6th BMBF Forum for Sustainability

Research for Sustainability - One Step Further

9 - 10 September 2009, PROTOTYP-Museum, Hamburg

Hamburg, 09/09/09. Today, Prof Dr Frieder Meyer-Krahmer, State Secretary to the German Federal Minister of Education and Research (BMBF) opened the conference „Research for Sustainability – One Step Further“ at the Prototyp Museum Hamburg. The aim of the conference is to strengthen the collaboration of politics, science and industry for the generation of sustainable innovation. 400 international experts will discuss among other things the impact of fundamental research on sustainability, the strengthening of international collaboration in this field as well as current innovations for climate and resources.

During the opening session of this 6th BMBF Forum for Sustainability, Meyer-Krahmer offered the “Green Talent Award” to 15 young scientists from across the world. In 2009 the award was offered for the first time to outstanding scientific talents whose research is making a long-term contribution to resolving global challenges such as climate change, diminishing energy resources and large-scale environmental pollution.

The conference opening with the "Green Talents" awards ceremony and the thematic parallel sessions will be completed by the open final conference of the BMBF national research programme "Sustainable Forestry".




Prof Dr Frieder Meyer-Krahmer, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany

“I would like to see a boost of creativity for sustainable develoment in the years to come.”

“The answer to this crisis must be: climate protection will lead us to new, sustainable growth.”

“We see an urgent need to collaborate with emerging economies to develop joint strategies for climate protection.”







Prof. Dr. Karin Lochte, Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association, Germany

“It is impossible to exactly predict the extent of climate change. But we have to learn to cope with this uncertainty.”

“The historic development of the earth temperature shows: The next ice age will come – in about 10.000 years. But what is important for us and our actions are the next 100 years!”







Lothar Clauder, Fachhochschule Eberswalde, Fachbereich Holztechnik, Forschungsverbund OakChain, Germany

“The aim of the research cooperation Oakchain was to develop scenarios for forestry considering climate change.”

“The close cooperation between the enterprises and the university of applied sciences made the project become a success.”










Dr.-Ing. Jochen Volkert, Geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der promeos GmbH, Germany

“We revolutionise the burning process: We substitute the conventional burning process by flame-free processes. Thus, we save up to 70 % of the employed fuels.”

“We keep on doing research, partly on our own, partly as partner in research cooperations.”








Prof. Dr. Dr. Karl-Ulrich Rudolph, Prof. Dr. Dr. K.-U. Rudolph GmbH, International Water Consultants, Germany

“Our project region not only suffers from scarcity of water resources, what seems to be even worse is a scarcity of efficient water management.”

“In the long run sustainability will only prevail if it holds profits for the players.”










For the detailed conference programme please click here.

For pictures from the conference please click here.