Welcome to the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues!
The Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU) is a scientific institute and registered non-profit organization based in Berlin. The main focus of our work is the promotion of democracy and education in environmental and resource protection. Our aim is to strengthen the democratic rights of co-determination and participation so that all people have access to intact nature and environmental conditions worth living in. At the same time, we are strongly committed to education in schools and run numerous projects on climate neutrality, energy transition and resource conservation in schools throughout Germany and Europe. UfU carries out around 60 projects a year and has around 200 sponsoring members who support our work.
Our research:
UfU has been in existence for over 30 years. Over time, our fields of research have developed and changed. But the core has remained the same. UfU stands for democracy and education and builds its topics around these core elements. We occupy a niche in the environmental movement in some of these areas and are known for our expertise in these fields.
Our work focuses on environmental law, participation, resource conservation, energy efficiency in public buildings, climate-neutral schools, transformative education and invasive species.
Our story:
UfU e.V. is the first foundation of an independent institute for environmental science in the new federal states. It was initiated by East German scientists as early as November 1989(UfU founding manifesto of November 1989; founding call of December 4, 1989). The experiences that many of our founding members had in the GDR were formative for our institute. Co-determination & participation, democratic participation rights and the founding of independent institutes were not possible in the GDR. Some of our members were banned from working because of their commitment to environmental protection.
On March 10, 1990, the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues was founded in Berlin in the presence of over 200 members and guests. Since then, UfU has been working on environmental issues and projects in Germany and abroad.
The UfU – Today:
UfU currently employs around 35 members of staff. In addition, UfU works regularly with permanent freelance colleagues. We regularly publish the results of our work in studies and papers as well as various educational materials; the “UfU-Informationen” magazine is published four times a year. Today, around 200 members and donors support the Institute’s work with their contributions, donations and activities.
