Credit: Uni.lu

On Thursday 24 July 2025, Luxembourg's Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity and the University of Luxembourg signed the Climate Nexus Framework Convention in what they described as "a landmark move" marking the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.

This five-year initiative (2025-2030) aims to make Luxembourg climate-ready by integrating research, education, policy and public engagement to address climate change, biodiversity loss and socio-economic challenges.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, the Ministry for Research and Higher Education and the University of Luxembourg, the Climate Nexus Framework Convention is grounded in the Paris Agreement, the UN 2030 Agenda and aligns with Luxembourg's national strategies. It connects local action to global science-policy platforms such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), reinforcing Luxembourg's commitment to international climate governance.

To achieve its goal, the convention will mobilise Luxembourg scientific, education and policy stakeholders on projects in the social, environmental and engineering sciences. At the heart of the initiative are six "readiness" pillars:

  • Social Readiness: encourages citizen science, participatory governance including the continuation of the Klima Biergerrot, sustainable lifestyles and youth engagement;
  • Institutional Readiness: leverages socio-environmental data to enhance climate services in Luxembourg and monitor climate-related systemic risks. This includes mapping of chemical substances in Luxembourg that may be detrimental for human health and the ecosystem;
  • Technological Readiness: supports Luxembourg's goal of climate neutrality by 2050 through research and pilot projects on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCU/S), as well as through research on the potential of nature-based solution;
  • Global Readiness: Luxembourg will support the IPCC's 7th Assessment Cycle on mitigation by hosting part of its technical support unit. It will also foster partnerships with the Global South, in line with Luxembourg's upcoming international climate finance strategy 2026-2030;
  • Academic Readiness: advances interdisciplinary research and sustainability education across university programmes;
  • Climate Nexus Across Disciplines: offers a flexible framework to address emerging crises and establish adaptive priorities. In the same vein, the University of Luxembourg recently established the Luxembourg Centre for Socio-Environmental Systems (LCSES), under the direction of Prof. Ralf Seppelt.

The Climate Nexus approach highlights the interdependence between climate, biodiversity, water, food and social equity. According to the authorities, the convention empowers the University of Luxembourg to explore, test and expand climate-related transformations at all levels through interdisciplinary research, data-driven analysis and inclusive public engagement. Public outreach, youth education initiatives (via the Scienteens Lab & Academy) and a new cross-university sustainability course are expected to ensure broad societal participation. The convention also supports several chapters of Luxembourg's 2023-2028 coalition agreement, accelerating national and global sustainability targets.

Luxembourg's Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, welcomed the initiative, stating: "With the Climate Nexus Framework Convention, Luxembourg further deepens its commitment to science-based climate action and inclusive sustainability. By bridging research, international cooperation, education and policy, we are laying the foundation for a climate-resilient future - one that empowers our youth, strengthens our institutions and connects local innovation to global solutions. This initiative is not only a national milestone, but a signal to the international community that Luxembourg is ready to lead by example."

Luxembourg's Minister for Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin, pointed out: "This convention reflects the government's determination to put research at the service of society and to address climate, environmental and societal challenges in a concrete way. As the minister responsible for the University of Luxembourg and the public research centres, I commend the resolutely interdisciplinary approach of the Climate Nexus Framework Convention. It shows that science, reliable data and collective engagement are essential to steer our country through the ecological and digital transitions." 

Prof. Jens Kreisel, Rector of the University, commented on the signature: "Sustainable and societal development is one of the university's three main strategic priorities, alongside 'Digital transformation' and 'Medicine and health'. This strategic focus took a decisive leap forward with the creation of the Luxembourg Centre for Socio-Environmental Systems (LCSES) in 2025. Today, thanks to the prominent support of the [Environment Ministry] under the new convention, interdisciplinary research, teaching and public-engagement activities on sustainability and climate will be deployed across the entire university for the benefit of the country and beyond."