About CLIMACT

CLIMACT (Center for Climate Action and Impact) is a joint center of EPFL (Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) and UNIL (University of Lausanne), established to promote interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research and initiatives that address the challenges of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Our mission? To pave the way for a sustainable future, by promoting interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research and implementing cutting-edge initiatives that address the social, scientific, and technological dimensions of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

By consolidating research and innovation activities related to climate change, CLIMACT aims to give them greater visibility and impact within the broader community. With a focus on collaboration and innovation, CLIMACT is taking important steps towards a more sustainable future.

Through our research and outreach activities, we hope to inspire and engage communities in the fight against climate change.

Together, we can make a difference!

History

CLIMACT launched its activities in June 2021, spearheaded by its executive director, Dr. Nicolas Tétreault, and guided by its two academic co-directors: Professor Samuel Jaccard from the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment (FGSE) at UNIL and Professor Michael Lehning from the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) at EPFL. Professor Julia Steinberger (FGSE, UNIL) also served as CLIMACT's academic co-director for UNIL from June 2021 to April 2023.

In its short existence, CLIMACT has already provided direct funding for seventeen innovative projects and actively participated in countless others. Additionally, the centre's affiliated researchers have launched two major SWEET, one ERC and four ETH Joint Initiatives projects demonstrating their commitment to being at the forefront of climate change research and promoting a sustainable future for all.

Objectives

Research

Reinforce interdisciplinary and interinstitutional climate and sustainability research between UNIL and EPFL

Community

Create bonds between academia and civil society to facilitate ecological transition

Implementation projects

Work on implementation projects with climate positive impacts

Visibility

Increase the visibility of UNIL and EPFL climate and sustainability research in Switzerland and abroad

Partners

The CLIMACT team

Aïcha Besser
Aïcha Besser

Communications Manager
CLIMACT

With a background in Political Sciences and a Bachelor in Marketing and Public Relations, Aïcha has been working in institutional communications, media relations and events for the last 15 years, among which 13 years for IMD Business School. Passio...
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Isabelle Derivaz-Rabii
Isabelle Derivaz-Rabii

Administrative assistant
CLIMACT

Passionate about administration, organisation and human contacts, Isabelle worked for several years at the Bernoulli Interfaculty Centre where she discovered the multiple facets of academia before joining the CLIMACT team.

Samuel Jaccard
Prof. Samuel Jaccard

Academic co-director CLIMACT
Associate professor in Paleoclimatic Sedimentology
FGSE, UNIL

Prof. Samuel Jaccard is a specialist in earth sciences. He trained in geology before exploring paleoclimate, paleoceanography and recent climate change. Having been an assistant professor at the Institute of Geological Sciences and the Oeschger Cent...
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Michael Lehning
Prof. Michael Lehning

Academic co-director of CLIMACT
Full professor of Environmental Engineering
ENAC, EPFL | WSL

Michael (Michi) Lehning has been leading the CLIMACT development on the EPFL side and is a joint professor of cryospheric sciences and snow processes between EPFL and WSL (SLF Davos). He is an expert in snow-atmosphere interactions in extreme enviro...
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Charmilie Nault
Charmilie Nault

Project manager
CLIMACT

Following a Master in International and European law, Charmilie worked for different programmes dedicated to polar research. Being part of the CLIMACT team is a new way to actively support research dedicated to climate change.

Nicolas Tetreault
Dr Nicolas Tetreault

Executive director
CLIMACT

After 15 years of academic research at University of Toronto, Cambridge University and EPFL, Dr. Nicolas Tetreault joined Sofies SA in 2015 as senior consultant to help public and private entities reach their climate goals. Expert in climate strateg...
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Steering committee

Prof.
Prof. Katrin Beyer

Dean ENAC
ENAC, EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Estelle Doudet

Vice-rector research
UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral

Associate Vice President for Centers and Platform
EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Frédéric Herman

Rector of the University of Lausanne
UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Samuel Jaccard

Academic co-director CLIMACT
Associate professor in Paleoclimatic Sedimentology
FGSE, UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Michael Lehning

Academic co-director of CLIMACT
Full professor of Environmental Engineering
ENAC, EPFL | WSL

Prof.
Prof. Niklas Linde

Dean FGSE
FGSE, UNIL

Dr
Dr Nelly Niwa

Director CCD
UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Wendy Queen

Associate professor and head of the Laboratory of...
EPFL

Dr
Dr Nicolas Tetreault

Executive director
CLIMACT

Prof.
Prof. Martin Vetterli

President EPFL
EPFL

Executive committee

Prof.
Prof. Kumar Agrawal

Associate professor and Gaznat Chair for Advanced...
EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Rizlan Bernier-Latmani

Full professor in Environmental Microbiology
ENAC, EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Claudia Binder

Full professor in Human-Environment Relations in ...
ENAC, EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Fabrizio Butera

Full professor in Social Psychology
FSSP IP, UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Daniela Domeisen

Associate Professor in Atmospheric Processes
FGSE, UNIL

Dr.
Dr. Augustin Fragnière

Directeur-adjoint du Centre de compétences en dur...
CCD, UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Samuel Jaccard

Academic co-director CLIMACT
Associate professor in Paleoclimatic Sedimentology
FGSE, UNIL

Dr.
Dr. Alexandra Kushnir

Senior scientific collaborator in Rock Physics an...
ENAC, EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Michael Lehning

Academic co-director of CLIMACT
Full professor of Environmental Engineering
ENAC, EPFL | WSL

Prof.
Prof. François Maréchal

Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering
STI, EPFL

Prof.
Prof. Nicolas Senn

Associate professor of Family Medicine
UNISANTE, UNIL

Prof.
Prof. Julia Steinberger

Full professor of ecological economics
FGSE, UNIL

Dr
Dr Nicolas Tetreault

Executive director
CLIMACT