International Engagement

Switzerland is heavily involved with many international organisation. It hosts numerous international headquarters such as: CERN - European Organisation for Nuclear Research, WHO - World Health Organisation, GAIN - Global alliance for improved Nutrition or the one I’ll be talking about UNEP United Nations Environment Programme. UNEP is the global authority on the environment. As someone who is studying Computer Science, I can see a world of ways in which technology is key to helping solve and diagnose some of the worlds environmental issue.

The European headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is based in Geneva, Switzerland. This organisation is charged with the responsibility to find global solutions and strategies for the extreme threat of climate change. UNEP collects ans synthesizes environmental data from many organisations across the globe.

My specific disciplinary skills are in software development, these skills are extremely valuable to an organisation that collects processes and interprets such huge volumes of data. There are many areas of focus within UNEP, including climate change, disasters and conflicts, eco-system management and environmental governance. An example of where these skills are already being used is “The Madingley Model”, which is a partnership between UNEP and Microsoft to develop a general ecosystem model, a model that simulates all life on Earth. www.madingleymodel.org

The Madingly Model is particularly important as humans put more pressure on Earth’s ecosystems, as we need a way of determining what our impact will be.

I became aware of UNEP’s work in Switzerland, though Microsoft’s involvement. Microsoft also has a research center at the University of Melbourne, where I’m studying.