topic Research

Economics for Sustainability

The economic sciences are departing from their model world and facing up to the real challenges of globalization, socio-demographic change and the need for ecological modernization. Concrete solutions for tackling these challenges of the future will be developed under the funding priority "Economics for Sustainability".

Sustainability research touches upon ecological, economic and social questions. Despite many promising individual contributions, only a few proposals have been submitted to date on the introduction and shaping of sustainability from the point of view of economics. The new funding priority entitled "Economics for Sustainability" is developing solutions to central questions of the future on the basis of the "Research for Sustainability" framework programme.

• What economic, social and ecological guidelines does a globalized economy need?
• How can our social and welfare state be prepared for the future above and beyond questions of finance?
• From an economic point of view, what approaches must be adopted for a successful environmental policy for today and tomorrow?

The aim of the funding priority is thus, on the one hand, to give economic research a new direction on the basis of questions concerning the policy of sustainability and, on the other hand, to enhance sustainability research by adopting realistic economic approaches. Economists work with relevant partners from everyday practice in the economy, administration, civil society and the media. Together, they develop empirically founded and interdisciplinary strategies for action.

The research projects of the first call are developing economic concepts for a socially and environmentally friendly globalization as well as strategies to activate and disseminate more sustainable styles of consumption within the framework of an "economy of sustainable consumption". On the basis of integrated models, they are also studying the economic, ecological and social interrelations which must be considered for sustainable development, are developing new methods to evaluate natural capital and ecosystem services and are evaluating and developing ecological management criteria for environmental policy.

A second call on the further development of sustainability economics was published in April 2009.