Sascha Nick
Nationality: Swiss, Austrian
EPFL ENAC IA LEURE
BP 2141 (Bâtiment BP)
Station 16
1015 Lausanne
+41 21 693 42 17
Office: BP 2141
EPFL › ENAC › IA › LEURE
Website: https://leure.epfl.ch
Current Work
Research topics: Wellbeing, Low Energy Demand, Net Zero, Societal Transition Pathways
Approach: Identify action levers to initiate and accelerate the societal transition towards low energy demand, 1.5°C pathways, biodiversity restoration, and inclusive wellbeing. Engage all levels of society—including policymakers, public institutions, and companies—in co-creating this transformation. Strengthen deliberative democracy: Academic Citizens’ Assembly
Sectoral transitions
Approach: Identify action levers to initiate and accelerate the societal transition towards low energy demand, 1.5°C pathways, biodiversity restoration, and inclusive wellbeing. Engage all levels of society—including policymakers, public institutions, and companies—in co-creating this transformation. Strengthen deliberative democracy: Academic Citizens’ Assembly
Sectoral transitions
- Swiss DLS: Energy requirements for securing wellbeing in Switzerland and the space for affluence and inequality, nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59276-2
- RE-BD AR2024. Accelerating renewable energy development while enhancing biodiversity protection in Switzerland
- Systems perspectives on transforming Swiss housing by 2040: wellbeing, shared spaces, sufficiency, and de-sprawl
- Climate-neutral global aviation: mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/11/505
- Economics, financing, policy, and governance of Swiss Net Zero: go.epfl.ch/netzero, go.epfl.ch/SNEF
Other key publications
- Demand for low-quality offsets by major companies undermines climate integrity of the voluntary carbon market: nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51151-w
- Systems thinking, action levers and leverage points for societal transitions: doi.org/10.5075/epfl-thesis-10487
- Audit of Climate Plan Vaud 2020
Curriculum vitae
Sascha NICK
Journal Articles
2025
[90] Operationalizing Switzerland-wide democratic transformation to functional resilient 8-minute neighborhoods
Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2025. Vol. 3140, num. 16. DOI : 10.1088/1742-6596/3140/16/162004.[89] Energy requirements for securing wellbeing in Switzerland and the space for affluence and inequality
Nature Communications. 2025. Vol. 16, num. 1. DOI : 10.1038/s41467-025-59276-2.2024
[88] Demand for low-quality offsets by major companies undermines climate integrity of the voluntary carbon market
Nature Communications. 2024. Vol. 15, num. 1. DOI : 10.1038/s41467-024-51151-w.[87] Systems perspectives on transforming Swiss housing by 2040: wellbeing, shared spaces, sufficiency, and de-sprawl
Frontiers in Sustainability. 2024. Vol. Volume 5 - 2024, p. 01 - 17. DOI : 10.3389/frsus.2024.1375271.2022
[86] Towards true climate neutrality for global aviation: a Negative Emissions Fund for Airlines
Journal of Risk and Financial Management. 2022. Vol. 15, num. 11, p. 505. DOI : 10.3390/jrfm15110505.Conference Papers
2022
[85] Climate Cleanup Fund – funding and accelerating Swiss Net Zero
2022. Energieforschungsgespräche Disentis 2022, Kloster Disentis, 26-28.01.2022.Theses
2023
[84] Action Levers towards Sustainable Wellbeing: Re-Thinking Negative Emissions, Sufficiency, Deliberative Democracy
Lausanne, EPFL, 2023. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-10487.Book Chapters
2023
[83] Towards mainstreaming of shared spaces as a basis for sustainable wellbeing for all
Contributions to the energy research debate from the Swiss Social Sciences and Humanities Energy Research Group (3rd Workshop); Lulu Press, 2023.Working Papers
2025
[82] Issue Brief Swiss Net Zero Scenarios
2025[81] Broadening the scenario space for Swiss CCUS: integrating deep uncertainty, sufficiency, and societal transformation
20252024
[80] RE-BD AR2024 - Executive Summary. Accelerating renewable energy development while enhancing biodiversity protection in Switzerland
2024[79] SWICE Working Paper on DLS Mobility
2024. p. 452023
[78] SWICE position paper on wellbeing
2023. p. 152022
[77] Swiss Negative Emissions Fund - summary of the pilot project
2022. p. 4[76] Swiss Negative Emissions Fund – paying for Net Zero
2022. p. 302021
[75] Carbon removal, net zero, and implications for Switzerland
2021. p. 28Reports
2025
[74] SWICE November 2025 workshop on radical housing sufficiency transformation
2025. p. 17[73] Results of the Academic Citizens’ Assembly - GE 2025
2025. p. 10[72] CISBAT 2025 workshop on radical housing sufficiency transformation
2025. p. 18[71] Results of the Academic Citizens’ Assembly - SIC 2025
2025. p. 9[70] Rapport synthétique de l’atelier du 20.03.2025 à Bulle - Repenser la culture du bâti en Gruyère
2025. p. 72024
[69] Results of the Academic Citizens’ Assembly - UNIL 2024
2024. p. 8[68] Gymnase de Renens - Sobriété et bien-être - 2024-06-03
2024. p. 8[67] Results of the Academic Citizens’ Assembly - MYBLUEPLANET 2024
2024. p. 6[66] RE-BD AR2024. Accelerating renewable energy development while enhancing biodiversity protection in Switzerland
2024. p. 1082023
[65] SWICE Wellbeing Workshop Report 06-2023
2023. p. 17[64] Rapport d'audit du Plan climat vaudois 1 ère génération
2023. p. 602022
[63] Results of the Academic Citizens’ Assembly - K3 Kongress 2022
2022. p. 6[62] Report - Action Lab “Sufficiency in the Swiss Habitat” 06-2022
2022. p. 16[61] Results and insights of the April 2022 Academic Citizens’ Assembly
2022. p. 9[60] Introduction to Climate Action - Academic Citizens’ Assembly
2022. p. 5Posters
2025
[59] Governing the Global Space Commons
Swiss Space Sustainability Research Days, Les Diablerets, 2025-01-06 - 2025-01-08.2022
[58] Action levers for wellbeing with low energy demand
2022 Annual EDITS Meeting - Transformation to high wellbeing with low energy demand, Laxenburg Conference Center, Austria, 30 August – 1 September 2022.Talks
2025
[57] Human Needs based innovation for flourishing lives on a flourishing planet
COP30 UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub & FL4ALL event: Delivery on Human Needs in the 21st Century, Belém, Brazil, 2025-11-14.[56] Leveraging wellbeing to accelerate low energy demand transformation
2025 Annual EDITS Conference - High with Low: what works?, Laxenburg Conference Center, Austria, 2025-10-13 - 2025-10-17.[55] Intelligence artificielle et durabilité dans le milieu bâti: opportunités et défis pour un secteur en transformation
SIA Vaud - F'AR débats "Intelligence artificielle et durabilité dans le milieu bâti", Lausanne (F'AR, forum d'architectures), 2025-09-15.[54] Operationalizing Switzerland-wide democratic transformation to functional resilient 8-minute neighborhoods
International Scientific Conference on the Built Environment in Transition, EPFL, Lausanne, Suisse, 2025-09-03 - 2025-09-05.[53] From urban sprawl to shared spaces in Switzerland and the UK: justice-centered housing degrowth
18th Conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics and 11th International Degrowth Conference, Oslo, Norway, 2025-06-24 - 2025-06-27.[52] Wie kann der Luftverkehr klimaneutral werden? Welche gesellschaftliche Auswirkungen?
VCS - Verkehrs-Club der Schweiz Webinar: Wie kann der Luftverkehr klimaneutral werden?, online webinar, 2025-06-18.[51] Cultivons un avenir alimentaire plus durable: l'alimentation durable en action
Cultivons un avenir alimentaire plus durable: l'alimentation durable en action, Rolle, Suisse, 2025-05-14.[50] Comment l'aviation mondiale peut-elle devenir réellement neutre sur le plan climatique ?
ARAG General Assembly and public conference, Versoix, GE, 2025-03-27.[49] When is innovation beneficial to society? A systems perspective
EPFL Sustainable Innovation Challenge (SIC) 2025, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2025-03-13.[48] Mechanisms, actors and competencies at the science-policy interface
Science-Policy Interfaces and Global Challenges, Geneva, Switzerland, 2025-03-11.[47] Transformer l'habitat et la mobilité en Suisse avant 2040 : Bien-être, espaces partagés, sobriété, dé-sprawl
Net zéro pour l'habitat et mobilité suisses en repensant l'espace bâti, Bundesamt für Wohnungswesen BWO, Bern, 2025-01-21.[46] Demand-side habitat+mobility transformation in Switzerland by 2040
Webinaire Habitation « Les enjeux de la transformation du bâti en Suisse pour 2040 », online, 2025-01-13.[45] Societal implications of reaching 100% renewables in Switzerland
SWEET EDGE Energy Drinks, Genève, Suisse, 2025-01-08.2024
[44] Space Sustainability & Global Coordination
International Conference on Space Debris and Sustainability, Universidade de Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, 2024-12-02 - 2024-12-04.[43] RE-BD AR2024 Report - main findings
RE-BD AR2024, Lausanne, 2024-11-20.[42] Erneuerbare Energie und Biodiversität
ASTRA sustainability and environmental network meeting, Bellinzona, 2024-11-12 - 2024-11-12.[41] Nouvelles formes de démocratie participative et délibérative pour repenser notre approche de santé
Forum Santé et Société : santé, une urgence démocratique, Palais de Rumine, Lausanne, 2024-06-11.[40] Biodiversity: Economics v Financials
E4S Meet-Up: Biodiversity, UNIL Internef, March 5, 2024.2023
[39] A systems perspective on sufficiency, wellbeing, and transition in the Swiss habitat
CISBAT 2023, Lausanne, SwissTech Center at EPFL, September 13-15, 2023.[38] Towards climate-neutral global aviation: Less flights, more wellbeing
Mobility Research and Innovation Workshop - SFOE Conference, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland (Innovation Park), September 12, 2023.[37] Action Levers towards Sustainable Wellbeing: Re-Thinking Negative Emissions, Sufficiency, Deliberative Democracy
2023 International Exergy Economics Workshop, Chambéry, France, July 10, 2023.[36] Net Zero and Carbon Removal without Greenwashing
Sustainability and ESG Litigation Risks, Zürich, Switzerland, May 16, 2023.[35] How to think of sustainability when planning and building new ventures?
BioInnovation Day 2023, Lausanne, Suisse, Mai 11, 2023.[34] La sobriété énergétique de la théorie à la pratique
Moins, c'est mieux., UNIL Amphimax 351, 2023-03-09.[33] Climate-Neutral Aviation: how will it affect communities, companies, citizens?
E4S aviation event, EPFL CO2, 2023-03-01.[32] Wellbeing and sufficiency in SWICE
SWICE OMT Meeting, Online, February 6, 2023.[31] Climate-neutral aviation - How will it affect you?
BSL climate-neutral aviation event, Lausanne, Suisse, Janvier 25, 2023.2022
[30] Deliberative democracy, climate, sufficiency, and possible application to public health
Colloque du Département Epidémiologie & Système de Santé (DESS) d’Unisanté, Biopôle Lausanne, Rte de la Corniche 10, 2022-12-06.[29] Graduation keynote for the Resilient Value Chain Management Graduates 2022
[28] Swiss Negative Emissions Fund - Pilot
Innovate 4 Nature, Casino Morges, 2022-11-29.[27] Ökosysteme und Klimawandel / Écosystèmes et changement climatique
Réunion des parlementaires | Parlamentarische Gruppe Biodiversität, Restaurant Casino, Casinoplatz 1, 3011 Bern, 2022-09-21.[26] RDV Philanthropiques de l’UNIL : Fonds pilote suisse pour les émissions négatives, Assemblée Citoyenne Académique
Présentations lors des RDV, UNIL, Bâtiment Synathlon, Lausanne, 2022-09-06.[25] Swiss Negative Emissions Fund - paying for Net Zero
Showcase 2030, SwissTech Center at EPFL, 2022-06-14.[24] Retrait du carbone, net zéro, et le Fonds Suisse pour les Émissions Négatives
E4S-EPFL Energy Center-Climact: "En route pour zéro émission nette en Suisse en 2050 : la contribution du retrait du carbone", Lausanne, Suisse, 06.05.2022.2021
[23] Understanding Climate Actions
MyBluePlanet Conference: ClimateLab4Youth, Business School, Lausanne, 2021-12-10.[22] Citizens assemblies and the role of narratives
Climact Seminar Series #2, online, 2021-10-18.[21] Sobriété - Alimentation
UNIL Anthropos Café: Atelier Sobriété - Alimentation, UNIL, Lausanne, 2021-10-14.[20] Nachhaltigkeit & Gesellschaft
MyBluePlanet ClimateLab Bern, Impact Hub Bern, 2021-10-09.[19] From the 2000-Watt Society to the 1.5°C Society: a new standard, conceptual transition pathway, stakeholder acceptance for Switzerland
SAEE 13th Student Chapter Workshop, Zurich, October 08, 2021.[18] Costs and possible funding mechanisms for CCUS in Switzerland
Extended EPFL Energy Center Workshop: Carbon capture, utilization and storage, [online], 12-13 April 2021.Student Projects
2023
[17] How to avoid the danger of pollutants in Swiss biochar production and use?
20232022
[16] The Role of Biochar and Peatlands in Reaching Swiss Net Zero
20222021
[15] Key CCS topics: Worldwide deployment, EOR side-effects and Switzerland’s potential
2021Media
2024
[14] BSL Circular Economy 2024 Conference - BSL Blog
2024.[13] Warum Unternehmen radikal umdenken müssen
2024.2023
[12] Biodiversity protection: who pays, who benefits?
2023.[11] 2023 BSL Circular Economy Conference
2023.2022
[10] Towards climate-neutral aviation: fewer flights, benefits for biodiversity and society, and renewed legitimacy for airlines
2022.[9] Climate-Neutral Global Aviation - are we on the right track?
2022.[8] Retrait du carbone, net zéro et implications pour la Suisse
2022.[7] Climate Action, Sufficiency, Deliberative Democracy
2022.[6] 10 recommendations which could significantly increase the effectiveness of Swiss climate policy
2022.[5] Engaging Society For Sustainability - The essential role of participative and deliberative democracy
2022.[4] Looking for a democratic process to tackle sustainable development challenges – the Academic Citizens’ Assembly 2022
2022.[3] Financer la décarbonation de l’économie: un Fonds suisse pour les émissions négatives?
2022.[2] The Swiss Negative Emissions Fund
2022.[1] Academic Citizens’ Assembly 2022: a way for better decision-making on complex and divisive issues? Interview with Sascha Nick, Researcher in societal transitions
2022.Teaching & PhD
Courses
Systems thinking
MGT-505
MGT-505 Systems Thinking course equips students with the skills to analyze and solve complex problems across domains. The course is hands-on and covers the main systems concepts and tools, applied to multiple real-life problems, involving individuals, communities, local governments, and companies.
Wellbeing and Planetary Boundaries
HUM-226
This course builds on the foundations of ENV-101 to deepen understanding and implementation of sustainability: how to transform society toward wellbeing for all within ecological limits, with sectoral approaches and solutions (energy, buildings, ground mobility, aviation).