Institute

The Wuppertal Institute explores and developsmodels, strategies and instruments to supportsustainable development at the local, nationaland international level. Sustainability researchat the Wuppertal Institute
focuses on ecology andits relation to the economy and society. Specialemphasis is placed on analysing and supportinginnovations that decouple the development ofprosperity from the consumption of naturalresources.

The Institute's seat is in Wuppertal. It is represented in Germany's capital by its Berlin Office since 2004. In 2005, the Wuppertal Institute and the United Nations Environment Programme jointly founded the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) in Wuppertal.

The four Research Groups are:

1. Future Energy and Mobility Structures
   Research Group 1 examines questions related totechnology and infrastructure, taking a systemsanalysis approach. In the areas of energy andmobility, it explores how the transition tosustainable structures can be facilitated, whatimplications this transition has and whatopportunities it offers. It seeks to evaluatetechnology and find coherent paths ofdevelopment, as well as carry out dynamicpotential analyses.
2. Energy, Transport and Climate Policy
   Research Group 2 focuses on strategies andinstruments for effective and integrated energy,transport and transportation, and climatepolicies. A central theme is the synergisticeffects of policy strategies that support thesustainable development of energy and transportsystems as well as climate protection ingeneral.
3. Material Flows and Resource Management
   Research Group 3 investigates material flowsfrom the extraction of raw materials through tofinal disposal, taking account of the global‘ecological rucksack' model as well as theland use involved. It develops concepts,strategies and instruments to improve resourceproductivity and sustainable resource management
4. Sustainable Production and Consumption
   Research Group 4 develops concepts andstrategies to promote sustainable management ofproduction and consumption patterns. This ismeant to make a contribution to the developmentand market launch of more sustainable products, production processes, and economy.