FOURTH SUSTAINABILITY FORUM
Sharing a Planet: Sustainability Transitions and Environmental Justice
The Fourth Sustainability Forum of the University of Cologne addresses the question of how global ecological challenges can be considered together with social and environmental justice, participation, and planetary responsibility. Under the guiding theme “Sharing a Planet,” sustainability is placed at the center as a comprehensive process of societal transformation, one that recognizes ecological limits while also addressing fair access to resources, knowledge, and decision-making processes.
The program includes two research-focused keynote lectures, a panel discussion on the forum’s guiding theme, a poster gallery, and four workshops.
Further information
The starting point of the forum is the recognition that sustainability cannot be understood solely as a technological or economic task, but rather as a shared responsibility for living on and sharing a vulnerable planet. This perspective connects to the sustainability strategy of the University of Cologne, which establishes planetary responsibility as a guiding principle for research, teaching, knowledge transfer, and university operations. Education and research for and about sustainability are seen as key drivers for initiating societal reflection and transformation processes and for enabling long-term, meaningful change.
Sustainability transformations do not occur in a neutral or uniform way: environmental burdens, risks, and opportunities for action are unevenly distributed both globally and locally. The forum addresses these inequalities and explores how transformation processes in education, research, and institutional practice can be shaped so that questions of environmental justice are systematically taken into account. This also raises questions about the role of universities as spaces for knowledge exchange, critical reflection, and social responsibility.
The fourth Sustainability Forum is conceived as an interdisciplinary and dialogical space in which concepts, normative foundations, and institutional approaches to sustainability are discussed and further developed.
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 11:00 - 18:00
Location: Aula 2, Main Building of the University of Cologne
Target group: All members of the University of Cologne, students, researchers, teaching staff and employees in technology and administration, are invited to actively participate in the forum. For the first time, this also applies to external partners and guests.
Event language: German
Participation: Free of charge
Organizer: This year's Sustainability Forum is organized by the Vice-Rectorate for Sustainability and the Sustainability Office in cooperation with the Sustainability Research Hub and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities as co-host.
Keynote Speakers
Keynote 1: "Cultural Sustainability, Cohabitability and Ecological Justice: Critical Zones of Sustainability Research in the Humanities" - Prof. Dr Kate Rigby
Prof. Dr Kate Rigby (FAHA) is Alexander von Humboldt Professor of Environmental Humanities at the University of Cologne, where she leads a research Hub for Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies in the Humanities (MESH). She was the inaugural President of the Association for the Study of Literature, Environment and Culture (Australia-New Zealand) and the founding Director of the Australia-Pacific Forum on Religion and Ecology. Her research lies at the intersection of environmental literary, philosophical, historical and religious studies. She was co-founder of the journal Philosophy, Action, Nature (PAN), co-editor of the University of Virginia Press series Under the Sign of Nature: New Directions in Ecocriticism, and author of the monographs Dancing with Disaster: Environmental Histories, Narratives, and Ethics for Perilous Times (2015), Reclaiming Romanticism: Towards an Ecopoetics of Decolonization (2020) and Meditations on Creation in an Era of Extinction (2023), among others.
Keynote 2: "Adaptation to environmental change in coastal regions of the Global South" - Prof. Dr Boris Braun
Prof. Dr Boris Braun is Professor of Economic Geography and Environmental Change at the University of Cologne. His research focuses on aspects of regional and global economic development, the design of sustainable value chains, nature conservation, and adaptation to natural hazards and climate change, particularly in South / Southeast Asia and West Africa, but also in Europe. He has published over 180 academic contributions on these topics in journals, anthologies and monographs.
Poster gallery: Sustainability-related initiatives & projects
Students, staff members, research groups, initiatives, and projects in the field of sustainability at the University of Cologne can present their activities in a poster gallery at the Sustainability Forum. The gallery offers all participants the opportunity to learn about different topics and initiatives and to engage in conversation with one another. Poster registration takes place as part of the event registration. An overview of the posters from the third forum can be found here.
Workshop offer
1) "Research for Sustainable and Resilient Cities: Perspectives from the UN Academic Impact Hub on SDG 11“
Moderation: Dr Tatiana López-Julies (Coordination Sustainability Research Hub, University of Cologne), Jasmine Walker (Climate Action Officer, De Montfort University)
This workshop is organized by the Sustainability Research Hub at the University of Cologne in collaboration with De Montfort University (UK) within the framework of the UN Academic Impact (UN AI) Hub on SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. The UN AI initiative connects universities worldwide to advance the Sustainable Development Goals through research, education, and societal engagement. Within the SDG 11 Hub, the University of Cologne, as Vice-Chair, promotes international exchange and collaboration on research and practice related to inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
Urban sustainability transitions require action across multiple interconnected fields, ranging from climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable mobility, and urban food systems to social inclusion, affordable housing and equitable access to urban services. Addressing these complex challenges requires not only technological and policy innovation, but also the meaningful participation of local communities through participatory and co-creative approaches that integrate local knowledge, reflect diverse needs, and ensure inclusive and equitable urban transformations.
The workshop will introduce the UN AI initiative, provide insights into current research on participatory approaches to urban sustainability transitions, and open space for discussion, exchange, and networking. Participants are invited to reflect on the role of research in supporting urban sustainability transitions and to discuss how collaboration between academia, policy, and civil society can contribute to more inclusive, climate-resilient, and just cities.
2) "Saving the planet? Limits and possibilities of planetary education"
Moderation: Prof. Dr Roman Bartosch (Co-Director of Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies in the Humanities (MESH))
The workshop highlights key assumptions and empirical findings on the opportunities and challenges of planetary education in the context of sustainability and invites participants to reflect on findings from environmental humanities research and subject didactics in order to gain ideas and suggestions for their own didactic practice in universities and schools. The focus is on creative and participatory methods and surprising suggestions for rethinking planetary education in an age- and target group-appropriate way.
3) "From Ideas to Impact: Developing sustainability-oriented business models"
Moderator: Sabine Büttner (Consultant in the Sustainability Department, Climate Innovation.NRW project)
Around one in seven start-ups is a "green start-up" - in other words, a young company that contributes to sustainable transformation with innovative solutions. Social and environmental responsibility are also key challenges and long-term success factors for established companies. "Real" sustainability starts at the core: the business model. The Sustainable Business Model Canvas helps with the systematic development of sustainability-oriented business models. In the workshop, participants will get to know the tool and try it out using case studies. We look forward to inspiring ideas!
4) "From strategy to implementation: Sustainability at the University of Cologne in dialogue"
Moderation: Prof. Dr Kirk W. Junker (Vice-Rector for Sustainability), Dr Pamela Kilian (Head of Sustainability Office)
This workshop presents the implementation plan for the University of Cologne's sustainability strategy published in 2025. The focus is on the planned measures, processes and responsibilities that will drive sustainability development at the university in the coming years. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a joint discussion. The questions and results will then be presented to the Sustainability Council and the Faculty Sustainability Officers for consultation.
You can select your preferred workshop during the registration process. Click here go directly to the registration.
Preliminary program
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 10:30 | Arrival and get-together |
| 11:00 | Opening and welcome - Prof. Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, Rector of the University of Cologne |
| 11:20 | Introduction (concept and procedure) |
| 11:30 | Keynote 1: "Cultural Sustainability, Cohabitability and Ecological Justice: Critical Zones of Sustainability Research in the Humanities" - Prof. Dr Kate Rigby, Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Environmental Humanities at the University of Cologne - Prof. Dr Boris Braun, Professor of Economic Geography and Environmental Change at the University of Cologne |
| 12:45 | Kick-off "Poster Gallery": Presentation of initiatives & projects in the field of sustainability at the University of Cologne |
| 13:15 | Lunch break / catering and get-together in the poster gallery 13:15–13:45: Lunch break with catering and an opportunity for informal exchange 13:45–14:15: Visit to the poster gallery with an opportunity to engage with the exhibitors and learn more about the presented projects |
| 14:15 | Panel discussion on the guiding theme: "Sharing a Planet - Sustainability Transitions and Environmental Justice" Participants: - Prof. Dr Kate Rigby (MESH, Faculty of Arts and Humanities) |
| 15:30 | Summary and outlook |
| 16:00 | Coffee break and get-together in the poster gallery |
| 16:30 | Workshop phase 1) "Research for Sustainable and Resilient Cities: Perspectives from the UN Academic Impact Hub on SDG 11" 2) "Saving the planet? Limits and possibilities of planetary education" 3) "From Ideas to Impact: Developing sustainability-oriented business models" 4) "From strategy to implementation: Sustainability at the University of Cologne in dialogue" |
| 18:00 | Joint conclusion |
Moderation of the event: Anja Backhaus, moderator and journalist and host of the podcast Grad° global
Sustainability as part of the event organization
The consideration of sustainability aspects is an important part of the planning and implementation of the forum. The aim is to make the event as resource-friendly and responsible as possible. To this end, the following measures will be implemented, among others
- Dispensing with printed materials in favor of digital information offerings
- Vegan-vegetarian catering and the option to take away leftover food
- Good accessibility of the event venue by public transport
- No giveaways to reduce waste and resource consumption
How to get there
Accessibility and contact
Further information on accessibility can be found here. If you have any special requirements or general questions about the event, please contact nachhaltigkeit(at)verw.uni-koeln(dot)de.
Review of the Sustainability Forum
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