Knowledge for Change: Ten Years of Ecornet

The network of independent institutes for environmental and sustainability research marks its tenth anniversary. In 2011, eight non-profit scientific institutions – including Ecologic Institute – joined forces to form the Ecological Research Network (Ecornet). Their goal: to bring scientific work on sustainability, environmental, climate and resource protection even more into the public and political spotlight. Their common goal: to provide a scientific background for shaping a sustainable world, to develop solutions for the necessary changes in economy and society, and to discuss options for action with a wide range of actors.

Assessing future challenges: series of events to mark the anniversary

In the context of the new developments in federal politics, scientists from Ecornet will, in this anniversary year, discuss which challenges the future federal government will have to address. To this end, they are assessing the current situation with regard to climate neutrality, infrastructure planning, the circular economy in the textile industry and sustainable research policy. The anniversary series of the "Ecornet Future Forum" will focus on key issues, solutions on the path to social change and the role of science.

"The climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, but also social injustices are making it increasingly clear to us that gradual changes are no longer enough for the world to achieve intergenerational justice," says Dr. Camilla Bausch, co-spokesperson of Ecornet. "Instead, groundbreaking changes are needed in all areas. We see accompanying this change with knowledge and providing solutions for the transformation as an urgent task of science. When our institutes first came together, they were pioneers in their respective fields. Working together in a network, we want to continue to be the driving force behind relevant social research with a commitment to shaping change."

Science for the society

The institutes in Ecornet consider science to be part of society and therefore conduct practice-oriented research in exchange with various social groups. In this way, they address conflicts that may arise, for example, in the expansion of renewable energies, in the energy refurbishment of apartment buildings or in the transformation of transport, and develop options that can form the basis for democratic decision-making processes.

"We recognize the diversity of knowledge in society and want to incorporate it into the scientific process," Thomas Korbun, another Ecornet co-spokesperson, emphasizes." This allows us to open up thinking spaces for alternatives and test the feasibility of solution concepts at an early stage."

Topics and dates of the anniversary events of the "Future Forum Ecornet":

• From knowledge to action: Anchoring climate neutrality in politics and society
  26 October 2021, 4:00 p.m. (online)
• Infrastructure planning: goal-compatible, participatory and efficient!?
  10 November 2021, 4:00 p.m. (online)
• The Transformation to a Circular Economy: The textile example
  16 November 2021, 16:00 (online)
• Knowledge for change: a fresh start for research policy
  25 November 2021, 6:00 p.m. (presumably offline)

Information on the anniversary events and registration on the Ecornet website.

About the Ecological Research Network (Ecornet)

Ecornet is a network of eight research institutes with a combined staff of over 900. With a broad range of topics and competencies, these institutes conduct practical research to solve societal problems that hinder sustainable development. They share a rigorously transdisciplinary approach to research: they combine the knowledge and tools of different scientific disciplines to produce new findings and research method and involve stakeholders from politics, civil society and business in the research process from the outset.

The members of Ecornet are:

• Ecologic Institute
• Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg (ifeu)
• Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE)
• Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW)
• Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT)
• Oeko-Institut
• Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU)
• Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy

Contact for press inquiries:

Ecornet head office
Roy Schwichtenberg
Special Assistant for Research Policy and Sustainability
Phone: +49 30 884594-24
Email: roy.schwichtenberg@ecornet.eu