In the 2024/2025 call for UiO:Energy and Environment’s Convergence Environments, CH-CYCLE, Cargo Crime and Clim-SHOCK were selected for funding by the Board of UiO:Energy and Environment.
In total, 17 project sketches were submitted. Of these, 13 were developed into full applications, and 7 applicants were invited to present their projects to the evaluation panel. Each application was reviewed by at least three external experts covering the different disciplines of the individual applications. Based on these evaluations, it was decided which projects would be invited to present to an internal panel consisting of all members and deputy members of our Board, pro-rector and the director of the Centre for Global Sustainability.
— We were impressed by the quality of the applications we received, so it was a very tough competition to receive funding in this round, says Vebj?rn Bakken, the director of UiO:Energy and Environment.
— It's a pity that we could only fund three Convergence Environments. Hopefully, though, the extensive feedback from the external referees will be useful for further developing the other concepts that we had to turn down, says Bakken.
The three Convergence Environments 2025–2030
Clim-SHOCK: Unsustainable? Past impacts and future challenges of volcanic climate shocks
Clim-SHOCK will investigate how major volcanic eruptions have historically affected climate, environment, food supply and human health, and what we can learn from this for future climate challenges. The project combines natural science methods with humanistic sources to understand how societies can respond to future climatic shocks.
- Head of convergence environment: Kirstin Krüger
- Participants: The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences-Dept of Geosciences, The Faculty of Humanities-Dept of Archaeology, Conservation and History, The Museum of Cultural History, as well as external partners
CH-CYCLE: Renewable energy-driven recycling of CO? and H?O into consumer products and fuels
CH-CYCLE develops circular solutions to recycle CO? and H?O into fuels and consumer products using renewable energy. The project aims to close the gap between technology, sustainability and policy, and will be among the first to carry out a comprehensive sustainability assessment of CO? recycling.
- Head of convergence environment: Unni Olsbye
- Participants: The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences-Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology and Dept of Technology Systems, The Faculty of Social Sciences-Dept of Political Science, as well as external partners
Cargo Crime: (Il)Licit Seaborne Transport, the Energy Transition, and its Repercussions at Sea
Cargo Crime will examine how illicit activities and environmental crime in maritime transport may undermine the green transition. The project addresses global challenges related to the energy transition, international trade and environmental threats.
Head of convergence environment: Hege H?yer Leivestad
Participants: The Faculty of Social Sciences-Dept of Social Anthropology, The Faculty of Law-Dept of Criminology and Sociology of Law and Scandinavian Inst of Maritime Law, The Faculty of Natural Sciences-Dept of Mat