Transitioning to a More Sustainable Energy System

The key research focus at the Graduate School of Geosciences is System Earth in change and under stress. The Graduate School comprises a substantial number of research groups that focus on different aspects of the Earth system. Our research focuses on the interior of the Earth (Earth sciences), on the Earths surface (physical geography), on the environment and climate (environmental sciences), but also on location, distribution and spatial organization of economic activities (economic geography) and on sustainability and innovation. The feedback effects between growth of the human population, and of human actions, and the physical Earth system and society, as we know it now, is the theme that connects the research activities in progress across the Faculty. Energy represents the single most important challenge in bringing about a transition to a more sustainable economy, society and environmental system. Energy accordingly forms one of the key links between the different teaching programmes, research programmes and departments within the Graduate School of Geosciences. The Graduate Programme proposed here will focus on integrating the research carried out in four departments across the Geosciences Faculty to address specifically the transition to a more sustainable energy system. This topic is so challenging that it requires the integration of very different research traditions. The key players in the energy related MSc programmes are the groups based in Energy & Resources and Earth Sciences. Both have extensive energy-related research programmes, and an excellent track record in education and research. Chairs within these departments are supported both by energy companies and by national energy and environmental research organisations. The Masters programmes and research activities form the basis for the Graduate Programme proposed here. The proposed programme will greatly stimulate and further strengthen collaboration between the participating research groups, and will facilitate development of new research directions in the field of energy sustainability that combine and connect ongoing research within the Graduate School.