostly failures, with rich nations failing to live up to their commitments, there have been breakthroughs. In a highly complex system like the UN, where nearly 200 countries with different challenges, values and priorities are trying to agree on basic guidelines for the future, seemingly small decisions are major achievements. Faced with the daunting challenges of climate change, the COP is attempting to tackle individual components of the problem and break them down into tasks and specific actions.

Moreover, since we don’t have a world government, the UNFCCC can “only” outline priorities and urgent issues that national governments must pursue. Nevertheless, there are many mechanisms in place to support compliance and make non-compliance unattractive, and the framework set at COPs is a powerful tool for streamlining a global pathway for action. The focus of this year’s COP was on finance, and a new quantified target on finance was advanced. The so-called ‘developed countries’ agreed to channel at least $300 billion per year to the so-called developing countries by 2035. In addition, $1.3 trillion will be raised each year by 2035 from a variety of sources, including the private sector. Many of the key results were achieved in last-minute negotiations.

Another important issue at this year’s COP was the discussion on how to follow up on the results of the global stocktake that will be completed in 2023. Unfortunately, no concrete plan was agreed on how to move forward on this issue.

On the other hand, progress was made on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which deals with market-based solutions such as carbon pricing and trading. Rules were formulated for country-to-country trading and the international carbon market, as well as standardized crediting criteria.

Our COP experience 

Negotiations

After attending the COP, the negotiations were the topic we got asked about the most. Given the peculiar, legal language of the UNFCCC, the fact that individual negotiations addressed only tiny aspects of the Paris Agreement and the UN Convention, and that many breakthroughs were made in closed-door negotiations at night, it is not surprising that our understanding of the substance of the negotiations remained limited.

Nevertheless, we were deeply impressed to see the whole world literally gathered around one big table. Countries at war with each other were able to participate and contribute to the dialogue. Every country had an equal right to speak, although structural constraints such as the number of negotiators that countries could afford to send to the COP left room for unequal conditions. Considering the huge amount of specific knowledge, tasks and sleepless nights that have to be shared within the delegations, being able to send 5 people instead of 100 is a big disadvantage.

Observing the negotiations has taught us that premature judgments about seemingly non-compliant countries are mostly the result of a lack of knowledge about the individual situations, political systems, and challenges in those countries. While some countries find it relatively easy to promise climate actions that are popular among climate activists (such as net-zero pledges) and then sell these ideas to their own national governments and populations, others face national resistance, instability, and political unpredictability. While some have adopted a strategy of promising little but having a high probability of delivering, others are making more ambitious pledges that may have a lower chance of being delivered. Both strategies were visible during the negotiations and gained more recognition from our sides because of the insider perspective we gained. After all, the countries that don’t want to do anything about climate change don’t waste time and resources going to the COP. So (almost) everyone who was in Baku was there because they see the importance of climate change and want to do something about it.

Panel Discussions

But the biggest part of our COP experience was the side events, often panel discussions. Typically, scientists, activists, politicians, or experts would gather and discuss a particular topic under the leadership of a chair. Topics ranged from the struggles of indigenous peoples, to plastic pathways in China, to a new online tool for calculating the remaining fossil fuel budget for countries and regions of the world.

Some panel discussions were simply people presenting their views, while others were more controversial. The panels were an opportunity to connect the abstract negotiations and policies of the UNFCCC to the work on the ground. For example, during the panel with the new director of the Loss and Damage Fund, community leaders were able to share their views on the accessibility and future design of the fund. Questions from the audience were usually answered at the end, where, for example, a hydropower expert from Germany involved in a project in South America was able to hear the critical voices of local and indigenous people that he would not normally hear in his daily life. Because of encounters like these, we often found the panel discussions and side events to be the most fruitful for us and for the overall goal of connecting different stakeholders and sharing knowledge.

Pavilions

Each country, group of countries (e.g. African Union) and other interest groups (OPEC) had a pavilion. Often the pavilions reflected some cultural features of the country and were nicely decorated. Besides the popular free coffee, interesting events took place there. In addition, smaller countries had the opportunity to present themselves and offer traditional food and other information about their country. We visited the German pavilion, the EU pavilion, the UNFCCC pavilion, the Nordic pavilion and the UK pavilion. In addition to ministerial speeches, there were panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and workshops. Countries could also give their space to groups that didn’t have their own pavilion, such as the German pavilion, which hosted a dialogue among young indigenous women from Latin America (See image above).

In the Nordic pavilion, parliamentarians from Sweden and Norway had a very inspiring dialogue on how to support a transition to sustainable consumption. A topic that seems to be moving rather slowly in Germany and much faster in Nordic countries like Sweden or Norway, so it was very interesting to get an insight into their methods and narratives. In the UNFCCC pavilion, small island states like Niue and the Maldives, as well as larger economies with a high dependence on the ocean, like Colombia, were able to share their knowledge on how to live with their natural resources and learn from each other. Overall, the pavilions were a good place to come together and network, whether over coffee, a pub quiz or a panel discussion.

Press Conferences

Another part of our COP experience were the press conferences. Every day there were many different press conferences held by many different groups. Countries or groups of countries, mainly for their national press, and other big players like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) or WWF were groups we expected to have press conferences. But there were also some unexpected press conferences. For example, the NGO Solar Cookers International was surprisingly prevalent in the press conference schedule. We attended several press conferences: one held by the COP Presidency, Azerbaijan, one held by the European Union, and one held by Germany.

Since press conferences are something familiar from television and other events, it was very interesting to experience them in person. The rooms were filled with reporters and there was a lot of live TV coverage. After the first statements were read by the politicians, it was the journalists’ turn to ask questions. It was very interesting to hear how detailed the statements were and how the politicians answered the questions.

On the one hand, these press conferences were an opportunity for us to keep up with the progress of the negotiations that the leaders were conducting behind closed doors. On the other hand, they were also a great opportunity for us to get to know public figures like Annalena Baerbock in real life (see below). But it was not only the press conferences that were widely covered. Young journalists worked all over the venue, and although they were not allowed into some of the events, such as the negotiations, they often stood in the halls giving interviews or doing live coverage. Overall, the press conferences were a very interesting part of the COP experience because we were able to see what everyone else was watching at home.

People’s plenary

Almost by accident, we stumbled upon the People’s Plenary. Unlike almost all the other events, this one was for people who weren’t represented by country delegations. It was a space for all the voices that weren’t heard in the negotiations. Throughout COP29, you could see many indigenous people walking around, as well as many other groups protesting for stronger climate policies. They all came together in the Peoples’ Plenary, calling for climate justice and more action from policymakers. Unlike all the other events, the contributions to the People’s Plenary were very emotional, which was reflected by the audience. By the end, everyone was singing and dancing and the atmosphere was great.

National statements 

Finally, the National Declarations were also an important part of COP29. Beginning in the first week, these statements are an opportunity for participating countries to share their views, priorities, and commitment to fighting climate change. One by one, representatives took the stage to read their statements. Several countries announced their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), often pledging more ambitious climate targets or increased contributions to climate finance. In turn, more vulnerable countries from the group of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) or Least Developed Countries (LDCs) emphasized the existential threat they face from the climate crisis and their demand for climate justice.

It was particularly interesting to see statements from countries at war read out in close proximity. The statements were also an opportunity to highlight innovative solutions or partnerships that individual countries are pursuing. But these statements were not just declarations of intent, they set the tone for the negotiations and influenced the overall direction of COP29. This was clearly seen in the financial language of many of the statements, in light of this year’s COP being dubbed the “Finance COP”.

Our statement and experience

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at COP29 in Baku. It was deeply inspiring to see so many people, politicians, delegates, activists, vulnerable people, and observers alike, come together to fight for a more sustainable future, despite all the differences on the outside. Our time there gave us a newfound respect for people who work tirelessly to negotiate agreements that everyone can live with. The achievement of a successful agreement at the end of the conference can be easily overlooked when following the conference in the news. We take this inspiration and momentum back to Bayreuth to work for a better future.

The post GCE at COP 29: Experiences, Outcomes, and Key Takeaways appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

This year’s team consist out of around 15 alumni, spectators and current GCEs, equipped with a brand-new set of jerseys provided by the sports faculty. To prevent a repetition of the of the mediocre performances of the last years, we committed ourselves to hold a few practices beforehand. Nevertheless, the last tactical directions were given during the train ride. We arrived at the University of Regensburg without much trouble and were blessed by a beautiful sunny day.

This was accompanied by a pitch in splendid condition, which is no comparison for the Wilde-Liga pitches we were practicing on. Moreover, there was a sufficient supply of drinks, food and snacks. Everything was set to show our skills and surprise the competition which travelled from all over Bavaria to Regensburg. The tournament started with a group phase, followed by knockout rounds. Each game lasted 15 Minutes and was played 6 vs. 6 (+goalie).

After starting nervous, we were able to take control of the first game. The only thig which we weren’t able to do was scoring a goal, so we ended up being a draw. Because our second opponent didn’t show up, we already advanced to the quarter finals, without having scored a single goal. This shouldn’t be changed in our next game, which was mainly played between the boxes. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal just before the end of the match.

After the lunch break, we actually faced another team of the University of Bayreuth the scientific computing program. As in previous games our defence was solid, but just couldn’t make use of our chance in offence. This was changed roughly 3 minutes before the end, with Mateo scoring an artistic goal (see picture). The goal seemed to wake up our opponents, who now attacked us with the mute of despair, but the GCE defence once again was standing strong, and we manged take home the win and advance to the semi-finals.

Even though our mood was great, we also started to feel exhausted from the previous games. Moreover, since there weren’t many teams left, we had little to no break before having to play our semi-final. Right around mid-game our opponents went up front. But if anyone thought that would be it, it wasn’t. Quickly after being behind Mateo scored a beautiful equalizer. From that point onwards the match was much more spectacular, since both of the teams weren’t able to prevent passing mistakes, leading to good chances at both sides, with an optical advantage on the GCE side. After the extra time of 5 minutes not only the game ended with a draw, but we also ran out of energy. Since there was a winner to be determined, there was a penalty shoot-out, which we unfortunately lost.

It was just as all of us were pleased with the performance and would gladly make our way home, as we realized we also had to play the next match for the third place. Hereby we couldn’t offer much of a fight and lost the game 2:0 and were finally able to get home. We proudly reached Bayreuth at 8pm and with this much later then expected. We hope that we can built up on that performance in the next year.

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Since surprisingly many of us were on time we started at 8 am to drive southwest out of Bayreuth. Equipped with maps, information sheets and nice land use and biodiversity maps, we looked forward to our first stop, the fossil excavation site in Mistelgau.

Fossils in Mistelgau

A place that is worldwide famous for a huge amount of fossil findings, up to complete skeletons of dinosaurs. Famous worldwide… except in Bayreuth and the surrounding area, as Prof. Köllner explained to us. After some detailed explanations from a local guide and “fossil-searcher” (in the original Franconian language) we got to roam around by ourselves and discover some beautiful bits and pieces from 200 million years ago. Unimaginable that Upper Franconia was a shallow, warm, and tropical sea with dinosaurs roaming around! Since we couldn’t stay the whole day (even though some of us would have loved to) we continued our bus ride.

A scenic view

The next spot was less muddy and more scenic. On top of the Görauer Anger, we could see Kulmbach with the Plassenburg, the Fichtel Mountains and the Franconian Switzerland on one side and lovely pastures, forests, and small villages on the other. A perfect place to explain different types of land uses, Ecosystem Services and how Climate Change might affect the agricultural areas and natural biotopes in our regions. With fantastic pictures of future Upper Franconia as a Mongolian-like savannah in our minds, we enjoyed our lunch break in the sun before we continued our journey.

Bamberg: Natural History Museum and Cathedral

As for every good trip, we were behind schedule, and after our bus drivers overcame a roadblock and kilometres of winding serpentines, we got closer to Bamberg, our destination. We all wished ourselves back into nature when we saw the traffic in the city. After at least another 40 minutes, we arrived at the Natural History Museum in Bamberg. The museum had a dusty, but nonetheless retro-romantic atmosphere with glimmering crystals, fossils that looked like they swam around yesterday and the highlight: the rebuilt bird chamber of some nobleman from the 19^th century who collected hundreds of birds around the world. Even though most of us had mixed feelings, facing all these stuffed animals, not few of them threatened with extinction or already extinct and acquired in suspicious trades, it was fascinating to see the diversity and colourfulness of our planet’s (bird) species. In the museum, we could continue to groom our team spirit, since everything was in German and the German students had to translate for the internationals.

After the museum visit, we strolled around the beautiful inner city of Bamberg. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and Professor Köllner provided us with interesting facts and comments about the city’s history and its significance since the Middle Ages. We also visited the Bamberg Cathedral, which houses the mysterious horseman of Bamberg, whose identity remains shrouded in history.

After a full and fun day, we walked back to our bus (after buying smoked beer and ice cream on the way) and travelled back to good old Bayreuth, where we arrived at 6 pm.

It was a great and informative day, and we all want to say thank you to Sylvia Sprödhuber and Prof. Köllner for organizing it and giving us the opportunity to explore the region where we will spend the next years and to get to know each other in a fun way!

The post GCE Excursion to Bamberg 2023 appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

We look forward to receiving your applications!

Application deadline: 15th June 2023!
Learn more clicking here.

Starting date: October 2023
Location: Bayreuth, Germany

The post OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: M.Sc. Global Change Ecology appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

The year 2022 is key for biodiversity

Given the fact that the 2020 Global Biodiversity Targets have largely failed, it is crucial for the global society to rebuild confidence and look into the next decade with new ambition and strategies. Just like the Paris Agreement, adopted by the UNFCCC, the CBD COP 15 has aimed to achieve an agreement on a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) based on the consensus of all Parties, with the vision of halting and reversing the trend of biodiversity loss by 2030. In July 2021, the first version of GBF was drafted by an Open-Ended Working Group, and, prior to the Conference, there had been five working group meetings to improve and finalize the draft. Some focus items have continued challenging the process of formulating the final version of the GBF. They were considered as keys for a successful outcome of the Conference and include: the global biodiversity framework itself; resource mobilization; digital sequence information on genetic resources; planning, monitoring, reporting and review within an associated monitoring framework; capacity building and development; and, technical and scientific cooperation.

Beyond the negotiation tables,hundreds of side events took place in parallel hosted by the COP 15 observer organizations. Their topics addressed and covered all aspects related to biodiversity crisis. Some issues were repeatedly heard during my stay, such as the urgent need to shift away from business as usual towards nature-positive results and to strive for a whole-society approach for innovative and collaborative solutions.

My experience at the conference

My particular interest lies in the civil society organizations and groups’ positions and actions demonstrated at the conference. There were booths of these major groups, including Youth, NGOs, Women, Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs), Business and Finance, etc., where these respective actors were able to share their work and stories, organize public awareness campaigns, and gather like-minded stakeholders to expand networks. I still remember a thought-provoking speech held by a representative of African indigenous people and local communities on biodiversity conservation and sustainable resources use. In fact, 80% of the world’s biodiversity are found in indigenous land. The people in local communities know the right ways to protect nature in their land, but often their concerns are not being heard and understood, and conservation fundings that go into their hands are not sufficient. What still needs to be improved is to ensure a legal framework to safeguard their proper livelihood and rights to manage resources.

My personal understanding of the term “biodiversity conservation” has also been deepened and further developed during the this COP. It refers to a value and lifestyle. The means of biodiversity conservation should not only be based on science, but also based on learning and respecting the diverse cultures and knowledge of those who are the real stewards of nature.

Insights on the outcome of COP15

On the 17^th, the two divided working groups and the Ministers appointed to lead consultants on outstanding issues reported their updates for the last time during the Stocktake Plenary before reaching the Decision Plenary set on the 19^th. After a 4-year marathon of negotiations, the Parties with differences in interests and priorities gradually compromised with each other and chose to stick to the strong ambition and work together to bring the common goals to fruition. 40 hours later, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was finally adopted, safeguarding the key targets of “protecting 30% of Earth’s lands, oceans, coastal areas, inland waters; reducing by $500 billion annual harmful government subsidies; cutting food waste in half; mobilizing at least $200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources ” by 2030.

Conclusion

Being able to witness part of this whole negotiation process was not only an eye-opening experience, but it made me realize that it is not impossible for the global society to fight against the greatest environmental crisis and protect our only homeland together. Although it is a tough and long journey to implement the new framework, it is the time to start to respect nature, and not let nature make compromise to us.

The post Inside COP15: The Way to Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework appeared first on Global Change Ecology.