Climbing for Climate Third Edition

Less than two months before the start of COP26, the third edition of Climbing for Climate took place in September 2021. It was a demonstration event organised by the RUS and the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) to raise local, national and international awareness of the effects of ongoing climate change in light of the UN 2030 Agenda goals: combating climate change (SDG13) and promoting life on earth/protecting biodiversity (SDG15), but also promoting sustainable tourism (SDG8) and social and economic inclusion of people living in remote areas (SDG10), supporting sustainable communities (SDG11).

RUS Universities were encouraged to organise excursions open to their communities and possible local actors, with a preference for protected areas and places where the effects of climate change are tangible, with a particular focus on the issues of ecological crisis and loss of biodiversity.

31 RUS universities from 13 different regions accepted the invitation to join the initiative:

>> Download here the flyer of the initiative <<

On 14 September, an event of national importance was held: a trek attended by Rectors, delegates from RUS universities and national representative authorities. At the peak of the CFC3 "local" excursions, the Università degli Studi di Brescia together with the Abruzzo universities - Gran Sasso Science Institute, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Università degli Studi "G. D'Annunzio" Chieti Pescara - and the CAI have proposed and organised an excursion of symbolic significance to Europe's southernmost glacier, the Calderone, a symbol of climate damage, in the heart of the Gran Sasso with the aim of launching an appeal to combat the climate crisis, the ecological crisis and the loss of biodiversity, with particular reference to the climate risks in southern Europe.

The event was attended by representatives from the following universities: Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza', Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Università IUAV di Venezia

The third edition of the Climbing for Climate was patronised by the Ministero della Transizione Ecologica (MITE), Conferenza dei Rettori delle Università Italiane (CRUI), Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (ASviS), SDSN Italia e Comitato Glaciologico Italiano.

Places of the events:

Parco Naturale dei Monti Aurunci, Cassino – Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio – Parco Naturale Regionale Campo dei Fiori – Parco Regionale Riviera di Ulisse, Gaeta – Parco Regionale Riviera di Ulisse, Monumento Naturale Sperlonga – Parco Naturale del Gran Paradiso, Valnontey – Parco Avventura, Biccari (FO) – Agriturismo Malga Magnolta, Aprica (SO) – Parco Nazionale della Sila – Parco Naturale di Senes, Fanes e Braies – Monte Bianco, Courmayeur – Rasiglia (PG) e Scopoli (PG) – Gran Sasso d’Italia, Ghiacciaio del Calderone – Monti Simbruini, Monte Padiglione – Ghiacciaio del Ventina, Valmalenco – Tolmezzo (UD) – Dal Monastero di Fonte Avellana al Monte Roma – Parco dei Cento Laghi – Parco Rurale Nazionale dell’Alta Murgia, Monte Lisciacoli – Monti Pisani – Accomuli (RI)

National CFC3 Event Press Release (Italian only)