At HeiGIT, the recently established Climate Action team is a group of dedicated professionals of diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise working together to drive impactful environmental solutions. The climate crisis is one of the most urgent challenges for society, and its impacts are becoming increasingly severe. However, there is a large gap between awareness about climate change and concrete societal actions. To close this gap, the Climate Action Team provides actionable data analyses and tools to citizens and decision-makers in form of a dashboard, which features a number of indicators for potential climate action. Our team members bring unique skills and expertise to ensure we effectively address the pressing challenges of climate change. Meet the team and discover everything from their motivation to their vision for the future:
Maciej, Moritz, Veit, Dominik, Maria, Charlie, Jonas
The Motivation
Choosing a career in Climate Action often stems from a mix of personal experiences, academic interests, and a sense of responsibility. Here are some stories from team members about what sparked their interest in this crucial field.
Maria, who is responsible for science management and research, found her motivation through a shift from academic research to applied impact. “After a while, I felt that, as the climate crisis was increasing, I wanted to work somewhere more applied, where (hopefully) we can make a difference”. This transition from purely scientific work to practical applications underscores her desire to contribute directly to solutions in the face of the escalating climate crisis.
Similarly, the urgency of the climate crisis played a significant role in Veit’s decision to focus on Climate Action. As he puts it, “the climate crisis is here, it is urgent, and we need to act now”. As a developer for the Climate Action dashboard, Veit is in a position to explore opportunities for impactful improvements while researching and developing potential plugins. As Ashwin, our Front-End Developer, notes: “Given the current state of the world, addressing climate change feels like a top priority—something upon which every other purpose in life depends”. This perspective emphasizes the critical role of climate action, not just as an abstract concern but as a pressing issue that underpins all other endeavors, driving our mission to offer stakeholders concrete solutions to combat environmental threats.
In a more personal and philosophical reflection, Jonas’ journey was shaped by a profound realization about the fragility of our planet. “One of my personal key insights was how fortunate the conditions are that make our Earth habitable and how fragile this system is”. This understanding of Earth’s uniqueness and vulnerability inspired a shift from studying distant exoplanets to focusing on protecting our own planet.
Lastly, a significant moment of inspiration came from observing global efforts in climate action. For Satvik, one of the student assistants, an appearance by Bhutan’s Prime Minister on TV sparked his interest in the topic. “A few years back, I watched a talk by Tshering Tobgay, where he explained how Bhutan has achieved carbon-negative status. This inspired me to pursue a career in climate action, with a particular focus on integrating it with Information Technology”. The story of Bhutan’s climate policies provided a concrete example for him of what is possible and fueled his desire to contribute to similar impactful initiatives.
In our team, the drive to pursue a career in Climate Action is often fueled by a blend of personal experiences, academic insights, and the urgent need to address climate challenges. Whether through shifting focus from theory to practice, responding to global examples, or recognizing the fragility of our environment, these motivations highlight the shared commitment of our team to making a meaningful difference.
How the Team Hopes Their Work in Climate Action Will Make a Difference
In the field of Climate Action, making a tangible difference requires a resourceful approach. Read up on the ways our team members hope to impact the field and the areas they are most passionate about.
One key goal of the whole team is to empower stakeholders with the right tools and data. “I hope my work in Climate Action will make a difference by empowering practitioners and scientists with the data and tools they need to address climate challenges effectively”, says Maciej, a guest researcher who has been heavily involved in creating the necessary infrastructure behind our dashboard. For him, this includes leveraging advanced technologies and ensuring that solutions are both effective and environmentally sustainable. Sebastián, data scientist at HeiGIT, adds to that in pointing out that information alone is not enough, but rather “synthesizing and communicating it to motivate more ambitious and effective climate action” is key, although it can be a limiting factor as well.
Another significant aspect is improving urban environments through targeted interventions. Veit hopes “that our high-resolution data will help city and traffic planners make decisions accelerating their cities‘ path to net zero”. By focusing on practical improvements such as increasing walkability and bikeability, the team aims to create more sustainable and resilient cities. Charlie, PhD student and plugin developer, also wants to focus on changes on a smaller scale. He hopes “to facilitate the transition to climate adaptation at the local level, because reliance on larger dynamics to drive change hinders cities and neighborhoods to act quickly”.
The integration of technology in climate action is also a key focus. Satvik, for example, is very “passionate about exploring the potential of computer science in advancing climate action”. This includes using computational tools to address specific issues like heat stress in urban areas, which can have significant impacts on public health and city planning.
Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on collaboration with external partners to bridge gaps between science and practical application. Maria points out that “our approach of working together with partners, trying to bridge science and in-the-field expertise makes a difference”. This collaborative approach aims to bring theoretical knowledge into real-world action, making it more accessible and actionable.
In summary, our work in Climate Action is driven by the desire to empower key stakeholders with effective tools, improve urban sustainability, harness advanced technologies, and foster collaboration. These efforts collectively aim to drive meaningful and impactful change in both local and global contexts.
Current and Planned Indicators on Our Dashboard
The reflection on our current and planned indicators shows a range of perspectives and aspirations from different team members. Here’s how they feel about the indicators and the topics they are passionate about:
One perspective is the importance of understanding and addressing complex topics through our indicators. Emily, plugin developer and team ambassador, asserts that “the current indicators can be a valuable tool to make complex topics more graspable and understandable to a broad range of stakeholders”. She is particularly interested in extending functionality to include public transit, which could enhance the information flow our dashboard can provide.
Kirsten, outreach and partner manager, highlights the significance of our focus on active mobility. “Our indicators can help city and traffic planners (or other stakeholders) to find fast, effective, and low-cost measures to give people choices they didn’t have before”. She is referring to the “lock-in effect” that forces people to use cars and believes that providing alternatives can make a substantial impact on urban mobility.
Expanding our indicators to cover new areas is also a priority for many of our team members. Veit proposes “to create indicators for building energy consumption, green roofs, and the presence of photovoltaic panels”. This reflects a desire common among team members to not only improve existing indicators but also explore new domains that can further contribute to sustainability.
Given Jonas‘ background as an astronomer, he is passionate about addressing light pollution. “For me, the topic of light pollution is very important. Reducing unnecessary and inefficient lighting at night can save energy, improve quality of life, and protect nature”. He identifies this as an area with significant potential for new indicators that can contribute to broader environmental goals.
The need to address urban challenges is another topic of interest for our team members. For Anna, currently doing an internship in our group, “it is particularly important to record the efforts made by cities in relation to urban flooding and heatwaves.” Meanwhile, Ingolf, another research assistant in the team, hopes that generally “thermal investigations for hot spots in the city via drone flight missions can yield an effective dataset to support the city administration”. This indicates a commitment to developing indicators that reflect and respond to local environmental conditions and challenges.
Furthermore, the team recognizes the value in expanding the indicators to future scenarios. Dominik, also a research assistant, is sure that “our close work with stakeholders enables us to create very fit-for-purpose indicators. Creating projections of potential future scenarios would be an impressive feature”. Forward-looking indicators can help cities prepare for and mitigate current and future climate impacts.
Each of these perspectives underscores a commitment to enhancing the usefulness and scope of our indicators, ensuring they are relevant and impactful for various aspects of climate action.
Overcoming Challenges in a Climate Action Role
Taking on a role in climate action can be both fulfilling and overwhelming, as the urgency of the task is clear, but the path forward is often slow and filled with obstacles. These responses highlight the challenges the team faces in this field and how we plan to tackle them.
One of the biggest hurdles is the immense pressure that comes from understanding the dire need for societal transformation. “I feel that it’s constantly not enough,” a sentiment echoed by many working in climate action, is brought up by Maciej. This challenge is compounded by the overwhelming sense that we need to “come to the rescue of the world”, as Kirsten fittingly puts it, which feels both exhausting and unrealistic. However, Kirsten, Maciej, and all the other team members feel that the key to managing this pressure is to focus on their personal contributions and identify specific leverage points where individual efforts can be most effective. For Charlie this also includes keeping an open mind and truly listen to partners the team is working with, to minimize miscommunication and create a more effective collaborative environment.
Additionally, overcoming the incremental nature of climate action presents a significant challenge. As Dominik explains, “there is a significant chance that we will only be able to contribute incrementally to the solution of the whole problem of Climate (In-)Action. This, of course, is better than nothing, but it is hard to accept”. Overcoming this requires similar techniques to managing the pressure that Maciej feels; focusing on making small, well-targeted changes that eventually accumulate to a bigger change. Some team members feel that, outside of the corporate context, contributions to society in other ways, such as through voluntary work, can also make a meaningful difference.
Another major concern is the difficulty of influencing stakeholders, who often act only after the impacts of climate change become undeniable. Anna noted that “it can be challenging to persuade stakeholders to implement preventive measures rather than responding reactively”. This reactive mindset hinders proactive climate strategies, making it even more crucial to focus on demonstrating the long-term benefits of early intervention and fostering collaborations with partners who share this vision.
Despite the challenges, the team highlights the need to focus on both individual and collective efforts, collaborate across teams and sectors, and improve communication strategies to address the obstacles in climate action. As Sebastián aptly notes, „inaction is not […] an option anymore,“ underscoring the limited alternatives to the strategies already mentioned.
In an Ideal World: Visions for a Sustainable Future
Imagining the future of our world often brings up dreams of sustainability, equity, and harmony between humanity and the planet. The following responses paint a collective vision of a world where climate action, inclusivity, and innovation work hand in hand to address the global challenges we face today.
One vision is a world free from war, poverty, and injustice, where political and economic systems take coherent actions to combat climate change and mass extinction. Ingolf urges, drastically, “to overcome the human arrogance of feeling like dominators of nature”. While you can argue that this kind of wake-up call for humanity is needed, Kirsten first and foremost wants to live up to her ideal as best as she can, through research, education, and collaborating with climate action teams to empower others. For her, the key to achieving this vision can be found in partnerships and collective efforts to inform and enable citizens to take action.
Similarly, Moritz, backend developer, highlights the interconnected nature of global challenges, emphasizing the need for transparency, trust, and accountability in building a more just future. “As a consumer, voter, and member of society, I should be able to retrieve information easily and trust the sources”. The hope is that this level of transparency will hold governments and corporations accountable, ensuring that sustainability becomes the core principle in decision-making processes. He believes that contributing to accessible and reliable information is a crucial step in building public trust, a foundation for positive change.
On a smaller scale, Ashwin envisions “communities that are self-sustaining, connected, and conscious; cities are designed around human needs rather than cars, and where the balance between development and the environment is no longer a trade-off”. He hopes that by empowering people and organizations with the right tools and insights, he can play a part in shaping a more sustainable and conscious future.
These hopes, dreams, and visions underscore the idea that building a sustainable future requires significant change, collaboration, and a deep commitment to addressing climate issues. While each person’s role may differ, the common thread is the hope that by contributing to collective efforts, we can build a world that ensures the well-being of future generations.
Get Involved and Make a Difference
These stories highlight the many ways individuals are working to protect our planet. Whether it’s through careers, advocacy, or daily choices, every action counts. Start where you are and never forget our goal – a better world without injustices and crises. Share these insights, engage with your community, and take a step—no matter how small—toward a sustainable future.
If you are interested in our work, want to collaborate with us, or help develop new tools, contact Kirsten at kirsten.vonelverfeldt@heigit.org.