SCENE
The Swiss Federal Council aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, requiring urgent action due to the scale of the necessary systemic and societal transitions. This joint initiative establishes a Center of Excellence to research and address issues related to achieving net-zero emissions. Six priority action areas have been identified, and a task force will be formed to strengthen the network and gather expertise. A regularly updated shared database of activities and experts will support this effort, with the task force proactively publishing statements, results, and white papers, creating an immediate impact. The initiative will persist beyond the three-year ETH Board funding and support science-based decision-making using the technologies, tools, and methodologies developed at the Center of Excellence.
We the Technology and Society Lab in collaboration with the Cellulose and Wood Material Lab at Empa will contribute to the WP 3 Biomass Cycle in the D3.5 Quantify functional and sustainable wood-based materials. Our team will conduct an MFA of woody biomass in Switzerland across different sectors and end-of-life stages, identifying hotspots and potential trade-offs and conflicts among stakeholders and other cycles/industries. We will also explore the cascade use of wood in the context of net-zero and its impact on the bio-economy, while ensuring the durability and multi-reuse of products, including Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD). Additionally, we will create a "Material Library" that links the functional properties of different wood types/categories and woody components with their environmental performance.