Empa presents Mining the Atmosphere at Expo 2025 Osaka to showcase CO₂ as a resource for sustainability

The Swiss Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Image: FDFA, Presence Switzerland

(IN BRIEF) Empa is showcasing its Mining the Atmosphere initiative at the Swiss Pavilion of Expo 2025 in Osaka, where over 220,000 visitors have already engaged with interactive exhibits demonstrating how CO₂ can be transformed into a valuable resource. The initiative features silica aerogel, CO₂-negative concrete, and a Heidi figurine as symbols of innovative carbon utilization. At the Swiss-Japan Energy Days, Empa’s Matthias Sulzer and leading Swiss academics collaborated with Japanese experts to explore future partnerships. Empa also expanded ties with Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science and reinforced agreements with Tohoku University and Osaka University. The initiative highlights Switzerland’s role in driving sustainable solutions through science and global cooperation.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 2-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Empa is presenting its bold vision for a carbon-neutral future at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, where visitors to the Swiss Pavilion are invited to imagine a world in which carbon dioxide (CO₂) is no longer a harmful waste gas but a valuable resource. Through animated videos, interactive displays, and tangible material samples, Empa’s flagship Mining the Atmosphere initiative demonstrates how CO₂ can be captured, converted, and reused to power industries and sustainable lifestyles. The PLANET exhibition, open until 13 October, has already attracted more than 220,000 visitors since its launch.

The exhibit combines immersive storytelling with scientific innovation. A striking video presents Empa’s vision of CO₂ in continuous cycles, while three material samples bring the concept to life: silica aerogel for CO₂ capture, CO₂-negative concrete showcasing buildings as carbon sinks, and a playful Heidi figurine produced using captured carbon, symbolizing de-fossilized industrial processes and Swiss-Japanese cultural exchange.

Heidi, the official mascot of the Swiss Pavilion, is excited about the idea of a carbon-binding society. (Image: FDFA, Presence Switzerland)

On 24 September, the Swiss Pavilion hosted the opening of the Swiss-Japan Energy Days, where Matthias Sulzer, Member of Empa’s Directorate and Head of Engineering Sciences, outlined the goals of Mining the Atmosphere. He was joined by leading figures such as ETH Zurich President Joël Mesot, Christian Schaffner of the ETH Energy Science Center, and Yasmine Calisesi of the EPFL Energy Center, alongside Japanese researchers and policymakers. The event strengthened bilateral ties and explored new collaborations in energy innovation.

During his trip, Sulzer also visited the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Tsukuba, meeting with President Kazuhiro Hono and executives to deepen partnerships in areas such as advanced analytics and additive manufacturing. This builds on Empa’s recent agreements with Tohoku University’s AIMR to establish a Joint Research Center and its collaboration with Osaka University on scientist and student exchanges.

The VIP delegation of the Swiss-Japan Energy Days 2025 during their visit to the Swiss Pavilion in Osaka. (Image: Swissnex Japan)

By turning CO₂ from a global climate threat into a valuable raw material, Empa’s Mining the Atmosphere initiative exemplifies Switzerland’s leadership in sustainability and international collaboration. Expo 2025 visitors are given a unique opportunity to see how science, innovation, and imagination converge to shape a climate-resilient future.

Further information

Prof. Matthias Sulzer
Department Engineering Sciences
Phone +41 58 765 47 29
matthias.sulzer@empa.ch

Editor / Media contact

Oliver Süess
Communications
Phone +41 58 765 47 94
redaktion@empa.ch