“Dance, music and evidence-based entertainment will not be part of the Science Ball 2021. The pandemic is more powerful. A painful message of the year 2020: large-scale crises must be tackled in a broad and quick manner. What became clear as well: Politicians who don’t feel obliged to observe science and facts, failed – causing damage for their countries and many people. That is true for the corona crisis but also for the crisis of our future: the climate crisis. Highlighting conclusions we learned from the pandemic, pointing to ways, through which we can trigger a climate turnaround, and making our future more liveable, fair and sustainable – that is what I want to contribute to.”

Franz Essl is assistant professor at the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research at the University of Vienna. In his research he focuses on biodiversity protection and so-called neobiota, non-native species. He is also a member of the Austrian Biodiversity Council (IPBES) and involved with “Scientists for Future“.

Photo: (c) Skonatitsch