Session of the BMBF
"A pathway to sustainable development: a German perspective"

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Photographer: Adrien Piron

Germany plays a leading role in the field of research for sustainability. With the framework programme “Research for Sustainability” the Federal Ministry of Education and Research positions as significant player in the European Research Area. The next step should be a further development of this status and to set the course for the future.

How can the chances offered by research and innovation effectively contribute to sustainable development and growth? What role do humanities and social sciences play in this context? Which instruments and structures are required to establish the complete innovation chain and to implement innovations more quickly and close to the market? In which fields should European cooperation be strengthened?

During the session “A pathway to sustainable development: a German perspective" there was a discussion on up-to-date topics such as the global change, resource and climate protection, energy storage technologies as well as bioeconomics.
Panel members were:

• Prof. Dr. Heinz Miller, Vice Director of the Alfred-Wegner-Institute, Bremerhaven
• Prof. Dr. Paul L. G. Vlek, Director Department of Ecology and Natural Resources, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn
• Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Reinhard F. J. Hüttl, Scientific Directorate and Spokesperson of the management at the German Research Centre for Geosciences – (GFZ) Potsdam
• Dr. Philipp Hanefeld, Senior Manager Batteries, BASF Future Business GmbH
• Dr. Lutz Cleemann, Senior Advisor at Allianz SE and the Sustainable Business Institute
• Prof. Dr. Uwe Schneidewind, member of the Advisory Committee of the "Social ecological research" programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research