From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Jannika Mattes and Tamara Schnell attended the 17th International Sustainability Transitions (IST) Conference in Zurich, organised by Cirus (Eawag) and the Group for Sustainability and Technology at ETH Zurich.

Under the theme ‘Hope – in challenging times’, this year’s conference focused on the question of what promising prospects transition research can open up despite wars, political polarisation and growing planetary crises. Some 650 participants from all over the world explored this theme through a wide variety of formats – ranging from presentations and speed talks to posters and interactive sessions.