Thematic Area Sustainability
Bonn is home to many experts in the field of sustainability and sustainable development in Germany and abroad - in associations, international organizations, think tanks and universities. The University of Bonn is the first university in Germany to establish a Vice Rectorate for Sustainability and to make the topic a cross-cutting task for the entire institution. The Bonn Program for Sustainable Transformation (BOOST) enables all members of the university to participate in this process and promotes the involvement of students in particular. On this page, we bundle the expertise in the field of sustainability in BORA. We also present an emerging initiative that is supported by BORA.
As one of eleven German Universities of Excellence, the University of Bonn is one of the strongest research universities in Europe. It is known for its internationally networked top-level research, which is based on a collaborative, innovative and international research culture.
Joint research projects (funded by the DFG, BMBF, NRW) and collaboration with one or more BORA members since 2018 on the topic of sustainability are presented here.
Research Projects
PhenoRob performs world-leading research in robotics and phenotyping for sustainable crop production. Our vision is to transform crop production by optimizing breeding and farming management through developing and deploying new technologies. PhenoRob addresses a real-world problem with a technology-oriented approach. Our scientists have backgrounds in computer science, geodesy, robotics, plant science, soil science, economics, and environmental science. This interdisciplinary team forms the only DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence focusing on agriculture.
BORA cooperation partner
Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS
Contact
PhenoRob Cluster Office
University of Bonn
Niebuhrstraße 1a
D-53113 Bonn
Site Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Britta Klagge
Geographisches Institut
Meckenheimer Allee 166
53115 Bonn
Summary
The Collaborative Research Center (CRC) combines expertise from two complementary centers of excellence at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne to study newly emerging issues of social-ecological transformation and future-making in Africa. It takes current large-scale landuse change in rural Africa as its starting point. Focusing on the two seemingly opposite, yet often mutually constitutive processes of intensification and conservation, it investigates their impact on social-ecological transformation in the context of three major growth corridors in eastern and southern Africa. While social-ecological transformation is commonly understood in relation to past processes, this CRC takes a different perspective: It conceptualizes socialecological transformation as an expression of ‘future-making’. Resonating with current debates in the interdisciplinary field of future studies, this means that potential futures and the different ideas of how they can be realized are seen to have a decisive impact on current land-use dynamics, especially through diverse processes and politics of anticipation. ‘Futuremaking’ refers to physical changes as well as social practices that link the present to the future in various ways. Whereas natural scientists primarily study how a ‘future of probabilities’ is anticipated in different forms of calculation, measurements and models, the social scientists also take into account how a ‘future of possibilities’ takes shape in visions and imaginations. Together, the projects of the CRC will analyze how such different approaches to the future inform practices of large-scale land-use change, and how they relate to each other. Special emphasis will be put on surprises and unintended side-effects of future-making, which play a key role in characterizing rural Africa today.The CRC is structured in three project groups, each organized around a bridging concept that addresses specific aspects of social-ecological transformation and future-making (Figure 1). Project group A (‘coupling’) studies the articulation between social and ecological subsystems, B (‘boundaries’) looks at the shifting zones of interaction and confrontation, and C (‘linkages’) explores cross-scalar drivers, connections and causations. Empirical research focuses on development hubs in the Kenyan Rift Valley, the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania, and the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. The CRC builds upon profound research experience of the applicants and African counterparts, amplifies the unique combination of expertise at the universities of Bonn and Cologne, fosters partnerships with scholars and scientific institutions in Africa, and aims at making Bonn-Cologne one of the leading centers of innovative research in the emerging field of futures studies and social ecology in Africa.
Participating Institutions:
- Universität zu Köln (Speaker University)
- Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (bicc)
- German Institute of Develeopment and Sustainability (IDOS)
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Cooperation partners in Africa
Term:
01.01.2018 - 31.12.2025 (2. Funding Period)
Spokesperson
Prof. Dr. Christian Borgemeister
Center for Development Research (ZEF)
Genscherallee 3
D-53113 Bonn
Summary
The Forschungskolleg “One Health and Urban Transformation – identifying risks, developing sustainable solutions” was launched in July 2016 and will investigate the various dimensions and transformations of the urban systems and their impact on human, animal and environmental health. The historical development and current challenges of North Rhine-Westphalia with a particular focus on the RuhrMetropolis (Germany), will be contrasted with three urban metropolitan areas: São Paulo (Brazil), Accra (Ghana) and Ahmedabad (India).
The ‘One Health’ concept adopts an integrative perspective of health, recognizing the intrinsic interconnections between human, animal and environmental health. Consequently, the environmental, social and economic systems interact with and shape One Health. Investigating these interactions in the context of urban transformation forms the basis for developing sustainable solutions that maximize synergetic effects, minimize trade-offs and mitigate health risks.
The NRW Forschungskolleg “One Health” is jointly operated by the Center for Development Research (ZEF), the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE) of the University of Applied Sciences, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) and the United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) Bonn, in collaboration with the Department of Geography (University Bonn), the Medical Faculty (University Bonn) and the Institute for Hygiene and Public Health. Additionally, the Forschungskolleg collaborates with research and implementation oriented partners in each of the four research areas.
Participating Institutions
- United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
- University of Applied Sciences, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS), International Center for Sustainable Development (IZNE)
- Department of Geography, University Bonn
- Agricultural Faculty, University Bonn
- Medical Faculty, University Bonn
- Institute for Hygiene and Public Health (IHPH)
- Emscher Genossenschaft
- Ruhr-Verband
- Ahmedabad, India: Indian Institute of Public Health-Gandhinagar (IIPH-G)
- Accra, Ghana: Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University Ghana
- São Paulo, Brazil: University São Paulo (USP)
Duration
2015-2024
Coordinator
Dr. Tina Beuchelt
Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung
Genscherallee 3
53113 Bonn
Summary
Land management and the securing, use, control and governance of land-related natural resources is one of the key drivers for sustainable development in Africa. Sustainable land management should contribute to food security, adaptation of agriculture and forestry to climate change, nature and environmental protection, and be organized in a way that contributes to social justice. Since October 2022, the German Research Ministry (BMBF) is supporting four regional research and development (R&D) projects that will contribute to this aim.
INTERFACES is a support project that will support the BMBF-funded regional projects in their endeavor to drive change for sustainable land management in Sub-Saharan Africa. It will do so through impact-driven support activities which build on networking for the regional projects, science communication, social learning processes and capacity development, and by complementary transfer analyses that enable or facilitate the implementation as well as improve the relevance and outreach of the regional projects' research-based findings.
To achieve changes towards sustainable land management, a fundamental reorganization is needed across technological, economic, political, institutional and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values. Changes must be gender-responsive and socially inclusive, which means that implementation pathways for sustainable land management must be based on thorough gender and power analyses and lead to outcomes that benefit both women and men of different ethnicities, ages, classes, and income levels.
Therefore, INTERFACES has four work areas that together strengthen the integration, coherence and reach of the regional projects with regard to sustainable land management: 1. Knowledge synthesis through dialogues about future visions and theories of change for sustainable land management - together with the regional projects and actors from science, policy and practice, 2. Support of innovation and implementation processes by identifying change strategies to bridge knowledge-behaviour gaps, 3. Communication, networking and knowledge management and 4. Education, e.g. through the integration of teaching content into African and German graduate programs. The methods and results of the regional projects find their way into the training of project partners and students with regard to the training of future "change agents".
The outputs from INTERFACES are expected to include scientific and non-scientific publications, the promotion of transdisciplinary research and social learning approaches in order to produce research results that are relevant to practice, the strengthening of already existing networks on land management issues and linking them up with different African networks to further contribute to the implementation of the R&D results in the area of land management. Finally, INTERFACES will anchor implementation-oriented research in education and training.
Participating Institutions
- Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Ghana
- West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change & Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Burkina Faso
- University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Ghana
- University of Applied Sciences, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS), Germany
- German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Germany
Duration
01.10.2022 - 30.09.2026
The biodiversity of insects, birds and mammals continues to decline. This trend is also reflected to a similar extent in the plant world, especially in the agricultural landscape. However, while climate researchers have been collecting data on climate development for decades and are thus able to demonstrate changes and make forecasts, comparable data material on the Earth's biodiversity is lacking. To date, there is no broad-based and automated monitoring program, nor are the necessary technical prerequisites and infrastructure in place. In the public perception, the topic therefore remains abstract. Reliable figures and conclusions are needed to give it the attention it urgently deserves. So far, however, these have either not been available at all or have been spatially limited, which diminishes their significance. Experts agree that the extent of the problem can only be understood with the help of a sound data basis on the status quo and development of the biosphere.
Coordination
Leibniz-Institut für Biodiversität der Tiere (Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander König), Bonn
Project partners
Fraunhofer FKIE
Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Computer Science 12
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Chair of Digital Image Processing
Society for Scientific Data Processing mbH Göttingen (GWDG)
ION-Gas, Dortmund
Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH
Justus Liebig University Giessen, AG Special Botany
Leibniz Institute for Innovative Microelectronics (ihp), Frankfurt (Oder)
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig
Museum of Natural History Berlin, Animal Voice Archive
Hamburg University of Technology, Institute for High Frequency Technology
Technical University of Munich, Faculty of Computer Science
University of Bonn, Institute for Computer Science 4
University of Bonn, Nees-Institute for Plant Biodiversity
University of Bremen, Zemtrum for Marine Environmental Sciences
University of Bristol, Department of Computer Science
The aim of the project is to demonstrate the viability of organic rice production in the MKD in order to improve product safety, environmental sustainability and livelihoods through organic production and improved land and water management. OrganoRice will holistically analyze the opportunities and challenges for a transition to organic rice production including environmental, social and economic aspects. It will also demonstrate its viability in a pilot region (Vinh Long province) of the MKD. Finally, OrganoRice will draw conclusions, which will help to successfully implement organic rice production systems in other Vietnamese regions. Our working hypotheses are:
Rice based organic farming is a means to improve product safety, environmental sustainability and livelihoods and will help to improve land and water management when measures are taken simultaneously on the farm, landscape and value chain scale.
Conversion from conventional to rice based organic farming can be accomplished faster than 3 years by adaptation of land and water management on the farm and landscape scale.
Suitable tools such as a digital knowledge platform can help farmers and authorities in the transformation process and will enable ecologically and economically sustainable farming in the long run.
Participating Institutions
Can Tho University
Forschungszentrum Jülich
KIAG Knowledge Intelligence Applications
L.U.P.O. GmbH (SME)
University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES)
United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Hanoi
Duration
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
The goal of COINS is the sustainable intensification of agriculture, i.e. increasing productivity without converting additional land. The German-African project team is investigating which efficient forms of land management are effective in intensifying agriculture on the same area in a sustainable manner – taking into account local conditions such as water availability and soil properties, but also socio-economic conditions in particular.
In COINS, the relevant options are catalogued and assessed for their suitability in local contexts in study areas in northern Ghana and the Senegal River Valley in northern Senegal. In COINS, a landscape-based approach with modelling, earth observation, and data science is being pursued. This will promote improved cropping practices and management practices of sustainable intensification on productive land and soil rehabilitation practices on degraded land.
The operationalisation of support mechanisms, including comprehensive risk management strategies and an incentive and monitoring program, will set the stage for sustainable land management. Great importance is also attached to the development of a range of advisory services for farmers to implement sustainable intensification, thus supporting the achievement of the goals defined by the stakeholders.
Participating Institutions
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum (DFD), Weßling
- Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung e. V. (ZALF), Müncheberg
- United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Bonn
- Universität Hohenheim (UHOH), Stuttgart
- Universität Bonn (UBonn), Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Institute for Food and Resource Economics (ILR), Bonn
- University of Ghana (UGHA), Soil & Irrigation Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Accra, Ghana
- United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA), Accra, Ghana
- West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Manobi Africa Group Company, Dakar, Senegal
- Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale (IPAR), Dakar, Senegal
- Savanna Agriculture Research Institute (SARI), Tamale, Ghana
- Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise Limited (ACRE Africa), Nairobi, Kenya
Duration
2022-2026
Even though there has been some improvement in the global electricity supply over the past years, more than a billion people still have no access to electricity. The majority of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa, where food and water security is often not a given. A sustainable economy needs to be established in rural areas of West African countries to ensure that basic standards of living are met and to guarantee the well-being of the people who live there. The RETO-DOSSO research project aims to create lasting and sustainable means of subsistence in rural areas; establishing these essential means will also pave the way for the founding of small and microenterprises.
The RETO-DOSSO research project aims to help establish sustainable means of subsistence in rural areas of Niger by establishing a foundation on which residents can earn a livelihood, thus paving the way for rural business activities. To do so, the researchers plan to use electricity generated from renewable energy sources to secure basic needs, such as food and water. Excess electricity from solar stand-alone systems will strengthen the rural economy by creating simple yet innovative business ideas as local sources of income.
Participating Institutions
- Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, Niger
- Foyer-Tech Pvt. Ltd., Niger
- University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali
- Pan African University, Institute for Water and Energy Sciences, including Climate change, Algerien
- Technische Hochschule Köln, Institut für Technologie und Ressourcenmanagement in den Tropen und Subtropen (ITT)
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung (ZEF)
- Universität der Vereinten Nationen, Institut für Umwelt und Menschliche Sicherheit (UNU-EHS)
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
- Technische Universität München
- Wertsicht GmbH
- Yandalux Solar GmbH
Duration
01.07.2020–30.06.2023
The project “digitainable” investigates possible positive and negative impacts of the rapid progress in digitalization and artificial intelligence on sustainable development. For this purpose the project will map the different aspects of digitalization and artificial intelligence systemically onto the more than 200 indicators of the UN Agenda 2030 (and national sustainability strategies derived from the Agenda 2030). The results of the projects should support and objectify the discussions on the relation between digitalization and sustainability.
Duration
Juli 2019 – Juni 2022
Coordination
Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research, University of Bonn
Beteiligte Institutionen
Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research:
BICC (Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies)
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS)
Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University (UNU-EHS) and the University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF)
Coordinator
Prof. Dr. Jakob Rhyner
Scientific Director /
Professor of Global Change and Systemic Risks at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bonn
Meckenheimerallee 172
D-53115 Bonn
Aufklapp-Text
Overall, Bonn's scientific landscape has a strong research infrastructure in various specialist and subject areas. Many of these have been developed in cooperation or are accessible to external parties. These infrastructures in the field of sustainability are collected here and listed by type.
Research Infrastructure
- Laboratories (chemistry, soil physics), measuring stations (climate) and experimental farm (agricultural teaching and research station) (University of Bonn)
The Department of Geography has various laboratories and testing facilities that are used for research and teaching. The laboratories are located in the department’s basement, while other testing facilities such as the laboratory flume, a weather station and a hydrological measuring weir are based at the Frankenforst research site. - Center for Earth System Observation and Computational Analysis (CESOC) (University of Bonn in cooperation with University of Cologne & FZ Jülich)
- Laboratory for Clouds and Precipitation Exploration, ABC/J-Kompetenzzentrum, Geoverbund ABC/J (in cooperation with the University of Bonn)
The CPEX-LAB brings together cloud and precipitation-related expertise from the fields of meteorology, remote sensing, applied mathematics, engineering and computer science. The focus is on scientific and technical challenges in observing and understanding clouds and precipitation. - Water Competence Center, ABC/J-Kompetenzzentrum, Geoverbund ABC/J (in cooperation with the University of Bonn)
The "Water" Competence Center (HyCoGeo) is intended to bundle the expertise of the Geoverbund into knowledge and insights into the dynamics of the hydrosphere, which will change significantly in the coming years. - Morphology Laboratory (Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Research Museum Koenig)
Morphology is the science of the form and structure of an organism and includes both the exterior appearence and the inner anatomy. It takes a central role in biological and evolutionary research. The morphology lab of the ZFMK was established in 2018. Next to own research is also corrdinates the morphological research, supervises the related infrastructure and provides training and counseling for other ZFMK researchers. - Animal Husbandry(Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Research Museum Koenig)
Observations in captivity complement collection- and field-based research. The aquarium facilities of the ichthyology section at ZFMK allow the documentation of life coloration, courtship behaviour, investigation of development from the egg to the adult fish, or the investigation of the heritability of external traits.
- NFDI4Earth – National Research Data Infrastructure for Earth System Sciences (University of Bonn)
NFDI4Earth addresses digital needs of Earth System Sciences. Earth System scientists cooperate in international and interdisciplinary networks with the overarching aim to understand the functioning and interactions within the Earth system and address the multiple challenges of global change. NFDI4Earth is a community-driven process providing researchers with FAIR, coherent, and open access to all relevant Earth System data, to innovative research data management and data science methods. (Tools & Services) - FAIRagro - FAIR Data Infrastructure for Agrosystems (University of Bonn)
FAIRagro is a community-driven initiative within the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) and focuses on the agrosystem domain needed to develop sustainable crop production and agroecosystems. - NFDI4Biodiversity (Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Research Museum Koenig)
NFDI4Biodiversity is a consortium under the umbrella of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) dedicated to mobilising biodiversity and environmental data for collective use. - Scientific Collections at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB)
The scientific collections form an important basis for research at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB). The archive of living things, fossils and minerals provides our researchers with information about past and present times. The objects and data reflect the changes in species as well as their environment and allow predictions for further development. - Biodiversity Informatics (Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Research Museum Koenig)
In biodiversity informatics at the ZFMK we deal with everything that has to do with information about the occurrence, distribution and appearance of biological organisms.
Scientific collections in museums III
- Botanical Gardens
- Goldfuß Museum of Paleontology
- Mineralogical Museum
Sustainable Future: Biodiversity and Climate
- Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research (bicc, IDOS, UNU-EHS, University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF))
- Bonn Climate Group (IDOS, University of Bonn) (via e-mail distribution list)
- Bonn Water Network (bicc, IDOS, UNU-EHS, University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF))
- BION e.V. – Biodiversitätsnetzwerk Bonn / Rhein-Sieg (University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF), LIB)
- German Committee for Sustainability Research (DKN) in Future Earth (University of Bonn, IDOS)
- Observer Institution at UNFCCC, IPCC, UN CBD, IPES (University of Bonn, IDOS) (information via staff unit for BORA)
- SDSN Germany (IDOS, University of Bonn with the Center for Development Research (ZEF))
- WASCAL (West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use) (UNU-EHS, University of Bonn)
- Center for Earth System Observation and Computational analysis (CESOC) (University of Bonn)
A cooperation in research and teaching among the Universities of Bonn and Cologne and Forschungszentrum Jülich, working closely together with ECMWF and other cooperation partners to bundle expertise and tackle the current challenges of global environmental changes.
Sustainable Future: International Cooperation and Sustainable Development Policy
- Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research (bicc, IDOS, UNU-EHS, University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF))
- Bonn Climate Group (IDOS, University of Bonn) (via e-mail distribution list)
- Bonn Network International Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction (University of Bonn, UNU-EHS)
- Bonn Water Network (bicc, IDOS, UNU-EHS, University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF))
- German Committee for Sustainability Research (DKN) in Future Earth (University of Bonn, IDOS)
- Green Policy Platform (University of Bonn with its Center for Development Research (ZEF), IDOS)
- Observer Institution at UNFCCC, IPCC, UN CBD, IPES (University of Bonn, IDOS) (information via staff unit for BORA)
- SDSN Germany (IDOS, University of Bonn with the Center for Development Research (ZEF))
- WASCAL (West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use) (UNU-EHS, University of Bonn)
- T20 Africa Think Tanks of Africa (IDOS)
Transdisciplinary Research Area Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Futures (TRA Sustainable Futures)
The six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs) at the University of Bonn offer spaces for innovation in research and teaching. Sustainability means using resources in a way that the needs of today are met without neglecting or even disregarding the needs of future generations. This raises questions in a wide range of areas: poverty, hunger, food security, demographic change, health, protection of the environment, climate change and the responsible use of resources pose a global challenge for us all.
The University of Bonn and the members of BORA cooperate in teaching through joint professorships and in-depth courses. The cooperation is particularly multifaceted in the qualification of young scientists. In the field of sustainability, there is one Master's degree and two doctoral programs.
Education Programs
The master's degree program Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security, which is taught in English, is a joint degree program offered by the Department of Geography of the University of Bonn and the Institute for Environment and Human Security of United Nations University (UNU-EHS). The program explores the complex interrelationships between environmental risks and human security as well as their impact on the interactions between humans and their environment (vulnerability, resilience, adaptation).
Participating BORA Member
Institute for Environment and Human Security of United Nations University (UNU-EHS
Further information yet to come.
Involved BORA Institutions
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Research Museum Koenig
Increasing agricultural production despite limited land while reducing the ecological footprint of agriculture - this is one of the challenges of our time. For this reason, the University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich are jointly developing methods and new technologies to observe, analyze, better understand and more specifically treat plants. We support graduate students through an interdisciplinary portfolio of offers through our Graduate Training Program. Our offers span from research-oriented courses on mobile robotics to soft skills courses on video production. The program is tailored to our PhD students’ needs and encourages interdisciplinarity within our Cluster.
Involved BORA Institutions
Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS
Many colleagues from BORA member institutions are active in the advisory bodies of the German government and European Union institutions and contribute scientific findings to the shaping of Germany and Europe.
From Bonn to the World: Cooperation with UN organizations and intergovernmental bodies
The United Nations is represented by 25 organizations in Bonn. UN Bonn works in the areas of climate change, desertification, biodiversity, global volunteer work, health, human security, disaster risk management and satellite-based information systems, vocational training, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the areas of climate and biodiversity, the University and some BORA members are collaborating with UN agencies and intergovernmental bodies on assessments and solutions to the global climate and biodiversity crisis.
In the area of climate, university members and BORA members can take part in plenary sessions and meetings of the Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). There is also the opportunity to contribute to the IPCC reports. You have to be appointed for this; participation is voluntary.
In the field of biodiversity, university members can take part in plenary sessions and meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Emerging Initiatives
From the BORA staff unit, we support new initiatives that work together to promote jointly relevant topics for Bonn as a science location.
Dr. Sandra Gilgan leads various interdisciplinary formats in the field of sustainability. These include a working group on 'Alternative Sustainability' at the German Committee Future Earth (DKN), the sub-working group 'Sustainability in Research' at the University of Bonn (BOOST program), and the collaborative textbook project “Sustainabilities beyond Disciplines. A critical study book” (working title), which is a lighthouse project in BOOST and important for the partnership in the St Andrews Centre for Critical Sustainabilities.
Alternative/Critical/Plural Sustainabilities
The “Alternative Sustainabilities” working group brings together academics and practitioners working in the field of sustainability and sustainable development (in the broadest sense). The working group is open to diverse interdisciplinary cooperation between people from all sectors and (research) institutions. The aim of the working group is to identify, bring together and analyze so-called “alternative” practices, approaches, concepts and understandings, strategies and initiatives of sustainability.
Bonn Program for Sustainable Transformation (BOOST) - Management of the BOOST research sub-group
The Bonn Program for Sustainable Transformation is geared toward embedding sustainability systematically in all areas of the University and fostering a culture of sustainability. Participation, networking and student involvement all have a major role to play, as reflected not least in the program’s guiding principle, “Working Together for Sustainability.”
Learn more
Master "Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security"
The English-taught Master's program is a joint course offered by the University of Bonn and UNU-EHS.
BOOST Program of the University of Bonn
The BOOST working group discusses sustainability issues and supports the sustainable development of the University of Bonn.
Cooperation with UN organizations
In the areas of climate and biodiversity, the university and some BORA members work together with UN organizations.