Some 60 German and Indian policy makers and scientists discussed topics of sustainability science at the second German-Indian Conference on Research for Sustainability. The event, entitled “Science for Sustainability – Driver for a Common Future”, was co-organized and hosted by the UNU Vice Rectorate in Europe; it took place at the UN Campus in Bonn on 27 and 28 April.

Based on both countries’ commitments to cross-border cooperation in science and technology, the conference identified priorities and research funding schemes as well as specific areas for Indo-German cooperation in land use and energy research and development. The topics included energy generation, supply, efficiency and consumption; land-use governance; land-use changes: biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and forest management; efficiency of water use in agriculture; and securing food supply and income in rural areas.

Given that internationally coordinated research agendas are essential for finding effective, sustainable solutions to today’s global challenges, the conference raised a central question: How should we organize future joint research?

Concurring on the importance of systems thinking, the scientists stressed the need to include the human dimension and to take an interdisciplinary approach in sustainability research.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Government of India emphasized the prominent role of science and technology in sustainable development, and reiterated their support for the establishment of an internationally coordinated research agenda as part of the Heiligendamm dialogue process (as initiated by the G8+5 in 2007).

The dialogue “Sustainable Solutions – Science for Sustainability” is an initiative of the BMBF. In the framework of this initiative, BMBF has started dialogue processes with five emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. UNU-ViE facilitates the dialogues with India, South Africa and Russia in cooperation with the International Bureau of BMBF.