Research and innovation are the main prerequisites for dealing with climate change. Climate data can provide information about how much the earth’s ecosystem is changing and provide the knowledge base for decisions.

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Paris Climate Agreement

With the “Paris Agreement” at the end of 2015, it was decided to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius (and if possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius) compared to the pre-industrial level. In order to achieve this goal, the world community must operate and live in a climate-neutral way. That means:

• We must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 95 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.
• We have to accelerate the phase-out from the use of fossil fuels.
• In addition, we must step up global efforts to better adapt to the new climate conditions and direct financial flows towards climate protection and adaptation.

These obligations are binding under international law. They are also underlined by several global sustainability goals (SDGs 13, as well as 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 15). The funding of climate research by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is based on these overarching goals.

For the Federal Government, investments in climate research are a core component of an effective and credible climate policy. The climate goals cannot be achieved without intensive research, innovation, and education. And the Paris Agreement would not have been possible without strong climate research. German climate research holds a top position worldwide.

International cooperation in climate research

Climate research contributes to the design on various political implementation levels: EU climate and energy policy (e.g. New Green Deal) and EU adaptation strategy; the national implementation strategies (Climate Protection Plan 2050 and Climate Protection Program 2030) and the German Adaptation Strategy (DAS). German climate research is embedded in European and international research policy (e.g. via the European funding program Horizon Europe or international agreements on scientific and technological cooperation).

The term “climate research” can accordingly be interpreted broadly. For example, there is a broad research portfolio on climate protection for strong research-political participation in the climate protection plan KSP2050 and the climate cabinet. In adaptation research, groundbreaking action bases for global risk prevention and capacity development are created and with broad-based, excellent climate system research, urgent knowledge gaps for political implementation levels, economy, and society are closed and significant contributions are made to the IPCC.