On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, DBU) sponsored a convention at the beginning of December, in which the core issue was addressed: how can innovation processes can be supported and established, and how they can contribute to accelerating the transformation to a sustainable society? The numerous ceremonial guests in Berlin’s Radialsystem V were welcomed by the Chairperson of the DBU Board and Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter (Member of the German Bundestag), and by DBU General Secretary Dr. Heinrich Bottermann.
Schwarzelühr-Sutter, in her role as representative of the federal government and thus of the founder, emphasized that the absolute funding figures of the DBU alone make clear the enormous widespread impact of the foundation’s work. She noted as well that the support for innovation which is involved is anything but trivial – money alone cannot get the job done. In order to achieve an actual “leverage effect”, there is a need for much specialized knowledge, an instinct for what is possible, and substantial willingness to take risks. The DBU has always selected, developed and communicated the projects it supports with the highest degree of professionality, she pointed out – so that over the years, a unique culture of sustainable project support for the relief of the environment has grown.
