FONA-international: Researching together for sustainable development
FONA is aligned with the United Nations' global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and formulates ways in which sustainability goals can be achieved through research. With FONA, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is accelerating the research, development and use of green innovations. International cooperation is a central cross-cutting issue. FONA has established a number of successful collaborations and partnerships.
Interactive World Map
Full screen display | Map with selected international FONA measures and projects.
Climate change, resource scarcity, biodiversity loss and pollution, social and economic challenges are globally interwoven. No country can tackle them alone. If we want to protect our planet and ensure a good life for future generations, we need to work together with partners worldwide. International knowledge transfer and transnational research and innovation cooperation create synergies and solutions with the necessary leverage.
FONA focuses on effective coordination in Europe and worldwide. Together with international partners, the aim is to find economically and socially viable solutions for sustainable cities, clean energy, less raw material consumption, waste and emissions, as well as for the protection of the climate, habitats and natural resources.
European cooperation in FONA
The BMFTR is actively involved in shaping the EU's Framework Program for Research and Innovation and the European Research Area. Priorities include green hydrogen, bioeconomy, circular economy, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, sustainable cities and the protection and sustainable use of water bodies
Sustainable development requires cooperation worldwide
The 2030 Agenda stands for a global partnership in which industrialized, emerging and developing countries share responsibility for a sustainable future. Research into the complex interrelationships and the development of innovative, locally adapted solutions are an important driver for achieving the sustainability goals.
FONA chooses the main areas of cooperation in such a way that they are demand-oriented and of mutual interest. As a result, know-how flows in both directions and value creation and local employment are strengthened.
With the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, ongoing cooperation projects with Russia have been discontinued or a continuation without Russian participation has been initiated. At the same time, resilient and trusting relationships are becoming increasingly important for the transformation towards sustainability. In addition to working with our European partners, we are therefore intensifying our partnership with African countries. Cooperation with Latin and South America, particularly Brazil, is also relevant for climate and resource protection and the bioeconomy.
Focus region Africa
Africa is a continent of opportunity that offers great potential for a sustainable energy supply, among other things. For example, wind and sun-rich countries could export green hydrogen all over the world in the future. At the same time, Africa is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. Other sustainability goals, such as the supply of clean water, also pose particularly great challenges in Africa.
Against this background, the BMFTR is focusing on long-term and strategic research and innovation partnerships with African countries.
The focus is on two regional scientific competence centers for climate change and sustainable land management. Together with twelve partner countries in western Africa and five in southern Africa, the BMFTR has established WASCAL (West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use) and SASSCAL (Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management). The competence centers stand for excellent academic training, innovative and practice-oriented research in international cooperation as well as for the development and operation of research infrastructure. Since 2020, the centers have also been established as platforms for the development of strategic German-African partnerships on the topic of "green hydrogen" and the development of a green hydrogen economy in the regions. The impetus for this was the Green Hydrogen Africa Potential Atlas created in collaboration with WASCAL and SASSCAL.
Another focus of cooperation with Africa is water research. The "Water Security in Africa (WASA)" program was launched as a result of the German government's round table on the topic cycle "Creating prospects in Africa". The four-year research projects of the main WASA phase have been running since May 2024
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