Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie GmbH: Friends of the Institute

The Friends of the Wuppertal Institute is a non-profit association of individuals who support the goals of the Institute's work. It exists since the founding days of the Institute and has repeatedly funded research activities of scientists at the Institute.

The association's aim is to promote science and research towards a sustainable development, in particular as it is conducted at the Wuppertal Institute. To this end, the association funds research projects and activities that are considered as particularly relevant and sustainable.

If you, too, would like to support these goals, please do not hesitate to contact the Friends of the Wuppertal Institute and become a donor. The association is listed in the register of associations and is recognised as a public-benefit organisation as defined in the German Fiscal Code (Abgabenordnung).

Following an intense process of research and discussion, the Wuppertal Institute presented its own proposal at the Copenhagen climate summit in December 2009. The Institute put forward far-reaching ideas for a treaty that would have been both effective and fair, and would have demanded greater commitment to international climate protection from both the industrialised nations and the so-called developing countries. For project co-ordinator Wolfgang Sterk and his interdisciplinary team the point was to make it clear that achieving ambitious goals requires a stable financing system and internationally transparent implementation steps.

The team's first draft, published on the Wuppertal Institute website at the end of May 2009, was broadly discussed and submitted to external experts for review. In an intense research and discussion process the diverse suggestions were reviewed and condensed into the paper that the research team distributed in bulk at the Copenhagen climate summit. The research, discussion and distribution process was made possible by funds from the Friends of the Wuppertal Institute.