Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies

Research Institute for Sustainability

Category	Research institute
Legal structure	Registered association
Established	2 February 2009
Location	Potsdam, Germany
Leadership	Katja Carson (Administration), Prof. Dr Mark Lawrence, Prof. Dr Patrizia Nanz, Prof. Dr Ortwin Renn
Fields of research	energy transitions, emerging technologies, climate change, air quality, systemic risks, governance and participation, cultures of transformation in the Anthropocene, and sustainable development
Funding mix	Federal Government (85%), State of Brandenburg (15%)
Staff	approx. 120
Homepage	www.rifs-potsdam.de/en

The Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam, previously known as the Institute for Sustainability Studies (IASS), became part of the Helmholtz Association in 2023, integrating with the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. This transition enhances its ability to conduct transdisciplinary research focused on sustainable development in various international contexts. RIFS collaborates with a range of stakeholders, including researchers, governmental bodies, private sectors, and civil society, to address sustainability challenges. Its research covers areas such as climate change mitigation, sustainable governance, and cultural transformations in the Anthropocene. Additionally, RIFS promotes knowledge exchange through its Fellow Programme, strengthening its sustainability initiatives.

Organisation

The RIFS currently employs approximately 120 people from over 30 countries. In 2019 the Board of Directors was composed of the Institute's three Scientific Directors – Mark G. Lawrence, Patrizia Nanz and Ortwin Renn – and its Head of Administration, Jakob Meyer. The RIFS receives funding from the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (85%) and the Federal State of Brandenburg (15%). The Institute's research programme currently spans five areas: Democratic Transformations; Systemic Interdependencies: Nature, Technology, Society; Perceptions, Values, Orientation; Energy Systems and Societal Change; Governance for the Environment and Society. These research areas are supported in their work by a cross-cutting research area tasked with facilitating dialogue between science, policy-makers, and civil society actors.

The RIFS is a registered voluntary association under German law. The Institute's supervisory, governing, and advisory bodies are its General Assembly, Board of Directors and Advisory Board.

History

The IASS (Now the RIFS) was founded in Potsdam, Germany, on 2 February 2009. German politician and environmental policy expert Klaus Töpfer was the Institute's founding director. He led the Institute as its executive director until September 2015, together with scientific directors Carlo Rubbia (June 2010 – May 2015) and Mark G. Lawrence (from October 2011). At a founding symposium held under the patronage of Angela Merkel, the then Federal Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan stated: "Under Professor Töpfer's leadership, the Institute will be able to gain international prominence and underscore Germany's strong position in this field."

The idea for the IASS was born in 2007 at the Potsdam Nobel Laureate Symposium "Global Sustainability – A Nobel Cause". The symposium brought together leading researchers and decision-makers and resulted in the publication of the Potsdam Memorandum, which called for a concerted effort to tap into "all sources of ingenuity" to address the challenges of the twenty-first century. The memorandum urged the establishment of a new "global contract" between science and society to bring together relevant knowledge within and beyond the science system to meet challenges to sustainability arising in the Anthropocene.

In January 2023, the IASS merged with the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific organization, and was incorporated into the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), while retaining its scientific independence. The GFZ is Germany’s national research centre for the study of the geosphere. Since then, the IASS has renamed itself the Research Institute for Sustainability.

Publications

The RIFS uses a number of publications formats to disseminate its findings and policy recommendations. These include:

• RIFS Policy Briefs – Policy recommendations and assessments
• RIFS Fact Sheets – Brief overviews of research relating to topics addressed by the Institute
• RIFS Studies – Detailed research findings addressing a central issue
• RIFS Working Paper – Interim research findings and interventions in current debates

Other publication formats include articles in scholarly journals, statements, monographs, and edited volumes. The institute also hosts a blog on its website.

Cooperation

The IASS engages in collaborative efforts with a diverse array of partners both domestically and internationally. Key regional collaborators include the University of Potsdam, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. In January 2023, the IASS became a member of the Helmholtz Association and currently operates as part of the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).

External links

• Research Institute for Sustainability
• Institut für Klimawandel, Erdsystem und Nachhaltigkeit – Artikel im PotsdamWiki
• Vorbild Princeton: Potsdam bekommt eine Denkfabrik für Klimaforschung – Spiegel Online, 30. Juni 2009