Since 1991, the DBU has funded more than 10,000 projects with € 1.84 billion. At the same time, the foundation capital (€ 1.28 billion at the beginning) was increased to around € 2.32 billion.

Funded projects should achieve sustainable effects in practice, give impulses and lead to a “multiplier effect”. It is the objective of the DBU to contribute to the solution of current environmental problems, in particular, which result from unsustainable business practices and lifestyles. The DBU sees the crucial challenges primarily in the areas of climate change, biodiversity loss, unsustainable use of natural resources, and harmful emissions. The funding topics are linked both to current scientific findings on the Planetary Boundaries and to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The Board of Trustees

The DBU is chaired by the Board of Trustees whose members are appointed by the Federal Government. It is composed of federal and state politicians as well as representatives of other socially relevant groups.

During its history, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin has undergone many profound changes. The most recent reformation followed the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany in 1989. Many new outstanding professors were appointed from East and West, from Germany and from abroad.

As one of eleven German universities, the Humboldt-Universität was chosen “University of Excellence” in June 2012. It was successful in all three funding lines in the third round of the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments and awarded for its future concept “Educating Enquiring Minds: Individuality – Openness – Guidance”. In an international comparison, Humboldt- Universität ranks among the top ten of German universities. Scientists here research socially relevant topics and challenges of the future and communicate these with the public. Humboldt-Universität invests all its energy in being a place of excellent research and teaching. It’s aim is to promote young talents and to positively influence society and the economy outside the university framework.

The Planetary Boundaries offer a framework to consider sustainable development in a way that respects the ecological resilience of the Earth while re-thinking social and economic development based on ecosphere integrity.

Planetary boundaries define the scientific targets for a stable Earth system. Businesses, countries, and communities increasingly recognize that socio-economic development in the Anthropocene - when human pressures on Earth pose rising global risks - must occur within scientifically defined boundaries, establishing a safe-operating space on Earth.

SDGs within Planetary Boundaries suggest a pathway towards a world in 2050 in which a ‘good life for all’ – humanity and non-human species – is possible.

With: Prof. Johan Rockström, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

The digital conference will focus on the transformation of the economy and society to shape a sustainable future. The event will be hosted by Svenja Schulze, German Minister of the Environment, and Dirk Messner, President of the German Environment Agency.

The agenda for the conference can be found here.

In light of the existing and expected restrictions on travel and group gatherings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was taken to hold the conference as a virtual event. Attendees can participate in the conference through a live stream on the homepage of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, and will have the opportunity to interact with speakers and other participants using voting tools and Q&A sessions (no installation needed). Links will be provided in the official invitation. There will be no registration and the conference will be held in English.

More than 20 innovative demonstrators and test systems in our application center illustrate the current state of logistics research for the no.1 future industry

Within the context of our virtual tour we give you an insight into the future of production and logistics, for example:

... how autonomous transport vehicles can organize themselves highly dynamically with up to 10m/s in a swarm, accept orders independently, negotiate and link up for transport orders thanks to artificial intelligence.

... how virtual reality (VR) can be used to provide new employees with the knowledge they need quickly and without disrupting ongoing operations and how such virtual reality learning environments can become part of a training, further education and planning room for logistics experts.

... how smart glasses and scanner gloves help retail workers carry out the daily stock control quicker and more economically.

... how digital assistance systems in intelligent shelves support employees in the picking process.

This series of online events offers an opportunity for Parties and other stakeholders to continue exchanging views and sharing information in order to maintain momentum in the UNFCCC process and to showcase how climate action is progressing under the special circumstances the world is currently facing.

This will include advancing technical work under the constituted bodies, as well as providing a platform for information exchange and engagement on other work being done under the UNFCCC, including on adaptation, mitigation, science, finance, technology, capacity-building, transparency, gender, Action on Climate Empowerment, and the preparation and submission of nationally determined contributions. Formal negotiations and decision-making are not envisaged for these events; they will take place at the SB sessions in October of this year.

Germany consumes some 1.3 billion tonnes of fossil fuels, minerals, ores and biomass per year. UBA's Use of Natural Resources Report claims that the majority of raw material consumption is non-metallic minerals (45%), fossil fuels (29%) and biomass (21%). Although raw material consumption in Germany is becoming more and more efficient thanks to industry efforts and total raw material productivity has increased by 26% since 2000, Germany has an excessively high level of raw material consumption compared to other countries: 10% higher than the average in Europe, and even 100% higher than the global average. More than half of the raw materials consumed for the production of goods is sourced from abroad.