IMKTRO researcher appointed to the German National Committee for Sustainability Research
Dr. Andreas Fink, professor of meteorology and leader of the “Tropical Meteorology” working group at IMKTRO, was personally appointed by the presidium of the German Research Foundation (DFG) as a member of the German Committee for Sustainability Research (DKN). The interdisciplinary committee will carry out its work in the fifth legislative period (2026-2028) with nine members, chaired by Prof. Dr. Daniela Jacob (GERICS, Hamburg). The nine experts bring a broad spectrum of scientific perspectives and sustainability research topics, thereby supporting the strategic development of the field, and the committee officially began its work at the founding meeting in Berlin on 21 April 2026.
The DKN is an independent scientific advisory body of the DFG that coordinates sustainability research in Germany and serves as a central hub for gathering knowledge from universities, research institutions, and industry to develop sustainable action options; together with stakeholders it defines research priorities that align with the UN Agenda 2030 and German sustainability strategies and advises on funding allocations. By organising specialist symposia, workshops, and publications, the DKN creates a network that enables the exchange of best practice examples and strengthens early career programmes, while also mediating between science and politics to translate research results into concrete guidelines and policy measures. The committee maintains close cooperation with international bodies and initiatives, promoting trans national knowledge exchange, and it acts as the national contact point and platform for activities in the international research programmes Future Earth and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), thus enhancing Germany’s position in global sustainability research. With his extensive climate expertise and experience in large inter and transdisciplinary projects - such as water and agricultural research in the Global South - Andreas Fink aims to influence Germany’s contribution to the post 2030 revision of the sustainability goals. In 2015, 17 goals for 2030 were defined (https://www.bmz.de/de/agenda-2030); although full achievement by 2030 was not expected, many countries have aligned their sustainability strategies and research with these goals, achieving notable progress and creating a broad ambition to adapt and continue pursuing the objectives. “There are now also new, major challenges,” says Fink, “the exploding AI boom and ‘cloud computing’ place extreme demands on water and energy resources, and therefore on the development of sufficient green energy.” He adds that the current shift toward a multipolar world could hinder scientific collaboration in the sustainability sector, including partnerships with the Global South. Through his work in the DKN, Fink hopes to provide crucial impulses in these areas, and he remarks, “The personal appointment to the committee is a great honour and challenge, which I embrace with strong motivation.”
More information:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7452687782050914304
https://www.dkn-future-earth.org/about_us/news/120543/index.php.en