Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt

The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) is one of the largest environmental foundations in Europe and has supported over 11,100 projects with a funding volume of around 2.08 billion euros since its founding in 1990. The DBU promotes innovative, exemplary, and solution-oriented projects for environmental protection, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. The foundation is engaged in a variety of areas such as environmental technology, research, communication, and the protection of natural and cultural assets.

The main mission of the DBU is to make a sustainable contribution to environmental protection through the promotion of projects. The foundation pursues a holistic approach that takes into account ecological, economic, social, and cultural aspects of sustainable development. The DBU places great importance on promoting environmental awareness and behavior in society and supports educational measures that particularly involve children and young people.

The DBU actively works to address current environmental problems resulting from unsustainable economic and lifestyle practices. Key challenges include climate change, loss of biodiversity, unsustainable resource use, and harmful emissions. The foundation is guided by scientific findings on planetary boundaries and the sustainable development goals adopted by the UN. Through its funding activities, the DBU contributes to the implementation of the sustainability and biodiversity strategies of the federal government.

The DBU pays special attention to the protection of national natural heritage. The DBU Naturerbe GmbH, a non-profit subsidiary of the foundation, secures around 70,000 hectares for nature conservation in the long term. These areas, mostly former military training grounds, are used in collaboration with local stakeholders to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable nature awareness.

The DBU offers a variety of funding programs, including project funding, support for green start-ups, doctoral scholarships, and the MOE Fellowship for university graduates from Central and Eastern Europe. The foundation supports both national and international projects, with a focus on the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The DBU is known for its German Environmental Award, which is awarded annually to outstanding individuals from science and business who are distinguished by their commitment to environmental protection. The award is one of the most highly endowed environmental prizes in Europe and underscores the DBU's commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions in environmental protection.

Through its work, the DBU sets impulses for sustainable developments and contributes to addressing the major ecological challenges of our time.

1. https://www.dbu.de/en/
2. https://www.dbu.de/en/natural-heritage/
3. https://www.dbu.de/en/promotion/project-funding/
4. https://www.dbu.de/en/publications/
5. https://www.dbu.de/en/promotion/