Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT
Achieving the SDGs with Biodiversity
SWISS ACADEMIES FACTSHEETS, Vol. 16, No 1, 2021
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) charts a new path of balance for humanity and the planet. The highly interconnected SDGs will only be achieved in their entirety through transformative changes in our societies. Recent studies on the interactions between the SDGs identify the conservation of biodiversity as one of the most potent levers to achieve sustainability. The biodiversity-focused SDGs 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land) emerge as multipliers of co-benefits across the goals. This factsheet aims to explain the importance of biodiversity for implementing all SDGs and to provide decision makers with options and entry points for transformative change.
Obrecht A, Pham-Truffert M, Spehn E et al (2021) Achieving the SDGs with Biodiversity. Swiss Academies Factsheet 16 (1).
Swiss Young Academy SYA
Compassionate Science - Integrating Empathy and Compassion in Research
This report explores how empathy and compassion shape research practices across disciplines. Drawing on a review of existing literature and illustrative examples from early-career researchers, it shows that empathy and compassion are not abstract ideals but practical dimensions of research that can influence study design, relationships, data interpretation, and knowledge translation. Across fields, integrating these dimensions can strengthen trust, deepen understanding, improve collaboration, and enhance ethical reflexivity.
Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences a+
STEM 2026: Where Switzerland stands today
Twelve years on from the first STEM Youth Barometer, the new 2026 edition reveals that interest in STEM has remained largely stable, stereotypes persist, and women underestimate their own abilities. At the same time, the findings are more nuanced than expected and point to clear areas for improvement.
Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT
Beyond the transaction: commodity trade and sustainable development
This factsheet maps the sustainability links of commodity trade, identifies knowledge gaps, and outlines options for commodity hubs, including Switzerland, to reduce economic, environmental and social sustainability risks.