Civil society is a key factor in ensuring the successful implementation of Germany’s energy transformation and the country's transition towards a low-carbon economy. Different stakeholders already engage in a variety of climate protection related activities and issues today. These stakeholders include traditional local initiatives, which work on specific projects, and innovative, web-based activist groups as well as NGOs, which cover a broad range of issues and engage in large national campaigns. Ecologic Institute, in collaboration with the Wuppertal Institute, is compiling an overview of the status quo of German civil society activity in climate protection, analysing the current focus and identifying the main challenges going forward.

This piece of research offers a valuable knowledge base for future strategic funding of climate protection action by civil society actors. It shows which stakeholders in Germany currently engage in work on climate, energy, mobility, construction, lifestyles, and land-use and how they are financed. Therefore, the project focuses on a systematic approach towards present knowledge about civil society activities and the development of new issues for climate protection. A research report will be prepared for internal use by the sponsors. The results will support the sponsors in reconsidering their funding activity and enable them to share basic insights with the public and other potential donors.

Keywords: climate, energy, civil society, construction, transportation, lifestyles, consumption, land-use, NGOs

Sponsor: European Climate Foundation, Foundation Mercator
Partner: Wuppertal Institut
Team: Matthias Duwe, Timo Kaphengst, Sabrina Schärf
Duration: 25 April 2012 bis 31 January 2013
Project number: 2386