Thematic solutions

Aim

The aim of the thematic solution is to facilitate a shift towards a more plant-based food system from farm to fork that contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing pressures on the environment and improving biodiversity, while at the same time ensuring healthy and safe plant based food that is nutritious, delicious and meets the demands and preferences of consumers.

Description

A third of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be attributed to the food system, and livestock alone accounts for about 20 % of global GHG emissions, when including methane emissions from ruminants, nitrous oxide emissions from feed production, and carbon dioxide emissions from land use change. There is strong scientific evidence that a healthy diet consists primarily of plant-based food, and that plant-based food has significantly lower GHG emissions. The EAT-Lancet Commission has concluded that a predominantly plant-based diet with reduced intake of sugar and red meat could reduce mortality in the adult part of the world population by 19-24 %, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the global food system by 36-66 %. There is thus a double benefit for both health and climate by supporting a shift in agriculture from primarily producing animal feed and animal-based food to predominantly producing plants used directly for human consumption. Furthermore, a more plant-based food production system is more efficient in terms of output per unit area and will have lower impact on biodiversity and water resources. However, it is not simple to change from production and consumption of animal-based foods to plant-based food, and to succeed we need establish strong collaboration across the entire food value chain. We need to apply state-of-the-art breeding technologies and selection methods , and develop sustainable management practices and farming systems to deliver raw materials with stable yield and high nutritional, functional and sensorial quality. We need to create new plant-based food products, and apply state-of-the-art processing technologies to deliver high quality, safe, healthy and sustainable plant-based food products with superior nutrition, texture, flavor and mouthfeel. We need to market the plant-based food products via targeted food and retail service and consumer behavior campaigns to  maximize consumer uptake and make plant-based food the new normal. Finally, we need to develop incentives, support schemes and regulatory measures to ensure the environmental, social and economic sustainability at all stages of the plant-based food value chain.

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Recent advancements in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods can play a significant role in supporting the green transition of societies. AI methods can assist in decision-making and enable more efficient and effective use of resources, reduce emissions, optimize the use of renewable energy sources and enable green jobs in the employment market. While AI has the potential to support the green transition of societies, it is also important to consider its environmental impact as the development and deployment of AI systems require significant amounts of energy. This can result in increased greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change. Further, it is important to consider concerns about bias and discrimination, privacy and security issues, and other ethical implications when developing and deploying AI systems. The aim of this thematic solution will be to collaboratively assess the potentials and risks of using AI methods in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Description

ML/AI methods have made significant progress in recent years and have been applied to a wide range of domains, including healthcare, finance, transportation, entertainment, and more.  By leveraging advanced ML algorithms and big data, AI methods can support more sustainable and efficient practices across a range of scenarios.

The green energy transition involves decision-making at all stages of the process and in all parts of the system. It is of vital importance to develop models and methods that facilitate quantitative analysis and provide decision support tools for control, planning and assessment. One way AI methods can contribute to the green transition is by enabling the integration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power into the energy grid. AI algorithms can optimize the storage and distribution of renewable energy, ensuring that it is used efficiently and effectively. Another way AI methods can also be used is to monitor and analyze environmental data, allowing for early detection and response to environmental risks like pollution, and natural disasters. For example, AI methods can be used to analyze satellite images to track deforestation or estimate carbon storage in trees. AI algorithms can also be used to optimize energy usage and reduce waste in buildings, transportation, and manufacturing. AI methods can analyze data on energy consumption and identify patterns and inefficiencies, allowing for targeted interventions to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, AI methods combined with behavioural science and psychological theory, can be used to better understand the drivers of consumption behaviours captured in digital traces.

As the use of AI methods continues to expand, it is also important to consider its potential environmental impact. The development and deployment of AI systems require significant amounts of energy and resources, which can result in increased greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change. For example, the training and operation of AI models require large amounts of energy (to run computation on data centers). These systems consume large amounts of electricity, which is often generated from non-renewable sources like coal and natural gas. Additionally, the production of AI hardware and equipment requires significant amounts of resources and energy, as well as the extraction of raw materials like metals (embodied emissions).

To mitigate the environmental impact of AI, it is important to reduce the carbon footprint of AI hardware and software. Sustainable AI architectures and algorithms that can achieve similar results with less energy consumption can also be developed. Recycling and proper disposal of e-waste can help reduce the environmental impact of AI hardware and equipment.

The use of AI systems to aid the green transition shall be aligned with the emerging regulatory requirements of their responsible and ethical deployment. The enforcement of this commitment requires the collaboration of various stakeholders, including governments, industry leaders, and civil society groups. The legal framework comprises international, regional and national norms, enforced through both formal sanctions as well as leniency programmes. To unleash the potential of AI to bring significant benefits to the green transition of societies, legal, ethical, and other societal considerations and concerns should be articulated and tackled in a future-proof manner.

Overall, AI has the potential to bring significant benefits to the green transition of societies. By optimizing energy usage, integrating renewable energy sources, and monitoring environmental risks, AI can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the transition to a more sustainable future. This thematic solution which comprises experts from law, social sciences and ML/AI is well positioned to collaborate and use synergy to develop a coherent framework that will proactively tackle the outlined challenges.

The thematic solution is established in collaboration with UCPH SCIENCE AI Centre.

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To facilitate biodiversity conservation through spatial planning that includes setting aside coherent areas for wild nature and simultaneously promote biodiversity and associated benefits to ecosystem services in production landscapes, urban areas and infrastructure at a low economic and social cost to the Danish society.

Description

Sustainability entails co-existence between prosperous human societies and prosperous populations of the millions of other species, with which we share planet Earth. The currently accelerating loss of biodiversity globally calls for new solutions to the old problem of coexistence between humans and nature. The ultimate purpose of this solution is to develop a knowledge base to underpin new societal solutions to this complex problem, with Denmark in focus. The means are cross-disciplinary research on how biodiversity may be accommodated in the intensively used Danish landscape. Society demands knowledge on 1) synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and other societal goods to inform spatial planning and regulation, and 2) efficient nature restoration from current production areas. 3)  Biodiversity facilitation for sustainable plant-based food production. There is great potential for high above- and below-ground functional diversity of both macro- and microorganisms to improve important ecosystem services e.g. pollination of crops, yield stability, and reduction of pesticide use and nutrient run-off.

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BioSolutions is a multidisciplinary approach that seeks to solve complex problems and promote sustainable and efficient agriculture, industrial, food, and ingredient productions by leveraging biological processes or bio-based components. The aim of the UCPH thematic BioSolution is to obtain and disseminate a deep scientific understanding of the complex interactions between nature, social, economic, and environmental systems and innovate multidisciplinary solutions that can address these challenges while promoting sustainable practices and technologies.

Description 

The BioSolutions approach is based on four solution categories: agricultural, industrial, food and ingredient, and environmental solutions. In the agricultural sector, BioSolutions involve breeding plant varieties to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, upcycling side streams from industry and agriculture, refining animal feed, and developing biofertilizers and plant Biologicals. These solutions aim to promote sustainable and efficient agriculture by reducing waste, increasing efficiency, and conserving resources.

In the industrial sector, BioSolutions involve converting biomass into biofuels, bioplastics, and other renewable materials, producing biocatalysts to increase efficiency, reduce waste, lower energy consumption, and produce biodegradable materials from renewable sources. These solutions aim to promote sustainable industrial practices and reduce the environmental impact of industrial processes.

In the food and ingredient sector, BioSolutions involve utilizing conventional and precision fermentation processes to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance product quality. Precision fermentation techniques are used to produce alternative proteins that are sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective. BioSolutions also include utilizing microbial cultures to enhance nutrient absorption and bioavailability of food products and promote health benefits.

In the environmental sector, BioSolutions involve bioremediation to filter or degrade contaminated soil and groundwater, bioremediation of pollutants from air or water, biofiltering for constructed wetlands, and biological and natural processes to recycle and conserve resources. These solutions aim to promote sustainable environmental practices and reduce the environmental impact of human activities.

From social science and humanity perspectives, BioSolutions recognize the importance of human behavior and decision-making in achieving sustainability goals. It involves understanding the social, cultural, and economic factors that influence the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies. For example, BioSolutions could involve working with farmers to understand their needs and preferences when developing new plant varieties or promoting the use of biofertilizers.

In addition, BioSolutions also recognize the role of law and policy in achieving sustainability goals. It involves understanding the legal frameworks and regulatory systems that govern the use of biological processes and biotechnology. BioSolutions could involve advocating for policy changes to promote the adoption of sustainable practices or ensuring that the use of biotechnology is regulated in a way that protects human health and the environment, but at the same time tries to create legal frameworks and administrative procedures, that live up to the ambition in EU's Green Deal Industrial Plan to secure "a predictable coherent and simplified regulatory environment". 

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This thematic solution aims to support a fundamental change in how we view, value, and use carbon resources in society. This involves the capture and storage of fossil and biogenic CO2 emissions while simultaneously completely switching from fossil-based to atmospheric-based carbon supplies such as biogenic carbon derived from the natural carbon cycle and the atmosphere.

The thematic solution will support the development and maturation of methods, concepts, and technologies to capture, use and store CO2 from point sources and the atmosphere. The thematic solution focuses on both fossil, atmospheric and biogenic sources for carbon and aims to ensure that we obtain societal carbon neutrality and, in the long run, ensure a carbon-negative society where we efficiently pull CO2 out of the atmosphere. Further, the thematic solution will combine natural science with societal and humanitarian understanding in order to ensure that solutions for carbon capture and storage are truly sustainable in the sense that societal, environmental and economic aspects are taken care of.

Description

The goals of the Paris Agreement can only be achieved with the removal and storage of CO2 (IPCC Sixth Assessment Report). The thematic solution combines all possible sources for carbon removal from the atmosphere and storage as well as the use of carbon in society. The work has 3 main areas:

Biological carbon capture and storage

Natural biological systems capture atmospheric carbon by photosynthesis. Storage in biomass and ecosystems, therefore, naturally contributes to the storage of carbon. The storage is strongly affected by land management options such as plant selection, soil and crop management and the end use of the biomass produced. There are 3 main ways ecosystems and biomass help to store carbon: 1) Ecosystems with long-living standing biomass, such as forests, store carbon in the biomass. Management and expansion of such areas can therefore act to increase carbon storage, e.g. by afforestation. The research activities focus on how we can grow and manage ecosystems to optimize carbon storage, including the use of afforestation. 2) Soils in natural and managed ecosystems store carbon in recalcitrant organic material. This can be naturally by the accumulation of undecomposed carbon in soils and by actively applying and increasing carbon in the soil, for example, via biochar. Research activities focus on the preservation of natural soil carbon content and on all aspects of using biochar in forests and agriculture as a way to increase soil carbon content and carbon storage. And finally, 3) use of plant material to store carbon in society in long-lived, biobased products for use in buildings and infrastructure. Such products can also replace energy-intensive products such as steel, concrete, and mineral wool, which are made from limited, non-renewable resources. The research focus is on plant material characteristics for long-lived use and solutions to reuse, recycle and increase the application areas and lifetime of biomass use in societal applications. Furthermore, biomass can contribute to negative emissions in relation to geological CCS if CO2 from biogenic origin in waste incineration and industrial processes is captured and stored underground. 

Geological carbon capture and storage

Geological environments and materials provide some of the largest and most robust options for permanent CO2 storage. Potential solutions include a broad range of concepts at various levels of technological readiness, and all of them involve some level of human intervention in nature or require societal acceptance. Some technologies, such as CO2 storage in the underground, are proven and implemented in other countries but must be adapted to specific conditions in Denmark: Can oil fields in the North Sea be turned into CO2 storage sites? Which areas on land are optimal storage sites, and what determines societal acceptance of such solutions? How can storage sites be effectively and economically monitored to ensure safe storage? Other technologies involve natural processes in which CO2 is captured and incorporated into minerals permanently. Some of these technologies are theoretically well understood but in very early stages of development and therefore require scientific maturation. Others are, at present only concepts that require basic theoretical and experimental testing. The work in this thematic solution involves the scientific maturation of concepts and technologies, from basic to applied research, and investigations of the societal aspects related to CO2 storage. The latter includes juridical considerations related to CO2 storage regulation as well as an examination of how CCS, more generally, might define the scope of green transition policies and, thus, the extent to which communities and individuals need to change patterns of consumption and behaviour.

SSH aspects

Developing CCS technologies and methods and increasing the use of biomass and carbon storage in natural environments may have consequences for land use, the environment and biodiversity, and CCS involving large-scale infrastructures to transport CO2 and storage underground may affect people's livelihoods. Such aspects must be fully taken care of in order to ensure that CCUS is conducted in a sustainable way. Furthermore, the development and implementation of the full range of CCUS solutions may require a range of regulatory and market stimulation actions. Consequently, the thematic solution involves cross-disciplinary research to look at societal and humanitarian aspects as well as environment and biodiversity.

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The aim of this Thematic Solution is to discuss and research degrowth strategies and make research knowledge about degrowth widely available within and beyond UCPH.

Description

We live in a time of multiple global crises: climate breakdown, biodiversity collapse, widespread inequality, and rising authoritarianism. These interlinked crises stem from the economic growth imperative of the patriarchal capitalist economic system that has wreaked havoc on socio-ecological systems around the world, and from the hegemonic Western perspective of humans as separate from, and superior, to the rest of nature.

It is more obvious than ever that we need alternatives for how human groups organize economies, communities, and societies. In the context of especially more affluent countries, the degrowth movement of researchers and activists (not mutually exclusive) has come forth over several decades  to support the transformation of societies to ensure environmental and ecological justice and a good life for all, including humans and other species. Degrowth stands in sharp contrast to economic recession - which is a consequence of growth-addicted economies that structurally fail to address social and ecological goals when in crisis. Instead, degrowth is the managed and equitable downscaling of resource and energy use in overgrown economies, in order to bring some human groups back into balance with the natural world, while improving well-being for all, starting with the most vulnerable among us today. Degrowing societies require radical redistribution, reduction in the material size of the global economy, and a shift in common values towards care, solidarity and autonomy. 

This Thematic Solution spans all 6 faculties of UCPH and explores – among others – decarbonization, biodiversity, decolonization, poverty alleviation, and expanded democratic practices as paths to degrowth.

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This thematic solution aims to help develop ways of preventing food loss and waste along the food supply chain – from the primary production sector to households.

Description

Food waste has received a lot of attention in recent years among consumers, organizations, businesses, and politicians. There is widespread agreement that food waste needs to be prevented in order to preserve natural as well as economic resources, both locally and globally. This ambition is also expressed in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 12 on responsible consumption and production and specifically target SDG 12.3: “By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses”.

However, according to the latest report from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2021), 814,000 tons of food waste are generated annually in Denmark. The discrepancy between good intentions on the one hand and the considerable amount of food waste on the other indicates that food waste is a complex societal problem that must be explored and targeted from multiple perspectives to be addressed effectively.

Food loss and waste occurs at every stage along the food supply chain and therefore involves a wide range of stakeholders, including suppliers, producers, processors, distributors, retailers, food service providers, and consumers. A considerable part of the total amount of food waste is generated towards the end of the value chain. In Denmark, the retail sector accounts for approximately 12 % of the total amount of food waste, while consumers account for approximately 30 %. There is, therefore, significant potential in attempting to combat the food waste that arises precisely between consumers and retailers, but there is a need to also include other parts of the food value chain, including both commercial and institutional catering.

Successfully combating food waste as a complex societal problem requires the collaboration of scholars and scientists from various disciplines, including scholars in the humanities, social scientists, environmental scientists, agricultural scientists, food scientists, economists as well as legal, policy and governance experts. Additionally, non-academic stakeholders such as politicians, government agencies, food industry professionals, farmers, retailers, consumer organizations, food upcycling companies and waste management companies play crucial roles. Collaboration among these stakeholders is essential for a comprehensive approach to combat food waste, considering social, environmental, economic, educational regulatory and technological dimensions.

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Sustainably managed forests are central as part of the circular solutions and the green transition as part of solutions to climate change. The aim is to provide knowledge and tools to support sustainable, climate adapted forests and afforestation for multiple products and services.

Description

The theme will addresses the need for interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research at the interface of trees, forests, products, ecosystem services and society. This will combine research groups and provide essential knowledge for green solutions. Initial focus areas will be:

• Tress of the forest: The Adaptation, resilience, carbon uptake of trees and the role of species-genes and species-species interactions, addressing trees in the urban-rural interface as well as in forest landscapes. This influences existing forests as well as afforestation.
• Products from the forest: Ensuring knowledge and guidance on sustainable wood and biomass production, extraction and certification, transparent supply chains from tree to final product.
• The acts of balance: By stressing the ecosystem functioning, including biodiversity, water & water catchments, nutrients, soil, GHG & BVOCs the research will support the balance and sustainability. This will provide input to forest management, tools for deciding on integration or separation of functions and services, protocols and documentation for state and development.
• Societal effects of trees: Numerous societal interests are related to forests and trees. The ideational preunderstandings, perceptions and expectations of forests and trees influence potential as well as implemented management. This is reflected in history and in current use of forests for recreation.

Pivotal to forestry solutions to climate change will be cooperation and implementation in practice, with landowners, forest managers, investors as well as users. There is an urgent need for knowledge and a need for long-term perspective, to realize the benefit of the forestry solutions to climate change.

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Our aim is to deliver science-based solutions to the human health issues inherent in the green transition. We offer cross-disciplinary solutions to problems related to physical, mental and social wellbeing in connection with current threats associated with modern lifestyle, urbanization, environmental degradation and climate change. The solutions embrace the transformation needed, taking into consideration the multiple dimensions of everyday life at the individual and societal level.

Description

The green transition is inextricably linked to human health and environmental sustainability. The green transformation encompasses opportunities for the health system to encompass behavioral and environmental risk factors in a more sustainable direction by targeting actions towards lower daily exposures, including food supplies, physical activity, water and air quality and lower pollutant emissions.

Recognizing that food practices are entangled in everyday lives and modifiable through a multitude of individual and societal determinants, we seek to further the understanding of solutions that ensure more plant-based diets to be health promoting, nutrient adequate, culturally acceptable, and economic affordable. Solutions to promoting active forms of commuting, spending leisure time and living healthily and sustainably will be undertaken. Further, negative mental health consequences of living in a time of ecological crisis including dimensions of grief and mourning as part of contemporary culture will be explored. Sustainable solutions resulting in improved quality of ambient air and water will be delivered.

Health benefits of behavioral, societal and green transitions require consistent changes in consumer behavior in everyday life and changes in the conditions in society for how people live. Such changes are not successful unless the traditional individual-focused policy tools are supplemented with institutional and socio-cultural actions. The green transition can provide new solutions and opportunities for a further understanding of consumer behavior, since changes of behavioral routines necessitate support for a normalizing of an alternative greener and healthier behavior. It can also provide an understanding of the interplay between social, cultural and structural frameworks and individual behavior. As the current health and food systems are raising concerns about human rights to a safe, clean, healthy and socially sustainable cities and environment encompassing food, water and air, we suggest applying a comprehensive cross sectorial and human rights-based approach to promote equality of opportunities for people to live a healthy life.

The solutions to future sustainable and healthy living have the potential to optimize human health, defined as physical, mental and social wellbeing and to reduce risk of lifestyle diseases and mental health consequences of living in a time of ecological crisis. This has important implications for global warming, for human beings and for the future of children and young people around the world.

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Provide solutions for the area-related problems in relation to the preservation of biodiversity, sustainable food production, climate adaptation and reduction of GHG emmissions, along with human health and wellbeing.

Description

Many of our main global challenges as expressed in SDGs have area related issues, i.e. problems and solutions are related to how the land resource is allocated to various purposes. In most countries there is a strong competition among land interests such as production, recreation, urban development, nature conservation etc. There is a strong and urgent need to redefine and reallot land resources in the light of the three big crises; climate, food and biodiversity. This challenge is only solved by multidisciplinary inputs from academic fields such as law, spatial planning, economy, biology, geography, agronomy, hydrology, human health and many others. The choice between land sharing (functional integration) and land sparring (functional segregation) is pivotal in the green transition facing the global society.

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To access green and sustainable chemical solutions converting renewable energy and greenhouse gases to essential chemicals. 

Description

Anthropogenic CO₂ emission is seemingly difficult to diminish in the near future and, therefore, CO₂-capture, sequestration and utilization should be employed to moderate atmospheric CO₂. This will be a viable option when it is coupled with renewable energy sources. With forthcoming grid-connected renewable energy systems, it is imperative to equip the industry with sustainable and environmentally friendly chemical processes. Research groups at the Department of Chemistry have been focused in investigating and developing new energy efficient and environmentally friendly chemical processes in diverse perspectives: catalysis, recognition, capture, organic synthesis, materials chemistry, theoretical calculation and atmospheric chemistry. The ultimate and combined goal is to deploy novel and green chemical solutions, overcoming the limitation of traditional chemical processes by converting renewable electricity and greenhouse gases to immobilized forms of CO₂ and essential chemicals for civilization. 

Jiwoong Lee, Mikael Bols, Michael Pittelkow, Jan Rossmeisl, Kirsten Marie Ørnsbjerg Jensen, Maria Escudero Escribano, Henrik Kjærgaard, Matthew Johnson.

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Jiwoong Lee
Department of Chemistry
Faculty of SCIENCE

E-mail: jiwoong.lee@chem.ku.dk 
Phone: +45 35333312

Aim

The main aim of the network is to identify sustainable solutions to decrease GHG emissions from agricultural soils while controlling adverse effects and optimizing co-benefits of changed land management.

Description

Controlling greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils constitutes the single largest greenhouse gas emission reduction potential in Denmark. Emissions derive from two main sources: Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from poorly drained, yet still cultivated and fertilized fields, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from drained organic wetlands. Changing the use of these soils has a significant potential to reduce GHG-emissions, because set-aside and rewetting can lead to cost-effective emission reductions while simultaneously delivering other environmental benefits. For measures to be effective, the emission rates from different combinations of soils and land management should be known in detail. Such knowledge presumes research on temporal and spatial variation in emissions (CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O), the underlying climatic, biophysical and biogeochemical processes, wetness/drainage status of soils, and the impact of land use management on emissions. Further, re-wetting organic lowland soils can carry positive and adverse effects downstream, e.g. eutrophication due to nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron leaching, but the magnitude and potential harm to the aquatic environment varies in space.

Knowledge on these factors is largely absent in Denmark, where the national emission inventories are based on the IPCC's standard emission factors and other estimated factors. Consequently, more accurate emission factors must be developed, and effects on the aquatic environment and biodiversity must be quantified in order to guide decision-makers and to target reduction measures where they have the greatest climate effect and fewest side effects - also in a future where the effects of a wetter climate is largely unknown.

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The overall aim is to provide research-based solutions to accelerate the transition to sustainable agro-ecological production, food systems and healthy diets in the Global South.

Description

Sustainable and climate friendly agricultural food systems are essential to reduce the environmental footprint and ensure food security globally. Agro-ecology refers to production systems that are sustainable and regenerative by optimizing use of local natural resources, biological crop protections, diversifying crops, recycling nutrients and water. Agro-ecology represents a transformation of the monoculture paradigm towards more biodiverse and resilient agricultural systems. It requires expansion, processing, distribution and consumption of new food products and the design and implementation of novel circular value chains. It also requires a focus on nutritional quality of diets which is the main underlying cause of malnutrition in populations living in poverty. Particularly for children, improving the nutrient composition and bioavailability in traditional diets is essential to prevent long-term consequences of early childhood malnutrition.

Sustainable agro-ecological solutions combines research and innovation in traditional and new crops, food safety and security, food processing technologies, green biocontrol, human nutrition, new value chains, livelihoods, ecosystem services, water management and climate change mitigation. Our solutions will make a significant contribution to combat poverty (SDG 1), hunger (SDG 2), and land degradation (SDG 15) in order to promote good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), sustainable communities (SDG 11) as well as responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). 

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Identify what is needed – in terms of technologies, economy, productquality, and societal values – for a future climate neutral animal production and facilitate interdisciplinary solutions to curb environmental impacts of beef, pork, chicken, egg and dairy production.

Description

Livestock farming systems provide a range of benefits, including provision of protein-rich food, employment, landscape aesthetic value, and cultural identity. However, contemporary animal production systems come with a number of environmental challenges. This includes greenhouse gas emission, leakage of biogeochemical compounds - especially N and P, soy import, land use, and negative impacts on biodiversity. These challenges cannot be ignored, especially as we live in a world where we must expect an increased demand for animal based products due to a growing world population and improved purchasing power in large parts of the world.

Solutions to the environmental challenges in animal production are far from simple and multiple strategies must be explored. On one hand, new technologies, genetic improvement, big data, artificial intelligence and precision livestock farming may decrease input requirements, increase output, and reduce waste, emission and leakage. Hereby we may create a top-tuned efficient industry. On the other hand, extensive production systems based on a “reduced input - reduced output” philosophy and use of alternative feed resources combined with changes in societal values and consumer demands may be another answer to the challenges. Or maybe the best answer is somewhere in between and includes the best of several strategies.

The Thematic Green Solution “Sustainable Animal Production” is designed to explore different scenarios and strategies but also to develop new methods and technologies, qualify them and implement innovative solutions.

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The aim of the network is to address the governance challenges of green transition in comprehensive and transdisciplinary terms. Particular focus is given to basic socio-political science research collaborations and how these might intersect with sector- and technology-specific endeavors devoted to green transition governance. 

Description

Spanning across social sciences, humanities, law and natural-technical sciences, this network seeks to develop new comprehensive and transdisciplinary approaches to the governance challenges of green transition. Green transition governance comprises the means of exercising control over, steering, or directing society and its organizations, institutions, and practices in the process towards en- hanced sustainability. The network is organized around four sub-themes of transition governance:

1. socio-technical transition networks and partnerships
2. new institutions of deliberation and in- clusive decision-making
3. civil society participation and experimentation in reform nexuses
4. cultural models of transition in-between expert planners and citizens. Overall, the network will lay the foundation for cross-cutting as well as more sector-specific future research collaborations. 

The network is hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences (as part of the Center for Sustainability and Society), together with partners at the Faculties of Science, Humanities, and Law. The cross-cutting nature of the network has the potential to build new transdisciplinary research competencies and strongholds, as well as to feed into and inform more sector- and technology-specific green research endeavors. 

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The aim of this thematic solution is to accelerate the transition towards use of sustainable resources and technologies in all areas of drug discovery, development, and manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, additives, and excipients.

Description

Drug discovery, development, and manufacturing relies heavily on chemicals from the petrochemical industry. Thus, to reach the goals agreed upon in the Paris agreement - and not least to meet customer expectations - there is a strong need for a green transition in the pharmaceutical industry. The list of research topics includes but is not limited to:

From waste and underutilized resources to pharmaceutical products. Approximately 30% of all food ends up as waste, and resource-efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of protein-rich food and agricultural waste will allow a sustainable production of bioactive peptides for metabolic and infectious diseases.

Bioactive natural products. For certain therapeutic areas nature has directly or indirectly provided up to 70% of all drugs, and future emphasis should be on discovery of bioactive natural products and sustainable production of these via engineered microorganisms.

Green technology development. This includes i) discovery of specialized enzymes for chemoenzymatic synthesis of APIs, ii) miniaturization and use of sustainably produced solvents in analytical chemistry, and iii) green production using continuous manufacturing technologies.

Circular pharmaceuticals. Efficient product design and pharmaceutical policy making to ensure circulation of material used for packaging and delivery devices as well as maximal recovery of unused medicine.

From laboratory experiments to data science. Data science and computer simulations can substitute or at least decrease the amount of laboratory experiments to perform.

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We aim to generate transdisciplinary research, design, and engagement for more sustainable urban development in Denmark and beyond to support national and global green transitions.   

Description

We live in an urbanized world with over half of the global population situated in cities. Denmark is no exception with over 80% of the population living in urban settlements.  As such, cities are both the sites of environmental challenges as well as environmental solutions.  Their impact on climate and resource consumption transcends their own geographical borders. Research shows that cities present a key opportunity to meet the global sustainability goals. Their transformation, renewal, development, and organization is crucial for the green transition as it relates to energy, resources and minerals, climate change, biodiversity and food production. At the same time, urban settlements must be attractive and liveable for humans, support cultural identity, social cohesion, innovation, and economic prosperity.

Green urban solutions are diverse and transdisciplinary. They range from sustainable transportation supported by multifunctional and dense urban structures, to heritage-sensitive transformation, to sustainable construction, to urban farming, to robust and circular supply chains, to smart urban farming, to nature-based climate adaptation, to biodiverse green spaces, to accessible and attractive urban spaces, to equitable and participatory decision processes. Decision makers are calling for a rapid green societal transition, yet we lack science, data visualization, and computation to develop systemic solutions.

The University of Copenhagen provides new insights into solutions for green urban transitions. We bring together transdisciplinary research across a broad range of disciplines with the goal to enhance decision making and science communication from local to global scales.

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