Sustainability transformations need to be implemented at local level. With a focus on climate protection, energy, climate change adaptation and sustainability, the Wuppertal Institute's Research Unit Urban Transitions researches, develops, accompanies and supports corresponding approaches at the municipal and regional levels. The focus here is on the question as to which conditions for action, prerequisites and social innovations have to be established in order to develop cities towards low carbon, climate-sensitive and resource-efficient paths. Integrated governance concepts and management processes are conceived, potentials tapped and creativity mobilised under the conditions prevailing on site.
Transdisciplinary research methods are used, which are further developed and adapted according to the respective requirements, e.g. systems and actor analyses, visioning workshops and scenario methods, evaluations, monitoring approaches, empirical social research and real experiments.

As "Competence Centre City and Space", the Research Unit is complementary to other units of the Institute with an urban dimension, such as the Research Units Structural Change and Innovation; Systems and Infrastructures (Division Future Energy and Industry Systems); Energy Policy; Mobility and International Cooperation; Mobility and Transport Policy (Division Energy, Transport and Climate Policy); Innovation Labs (Division Sustainable Production and Consumption).

The team