Professions in nature and environmental protection

Some GCE alumni are active in research and teaching:
For example, there is Prof. Dr. Manuel Steinbauer, who was one of the very first GCE students. In August 2019 he returned to the University of Bayreuth as a professor of sports ecology and will soon be teaching GCE students himself.
Or Dr. Gesche Blume-Werry who works as a postdoc at the University of Greifswald and researches the rewetting of peatlands. Md Lokman Hossain teaches courses such as “climate change” and “ecology” at the German University of Bangladesh. Patrick von Jeetze is currently doing his doctorate at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research on global scale human-nature relationships in agricultural landscapes. In contrast, Dr. Sia Gosheva-Oney’s postgraduate journey brought her to the University of Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. There, amongst others, she advises scientists on EU funding programs. She previously worked for the “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH” as a consultant on the water, energy and food security nexus. Asja Bernd works on the island of Vilm near Rügen at the International Nature Conservation Academy of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation where she designs and plans workshops on current national and international nature conservation issues.
Other GCE alumni, in turn, provide advice and information in companies, associations and in administration: Dr.-Ing. Albert Hans Baur works in management consulting to help develop sustainability strategies for companies. Katharina Funk works to implement the climate protection concept for the city of Erlangen. Farina Hoffmann is a project manager at the nature and environmental protection association “Grüne Liga”. Lastly, Nora Marie Zaremba writes for a daily newsletter of the Tagesspiegel, which informs, amongst others, ministries about the latest developments in energy and climate policy.

Tips from the “old” to the “new”

The GCE alumni provide current GCE students with various pieces of advice:
Asja Bernd emphasizes the wealth created by the great diversity of students of the international course, because “learning from each other is just as important as learning from lectures.”
Katharina Funk encourages students to undertake as many additional voluntary opportunities offered by the master´s program as possible, such as participating in environmental conferences and doing internships.
Md Lokman Hossain recalls the importance of “networking” by participating in environmental conferences, workshops and science schools.
Patrick von Jeetze advises giving yourself enough time to find out what you want to know more about and what you want to change in the world.
Farina Hoffmann suggests doing internships at places you might later see yourself professionally and consider already working alongside your studies.
Sia Gosheva-Oney recommends enjoying and actively organizing your studies and says: “What you learn now, during GCE, will help you during your entire career and will influence who you become as a person.”
Finally, Gesche Blume-Werry summarizes her advice to the new GCE students with one sentence: “Follow your passion and curiosity!”

The text was originally written for the Elite Network of Bavaria.
English editing kindly done by Taylor Blair

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Verschiedenste Berufe im Natur- und Umweltschutz

Einige der GCE-Alumni sind mittlerweile in der Forschung und Lehre tätig:
Da ist zum Beispiel Prof. Dr. Manuel Steinbauer, der zu den Studierenden des allerersten GCE-Jahrganges gehörte. Im August 2019 kehrte er als Professor für Sportökologie an die Universität Bayreuth zurück und wird schon bald selber GCE-Studierende unterrichten.
Oder Dr. Gesche Blume-Werry, die derzeit als Postdoc an der Universität Greifswald arbeitet und zur Wiedervernässung von Torfmooren forscht. Md Lokman Hossain wiederum unterrichtet an der Deutschen Universität Bangladesch Kurse wie „Klimawandel“ oder „Ökologie“. Patrick von Jeetze promoviert zurzeit am Potsdam Institut für Klimafolgenforschung zu Mensch-Natur-Beziehungen in landwirtschaftlich geprägten Landschaften auf globaler Ebene. Dagegen hat Dr. Sia Gosheva-Oneys Weg in die Schweiz nach Zürich geführt, an die Universität Zürich und Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich. Dort berät sie unter anderem WissenschaftlerInnen zu Förderprogrammen der EU. Früher arbeitete sie für die „Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH“ als Beraterin zum Nexus Wasser-, Energie- und Ernährungssicherheit. Asja Bernd arbeitet auf der Insel Vilm bei Rügen an der Internationalen Naturschutzakademie des Bundesamtes für Naturschutz und konzipiert und plant dort Workshops zu aktuellen nationalen und internationalen Naturschutzthemen. Andere GCE-Alumni wiederum engagieren sich beratend und informierend in Unternehmen, Verbänden und in der Verwaltung:
Dr.-Ing. Albert Hans Baur arbeitet in der Unternehmensberatung und entwickelt u.a. Klima- und Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien für Unternehmen. Katharina Funk setzt das Klimaschutzkonzept der Stadt Erlangen um. Farina Hoffmann ist Projektmanagerin beim Natur- und Umweltschutzverband “Grüne Liga“ und Nora Marie Zaremba schreibt für einen täglich erscheinenden Newsletter des Tagesspiegels, der u.a. Ministerien über die neuesten Entwicklungen in der Energie- und Klimapolitik informiert.

Tipps der „Alten“ an die „Neuen“

Den derzeitigen GCE-Studierenden geben die GCE-Alumni verschiede Ratschläge mit auf den Weg:
Asja Bernd hebt den Reichtum hervor, der durch die große Diversität der Studierenden des internationalen Studienganges entsteht, denn „das Lernen voneinander ist genauso wichtig wie das Lernen in Vorlesungen“.
Katharina Funk ermuntert dazu, möglichst viele der zusätzlichen freiwilligen Angebote des Studienganges zu nutzen, z.B. an Umweltkonferenzen teilzunehmen und Praktika zu absolvieren.
Md Lokman Hossain erinnert an die Bedeutung des „Netzwerkens“ durch die Teilnahme an Umweltkonferenzen, Workshops und Science Schools.
Patrick von Jeetze rät dazu, sich genügend Zeit zu geben um herauszufinden, worüber man mehr erfahren und was man in der Welt verändern wolle.
Farina Hoffmann schlägt vor, dort Praktika zu absolvieren, wo man sich später einmal beruflich sehen könnte und es in Erwägung zu ziehen, neben dem Studium schon etwas zu arbeiten.
Sia Gosheva-Oney empfiehlt die Studienzeit zu genießen und aktiv zu gestalten und sagt: „Was ihr während des GCE-Studiums lernt, wird euch während eurem gesamten Berufsweg unterstützen und beeinflussen, wer ihr als Person werdet“.
Und Gesche Blume-Werry fasst abschließend ihren Ratschlag an die neuen GCE-Studierenden mit einem Satz zusammen: „Folgt eurer Leidenschaft und Neugierde!“

Dieser Text wurde ursprünglich für das Elitenetzwerk Bayern geschrieben.

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At the top of their voices, the “Summers” are singing the lyrics of the famous song of the German band “Die Ärzte”in the small, tiled kitchen. Some of them have taken off their shirts and dance around, it is warm and stuffy. “Your fault” is probably the perfect song for this party: the students are celebrating the success of the referendum for biodiversity protection in Bavaria. They not longer wanted to be responsible for no changes in the world. For weeks, they have distributed leaflets, stood in the freezing weather of February to speak with pedestrians, dressed in bee costumes, to raise awareness for the referendum on biodiversity. Still wearing their orange safety vests with the imprint “Save the bees” on the back, they dance through the apartment, where the party takes place.

“Don’t believe anyone who tells you, you can’t change a thing.

Those who say that are just scared of changes.”

On Wednesday, 13 February 2019, the referendum ended and it was clear: The topic enters the next round, the needed 1 million signatures, equivalent to 10% of the population,  have been collected in Bavaria. To be more precise, the needed limit has been exceeded. In total, more than 1.7 million people have signed the petition in the city halls across Bavaria, indicating that they want more biodiversity protection and conservation. “The referendum in Bavaria is a clear sign, also for the current negotiations in the EU agricultural policy”, Stefanie Propp says, second chairwoman of the “Summers”. In Bayreuth, she was as well speaker for the referendum on biodiversity. “I was sure, we would reach one million signatures. But more than 18 percent were achieved, that makes me even more happy and shows our dedication is worth it!”

In Bayreuth, the “Summers” have definitely helped the referendum to succeed. But who is behind that name? In 2018, various students of the University of Bayreuth founded the club “Summer in der City” to put a spotlight on biodiversity. “We were nine students and wanted to change something”, Thomas Pickel says. The 27-year-old student of geoecology is one of the founders of Summer in der City. Their name is not a hidden sign for a club of Joe Cocker fans but refers to the word “summen” which means “buzz” in German – very accurate for a club trying to save insects. “Currently, we have 15 members who are very active, meaning they are contributing more than once a week. Furthermore, there are 30 to 40 more people who are also helping often.” So far, the club is completely funded by donations and the membership fees. It costs 10 Euro per year  to become a “Summer”. “It is wonderful to see that so many people want to contribute to nature conservation”, Leonie Gass, member of the Summers, says. “It gives me new power and new confidence that something is going to change!”

Initially, they could share their expertise with others in smaller projects. So, they made sure that the meadows at the campus of University of Bayreuth are only mowed twice a year. This happened in cooperation with Green Campus and Christian Laforsch, professor for animal ecology at the University of Bayreuth. This way, more plants are blooming and thus offering food and habitat for insects.

While the University of Bayreuth mixed seeds into the ploughed soil and created space for insects that way, the students built insect hotels. Soon, they will install them on campus. At “Wilhelminenaue”, the Summers have created grassland and low-nutrient habitats on the area of the initiative “Essbare Stadt Bayreuth” (German for eatable city). Insects will also find new space to live on there. “This was our main project last year”, Stefanie Propp says.

“We wanted to get active. We know the problem, but we don’t just want to complain about it but actually change something”, Thomas Pickel says.

“Because everyone who doesn’t want to change the world, is signing her death sentence!”

The fact that most members of the Summers are students is both, a curse and a saviour at the same time. A saviour, because they have a lot of expertise in that topic due to their study programmes. A curse, because students often move away, causing frequent changes.

Therefore, the Summers wish to engage more people from outside the university. To make this happen, they want to work more in public areas.

“For this year, we have planned two big projects”, Thomas Pickel says. First, there is a nature garden project which provides the Summers the chance to create a natural garden on an area of 10.000 m2 in Wilhelminenaue. A crowdfunding campaign is supposed to help to construct the garden. “In the nature garden, amongst others, there will be a wild rose garden and a meadow orchard. They will as well attract insects and create new habitats for other animals such as hedgehogs and lizards.”

Second, there is the project “Franken Flowers”. It is planned for 2019: The Summers cooperate with regional market gardens to sell domestic indigenous flowers and shrubs. This is important as some insects rely on special plants. “We hope, the natural garden will encourage people to create such a garden at their homes as well.”

Sleepless nights, sore arms and legs from digging in soil, working hard to awaken other people – all that is often the daily life of the Summers. But is seems to be rewarded: The fact that nearly twice as much people as needed signed the referendum, bolsters them. Some movement is happening. It just needs someone to take the first step. Just like the Summers.

„It is not your fault, the world is at it is. It would just be your fault if she stayed like this!”

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1. What is the World Climate Simulation?

Developed by the think tank Climate Interactive, in partnership with the MIT School of Management and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the World Climate simulation is a simplified UN negotiation. The model uses C-ROADS – a climate policy software – where agreed climate policies are entered and climate patterns get projected until the end of the century. Having had so far an astonishing success, this simulation has been carried out since 2008 over 800 times with over 38000 participants worldwide.

“Education is our strongest weapon to fight Climate Change”

When I first heard about World Climate, I was captured by the convincing arguments – such as the one above – shared during the Education Side Events at COP23 in Bonn. Motivated by the positive impacts this simulation has had and as a Global Change Ecology Master student, I decided to share with young future Latin American leaders this learning experience as well.

2. Game participants: Latin American young graduates

With the support of the KAAD (Catholic Academic Exchange Service) and as part of the Latin American Seminar for scholarship holders held from 2nd-4th February 2018, the World Climate simulation was carried out with 32 participants from 13 different countries.

The weekend-long seminar offered cross-sectorial training for Latin Americans studying in Germany. The seminar focused on the topic “El Buen Vivir” or “good living”, an alternative development concept that gathers South American indigenous wisdom to deliver sustainable answers to current social and environmental challenges.

Within this framework, the World Climate simulation aimed to put participants in the spotlight and give them the responsibility to take political decisions that affect mankind’s and nature’s future with the goal of achieving the good common life.

3. Let the game start

The 32 graduate students from 13 different nationalities were divided for the World Climate Simulation into 6 regional groups to represent China, India, European Union, USA, Other developed countries and Other developing countries. The simulation was carried out in the following way: As a facilitator I welcomed participants, introduced them to the C-ROADS model and World Climate simulation. I also made participants aware of the realistic (scientific facts and emotions) and unrealistic (simulated negotiation) elements of the simulation.

The simulation started when I (as facilitator) adopted the role of Patricia Espinosa (UNFCCC) and participants adopted their respective roles as nation’s delegates.

Photos courtesy of: Yasuo Matsuzaki

Overall, the workshop took about 2.5 hours. Key scientific facts about the Climate Change problematic were introduced first with a slide presentation and handouts to participants (materials available here).

There were two negotiation rounds, each of 20 minutes, after which proposals by delegates were collected on a flipchart and then entered in the C-ROADS software. In the first round the negotiations led to a projected temperature by the year 2100 of about 3.1°C, after the second round, negotiations improved the climate outlook with a 2.9°C temperature increase, thus not meeting the expected Paris agreement goals.

After the negotiations the role-play session concluded. Participants gathered in a circle to give their impressions of the session.

A 2.9°C warmer world, can we do better?

The impressions of the session focused on three key questions: (1) How did you feel during the simulation? Weak or powerful? (2) What were your most important learnings? (3) How do you think we could achieve the ambitious climate action?

Participants highlighted the powerful impact the simulation has left on them, as they experienced directly the need for more ambitious political and civil society initiatives. Participants also brainstormed on solutions from their own professional backgrounds, starting with sustainable consumption, trade and markets, education for sustainability and legal and fiscal mechanisms so implement political action.

There is space for improvements

Here I list some aspects for further improvements when running the World Climate simulation

1. Briefing statements could contain more concrete economic facts for region delegates to negotiate better. Sending reading material in advance may also help.
2. Having “developing countries” delegates sitting on the floor to metaphorically refer to unbalanced geopolitical relations may not be the best call. Ask in advance, as participants may take this personally. Alternatively find milder ways of representing power relations in the simulation.
3. Adapt examples of climate change impacts to your audience backgrund. I used Latin American cases, to engage Latin American audience with at-home ongoing issues.

Emotions were key, audience became aware, goal was achieved

As an individual aiming to spread the word for climate action outside the scientific circles, the opportunity to run the World Climate simulation with a very diverse audience was deeply motivating, empowering and touching.

It was truly fantastic to see how, regardless of the professional background, participants would engage and discuss the urgent need to limit global warming by the end of the century in our small simulated world that day.

Professionals from different fields such as international business, history, medicine, law and even philosophy would leave their “comfort zones” for two hours and experiment in the roles of politicians and advocates to decide for what is good for one or for all nations.

Personally speaking, it was touching to see how the message of climate action can and must spread outside the barriers of natural science. I closed that day’s World Climate session by reminding the participants that having a more powerful role in society was in fact not needed, as our position as organized and aware citizens in society is in fact powerful enough.

The World Climate simulation is a strong tool that beyond a climate action narrative, sends out a message of strength and empowerment, especially important for youth leaders from the global south.

Within the framework of the good common life or “Buen vivir”, the lesson learnt as professionals, regardless of the role or position we may have, is that we shall never forget that life on this planet is our highest responsibility and main goal. That is what Climate Action stands for.

Special thanks

The World Climate simulation was possible thanks to the KAAD Catholic Exchange Service support and thanks to the facilitator advices provided by Eduardo Fracassi (ITBA Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, Argentina).

References

• World Climate simulation website
• Facilitator Resources and Materials here
• To play around: C-ROADS online
• KAAD press release here

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