The Real Climate Heroes; Defying Logic To Create a Positive Future

What does it mean to be a climate hero? Whether you are working hard to protect the environment, educating others on the importance of preserving the planet’s resources, or inspiring others to create change, climate heroes are all around us.

This year’s attendees at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) saw a new generation of leaders from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the School of Global Policy and Strategy. Composed of students, faculty and staff, the UC San Diego cohort brought groundbreaking research to a global stage to participate in the first-ever Ocean Pavillion. This project was the culmination of 18 research institutions, including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, collaborating to dedicate space at COP27 for conversations about what the ocean can do for the planet and what humans can do to protect the ocean.

In addition to attending events organized by the UN, governments, and civil society groups, the students exhibited their research and/or advocacy through the Ocean Pavillion. Their research included areas such as the effects of melting glaciers on phytoplankton communities in the Antarctic, how deep-sea, low-oxygen ecosystems are affected by climate change, and how the ocean responds to tropical cyclones, warming and the impacts of sea-level rise. It was an opportunity for them to learn first-hand how climate policy is shaped.

“Scripps students are climate heroes,” said Prakash Arunkundrum, global head of operations and sustainability at Logitech. “They are working hard to understand and protect the planet by researching solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges. We are honored to support their ongoing learning of the dynamics of policymaking at a global scale so they can both educate our leaders on the issues affecting our oceans and build a climate positive future for all of us.”

This was the second year that Logitech sponsored the UC San Diego cohort to attend the UN Conference of the Parties (COP) funded through the Logitech Cares Donor Advised Fund (DAF) at Tides Foundation. Logitech invests in carbon removal projects, supports renewables and climate-impacted communities, and continues to support academic programs that enrich the understanding of marine biology, oceanography, and earth sciences. These are just a few ways that Logitech is actively contributing to designing a positive future.