Looking for inspiring summer reads? Our ETH Ambassadors have spent the first half of 2026 exploring climate change from multiple perspectives, from global energy policy and planetary boundaries to Alpine hazards, drought research and institutional climate action.

This Summer Reading List brings together six stories that highlight how students, researchers and communities are responding to one of the greatest challenges of our time. Whether you are interested in science, policy, technology or human resilience, these articles offer fresh insights and personal perspectives from across the ETH community.

1. CERAWeek 2026: Shaping the Energy Future during a Global Energy Crisis

“Only strong and consistent policy frameworks will enable achieving climate targets.”

Three ETH students, Vivian Chen, Benedikt Buhk and Florian Marco Možina, travel to Houston to attend one of the world’s most influential energy conferences. Their reflections offer a behind-the-scenes look at global debates on energy security, climate policy and the role of academia in shaping the future of energy.

Read the article.

2. When Johan Speaks, You Listen

Are We Still Operating Within Earth’s Safe Limits?

In this article, Viktoria Österdahl reflects on a remarkable Global Lecture at ETH Zürich featuring leading climate scientist Johan Rockström and ETH Assistant Professor Millie Chapman, exploring one of the defining questions of our time: how do we keep humanity within a safe operating space on our planet?

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3. EAGLE Hackathon at SLF: Mass Movement Detection in the Alps

What happens when students from different disciplines come together to tackle real-world challenges in the Alps?

In our latest ETH Ambassadors Blog, ETH Zürich students Bhawana Bhawana, Lilian Obrist and Sujani Mugunthan share their experience of detecting mass movements posing a risk for infrastructure and people living in alpine regions as part of the EAGLE Hackathon project at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL in Davos.

Read the article.

4. Net Zero Day: What Institutional Climate Action Looks Like from the Inside

What does climate action actually look like behind the scenes of a university?

Climate action is often discussed in abstract terms. In this article, Sebastian Kahlert shows what it looks like in practice at ETH Zürich, highlighting the people, projects and decisions that contribute to the university’s Net Zero ambitions.

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5. From River Droughts to Data Clusters: Internship at SLF

What does it take to understand why rivers run dry?

In this article, ETH Zürich’s Lydia Seebauer shares how she explored the hidden patterns behind river droughts during her internship at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF.

By working with decades of hydrometeorological data and learning to apply clustering techniques, she uncovered how different processes shape drought events across time and regions. From uncertainty at the start to meaningful insights, her journey highlights what research really looks like.

Read the article. 

6. Brienz – A Village on the Verge of a New Beginning

What does a mayor do when his entire village must leave its homes?

In Brienz (GR), this question became reality. After more than a year of evacuation due to a moving mountainside, the village of Brienz is now entering a new chapter. In this article, Charles Bara recaps a talk by Daniel Albertin, Mayor of Albula/Alvra: a deeply personal account of leadership, uncertainty and responsibility, guiding a small Alpine community through an unprecedented natural hazard.

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Together, these six stories demonstrate that climate change is more than an environmental issue. It is a challenge that touches energy systems, ecosystems, infrastructure, communities and policymaking. They also show that solutions emerge through collaboration between science, society and the next generation of researchers.

We hope these articles inspire you to explore new perspectives, ask critical questions and discover how research can help shape a more sustainable future.