Andrea Gutschi, student in the MSc ETIA program, class of 2022, shares her thoughts on the occasion:

"All in. This is the motto of the 2022 Earth Day. In my view, there is a double meaning to it: not only are all parts of society required to tackle the challenges associated with climate change, but each and everyone has to give it their all. “Half measures are no longer an option,” as IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee put it.

But what is so special about this 52^nd edition of the Earth Day, what is appealing to the international community to “Invest in Our Planet”? The record-breaking urgency. The year 2022 clearly needs to set itself apart from previous years. It may sound dramatic, but we will not be given a second chance – the latest IPCC report is delivering the proof. I know, using doomsday scenarios to get people motivated to act is bad. However, humans tend to act strongly when driven by fear, so maybe we should be a little scared in order to be brave for the good.

This is not only a question of safeguarding our livelihoods; it is also a question of morality. Modern life in the developed world has been sponsored by natural resources, favorable climates, and freshwater availability. These aspects are all threatened now. We depleted them. It’s time to take responsibility for our actions and show some respect to Mother Earth. Humans are creatures of habit, but we also have an unprecedented capacity to change. By changing the habits that have systematically hurt our planet and by establishing new ones that cherish it, society would truly progress – and go all in."

This interdisciplinary MSc Environmental Technology & International Affairs is a joint program of the TU Wien and the Vienna School of International Studies - Diplomatische Akademie Wien. It is a pioneering project in its combination of international issues and environmental technology. Join our next Online Info Session on April 26, 2022 to learn more. Register here >>