Water Research for Sustainable Development
Sustainability has been a key focus at Eawag for a long time – and not only since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. Eawag researcher Christoph Lüthi, for one, has been working in this field for many years.
Switzerland is facing mounting pressure on its water resources, and consequently, on entire ecosystems, due to recurrent dry summers, pesticides contaminating groundwater, and a significant decline in biodiversity. These pressures have adverse effects on many aspects of daily life, not least on health and energy generation. In the face of climate change, the sustainable management of water, often referred to as "blue gold", is growing in importance in Switzerland as well as in other countries. The significance of water as both a valuable resource and an ecosystem is acknowledged by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Within this framework, the United Nations has formulated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to which Switzerland has pledged its commitment. These SDGs are not only relevant to politics, administration and the economy, but are also pertinent in the realm of research. “We align ourselves to these goals, and so make a valuable contribution towards their achievement through our work,” says Christoph Lüthi. “At this year's Info Day, we’ll be showing visitors exactly how Eawag goes about doing so.”