The beginning of the "research decade"
German research vessel POLARSTERN. The BMBF is providing 650 million euros to
modernise the German research fleet over the next few years. © Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research/Hannes Grobe???aural:Bildende???
Climate change and water scarcity, the threat to biodiversity and the supply of natural resources and energy are confronting humankind with enormous challenges. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is now launching the new Framework Programme "Research for sustainable development", for which well over two billion euros is being provided up to 2015.
"We are approaching a large number of partners all over the world to seek technologically convincing solutions that will help us all," says Federal Minister of Education and Research Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan. "I am convinced that this is the beginning of the research decade."
Three areas highlight the BMBF’s new funding policy:
1. Cooperation at eye-level with developing countries - German scientists are to step up their efforts to support their colleagues in Africa. The BMBF will finance the development of African Centres of Excellence that are to create sustainable research structures in various African regions.
2. Supporting emerging economies in the field of sustainability research - The BMBF seeks to intensify research cooperation with these countries aimed at boosting common efforts to achieve the two-degree target. Here, the Ministry is launching a new research initiative that above all addresses the "BRICS States" (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).
3. Gaining a better understanding of the Earth system - Researchers want to improve their knowledge of the links and interactions between land, ocean, biosphere, atmosphere and the ice masses to acquire a better insight into climate change and develop suitable adaptation strategies. The BMBF measures include boosting basic research with new infrastructure and large-scale apparatus while integrating it more with applied research.
Contact: Federal Ministry of Education and Research presse@bmbf.bund.de
More information: www.bmbf.de and www.fona.de
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