Communications and Marketing
Sustainable transformation - municipalities and science at the H-BRS in dialogue
In his welcoming address, University President Professor Hartmut Ihne emphasised the particular importance of transformation at municipal level for achieving the global sustainability goals: ‘Municipalities are the actual cores of the globalisation process. That is why we need to pay much more attention to them in the political discourse and make them the starting point for successful transformation.’ Ihne proposed a transformation readiness index - an assessment and development tool that reduces the complexity of the process and uncovers contradictions - in order to be able to manage the legal conditions that accompany the process.
Keynote: ‘Implementing climate protection targets in local authorities - areas of tension and possible solutions’
In his keynote speech, Professor Manfred Fischedick, President and Scientific Director of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, made it clear that local authorities need to network more closely in their administrative areas and establish integrative structures. In order to meet challenges such as climate adaptation and emissions reduction, municipal heating concepts need to be adapted to take social aspects into account. According to Fischedick, around a third of all German households are unable to take action because they are structurally, for example, age-related or financially restricted. Municipal heating networks could help here, for example.
On the role of science, he said: ‘Sustainability research is very important because we are dealing with economic as well as social, ecological and technological challenges.’ The aim is to develop holistic solutions.
Discussions between science and politics
Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker (CDU), Chairwoman of the Legal Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag, emphasised that Germany's ability to innovate must be maintained. Other speakers included Sebastian Schuster, District Administrator of the Rhein-Sieg district, Max Leitterstorf, Mayor of Sankt Augustin, and Martin Metz (Greens), Member of the NRW State Parliament.
The panellists included Bonn Mayor Katja Dörner, Regina Rosenstock, Economic Development Manager of the Rhein-Sieg district, Petra Kalkbrenner, Mayor of Swisttal, Rainer Gleß, Technical Councillor of Sankt Augustin, and Thomas Kemmann, Managing Director of Gemeinnützige Wohnungsbaugesellschaft für den Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, who discussed various key topics - such as the challenges of mobility and building management.
On the part of the university, Paul Bossauer, Head of the Mobility Research Group, Sustainability Manager at HBRS, Stephanie Lorek, Kerstin Rosenow-Williams, Professor of Social Sustainability, and Wiltrud Terlau, Professor and Director of the International Centre for Sustainable Development, contributed research findings and experience to the discussion.
Summary and outlook
It became clear at the event that North Rhine-Westphalia is well practised in structural change, not least due to the changes in the Rhenish mining area. However, change cannot keep pace with rapid climate change. Even if haste is required, more opportunities for participation must be offered in order to increase acceptance of change among citizens and not overburden them with decisions, according to the tenor of the event. Science and clear communication could make an important contribution to avoiding disinformation and making research results transparent and visible.
Press images
Sustainability Transfer Day
The Sustainability Transfer Day was launched last year by the Sustainability Alliance for Applied Sciences in NRW (NAW.NRW). It takes place once a year at one of the 21 universities involved in the network.
Video of the sustainability transfer day
Kontakt
Michaela Wirtz
Vice president transfer, innovation and sustainability, Professor for Chemistry, espec. Instrumental Analysis and Physical Chemistry
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
E 232
Address
Granthamallee 20
53757 Sankt Augustin
Location
Rheinbach
Room
E 110
Address
Von-Liebig-Str. 20
53359 Rheinbach
Angelika Fiedler
Project Manager Marketing and Public Relations "Sustainability Communication", Project Manager H-BRS Sustainability
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
F 411
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 9821Weiterführende Links
Weiterführende Links