Cooperation agreements, Organisational matters

The new hub will improve collaboration within Future Earth’s globally distributed secretariat which spans Africa, Canada, China, France, Japan, South Asia, Sweden, Taipei and the USA, as well as between its 25 global research networks. The aim is to further develop and support Future Earth’s strategic cohesion by harmonizing and aligning the efforts of its secretariat while ensuring research is more effectively used in decision-making.

“By hosting the Global Coordination Hub, we are creating a sustainable structure that enables Future Earth to operate more effectively as a global network,” says Prof Daniela Jacob, Director of GERICS. “This collaboration strengthens the links between science, politics, business and civil society.”

About Future Earth – Sustainability research with a global impact

Future Earth is a global network of scientists advancing research to support transformations toward global sustainability. Its vision is a sustainable and equitable world for all, where societal decisions are informed by openly accessible and shared knowledge. With its new Global Coordination Hub, Future Earth is underlining its commitment to effectively integrate science-based solutions to global challenges into society and policy-making.

“The Global Coordination Hub positions Future Earth to work more strategically as a network and gives us the structure to better connect our community and deliver more impactful science,” says Wendy Broadgate, Director of the Future Earth Swedish Global Hub, who will serve as interim Executive Director until the role is filled.

A shared hosting model with a transatlantic focus

The partnership between GERICS and the ASU Global Futures Laboratory builds on more than a decade of collaboration. The hub will operate under a distributed structure: GERICS in Hamburg will serve as the European base, whilst the Global Futures Laboratory will act as the North American hub. Both institutions bring extensive experience in coordinating international research networks, establishing transdisciplinary structures, and advancing science communication and stakeholder dialogue. GERICS has been closely involved with Future Earth for many years, hosting the scientific secretariat of the German Committee for Sustainability Research in Future Earth (DKN) since 2019.

GERICS will be advertising the position of Executive Director to head the Global Coordination Hub. The role will be responsible for operational and strategic management and will coordinate the Future Earth global secretariat. The post is based in Hamburg and forms the organisational centre of the new coordination model.

Cutting-edge research for a changing world

The aim of the research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon is to preserve a world worth living in. To this end, approximately 1,000 staff members generate knowledge and explore new technologies to enhance resilience and sustainability – for the benefit of the climate, the coast and people. The path from idea to innovation involves a continuous interplay between experimental studies, modelling and artificial intelligence, culminating in digital twins that replicate the myriad parameters of climate and coastal environments or human biology within a computer. This takes an interdisciplinary approach, bridging the gap between a fundamental scientific understanding of complex systems and practical applications and real-world scenarios. As an active member of national and international research networks and the Helmholtz Association, Hereon supports policymakers, industry and society in shaping a sustainable future by sharing the expertise it has gained.

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Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Dr Sebastian Sonntag
Executive Director
German Committee for Sustainability Research in Future Earth
Tel.: +49 (0)40 226 338 455
Mail: sebastian.sonntag@hereon.de

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Weitere Informationen:
https://futureearth.org/