Although Switzerland did not take part in the armed conflicts of the 20th century, it operated a war economy and produced armaments like its European neighbours. At the end of the world wars, the country had large stocks of munitions, which had to be managed quickly. In 1945, for example, 8,000 tonnes of munitions were dumped in several Swiss lakes, including Lake Geneva.
In 2020, the University of Geneva carried out a study with the help of divers to better understand the impact of these munitions on the lake environment.
What can we learn from these field campaigns and scientific studies? What are the unknowns to date? Why is the issue of dumped munitions, here and elsewhere, so complex?
Stéphanie Girardclos, PhD in Science, limnogeologist and researcher at the Department of Earth Sciences and the Institute of Environmental Sciences at the University of Geneva, outlines the historical and scientific discoveries and explains the many issues surrounding this resounding topic.
Location: Musée du Léman - Nyon
Date : 2 February at 7pm
The conference (followed as usual by an aperitif!) is free with online registration recommended
Photography : Odysseus 3.1
