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Sustainability

Are there forms of science that are more usable for the political process and social development than others? And if so, what do they look like and what value is attached to new knowledge?

Foto eines Hochhauses, bei dem die Fassade mit diversen Pflanzen begrünt ist.
Foto: Ricardo Gomez Angel

Scientists are activists in initiatives such as Scientists for Future and are thus part of the global climate and sustainability movement. At the same time, they inform and advise politicians and the public as experts. The Research Group Sustainability critically and constructively examines sustainability concepts and discourses and investigates what role science has taken, can take and should take in dealing with environmental crises.

Suspension bridge on the summit of Mount Ai-Petri, Crimea in the fog.
Photo: Aleksei Rasskazov / iStockphoto

2024

Publication "Bridging the Gap"

In autumn 2023, the members of the Research Group "Sustainability" held a structured discussion round with 13 political decision-makers about how research on environmental issues specifically influences their work. The dialogue partners work at federal and state level in public administration in Germany and in international institutions. Many of them have a scientific background, particularly in the field of environmental economics. A central question was to what extent environmental policy reforms are guided by scientific findings. Many researchers in the field of environmental, climate and sustainability issues consider their own work to be policy-relevant. But when are research findings actually taken into account in the political process? What measures can young researchers in particular take to increase the visibility of their own work in the political arena?

The publication by Linus Mattauch, Hermine Mitter, Leona Tenkhoff and Leonie Wenz "'Bridging the Gap': How scientific advice for environmental policy can succeed" explores these questions. Because one thing is certain: environmental protection requires centralised political measures.

The publication "Bridging the Gap" is only available in German. Download pdf here.

2023

Workshop "Bridging the Gap"

In this workshop on October 7, 2023 organised by the Research Group Sustainability, the members Anna Cord, Linus Mattauch, Hermine Mitter and Leonie Wenz discuss with political decision-makers which research on environmental policy and sustainability is so policy-relevant that it is used in the everyday work of institutions. The Research Group is thus attempting to approach the question of where science has actually influenced environmental policy decisions, either currently or in the past.

View of green, yellow and brownish fields from above, paths between them
Photo: Pascal Meier

2023

The Future of Food in Europe: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

War, climate change and species extinction pose massive challenges - to absolutely vital aspects: For the supply of food to the world's population. This threat has become tangible for large parts of the population at the latest since the supply chains were interrupted or restricted by the pandemic and the Russian war of aggression. Added to this - as a result of climate change - are extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and floods. In many places, agricultural production yields are collapsing. If the stable economic and social fabric is already tottering today, what instabilities do we have to fear for the future?

Under the title "The Future of Food in Europe: Interdisciplinary Perspectives", an interdisciplinary team of authors of the Research Group "Sustainability" discusses this question. The paper is partly based on the activities of some members of Die Junge Akademie at the Salon Sophie Charlotte of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities on May 21, 2022.

Click here for the debate contribution.
Click here for the press release.

2020

Statement "Proposal for promoting sustainability in academia through the reduction of travel"

A significant part of the carbon budget of scientific and scholarly work is used up by CO2 emitted due to travel. In their statement, the members of Die Junge Akademie call for a new approach to the subject of travel. They give concrete examples and outlooks for reducing CO2 emissions in the area of travel activities and encourage the expansion and improvement of online communication. They want to counter reservations about online conferences, workshops and seminars and offer concrete application examples and experience reports for online formats. The proposals of Die Junge Akademie are aimed at individual academics, funders, conference organisers, universities and research institutions. In a short outlook, the participating members highlight that a change in travel culture also represents a major opportunity to achieve greater diversity.

It is important to realise that even a small change in behaviour is better than no change at all - perfectionism can be counterproductive to valuable attempts. The collection of examples will be expanded at irregular intervals. Interested parties are invited to contribute their experiences.

Click here for the complete statement (in English).
Click here for the press release (in German).

2019/2020

Online Competition „visions / solutions for a sustainable tomorrow“

2019

Statement „Refund real travel costs!“

Scientists are engaged in a field of tension between global personal exchange regarding research in science and the ecological sustainability of travel. This conflict presents itself consistently alongside a commitment to research and collaboration at Die Junge Akademie. Against this background, the Research Rroup on Sustainability has initiated a statement in which the members of Die Junge Akademie demand binding regulations for the interpretation of the budget and grant law in order to make it possible to offset CO2 emissions on each business trip and to reimburse the costs incurred. These steps are necessary, as there are so far no equally valid regulations for employees of the public service, on a federal or regional level, to which a compensation for business trips from their respective budgets would be possible. The higher price for business trips alone, due to the CO2 compensation, would lead to long journeys becoming more expensive and thus also less frequent.

Click here for the complete statement (in English).
Click here for the press release (in German).

2019

Statement #Fridaysforfuture

The RG Sustainability of Die Junge Akademie supports the protests of #FridaysForFuture. The warnings about climate change and its consequences for humans and the environment are based on scientific research.Therefore, we strongly support the protest of #FridaysForFuture on September 20 and call on the political actors to limit global warming with an ambitious and holistic climate policy.
Further information on the protests can be found here.

2016

Denaturalizing Climate Change

2012

Exhibit „Using Energy Sustainably" on the MS Wissenschaft

2012

E-Paper „Sustainable University“

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participating Members

participating Alumnae / Alumni

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