By proclaiming the biodiversity year 2024 and adopting a biodiversity strategy in May 2024, Freie Universität has established a new focus on biodiversity in its sustainability management.

The Sustainability Report presents a wealth of successful projects and new approaches to implementing the sustainability and climate goals of Freie Universität Berlin. These cover a broad spectrum – from research on green chemistry, biodiversity and water supply, the diverse integration of sustainability in teaching to new mobility opportunities and the further improvement of energy efficiency in one’s own area of responsibility. “In 2023, the university reached an all-time low of around 108 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and heat, and consumed more than 33 percent less energy than in 2000/01. If the new university buildings added during this period are taken out of the balance sheet, the decline is even around 40 percent,” stresses Andreas Wanke, Head of the Sustainability and Energy Staff Unit.

“All in all, the Sustainability Report 2024 makes it clear that we are not only addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis in research and teaching, but also, as an institution, are fulfilling our responsibilities in a very concrete way. We are relying on the involvement of the entire university community to implement our ambitious goals in the areas of sustainability, climate protection and biodiversity,” said University President Günter M. Ziegler. “This will be demonstrated by the new Climate Protection Program 2025-2030, which is to be presented by the University next year. A new climate protection fund and the continuation of a successfully established idea and innovation management system should in future expand our scope to invest concretely, locally and transparently in effective climate protection and biodiversity measures”, adds Andrea Güttner, Chancellor of the University (mdWdAb).

In the report, examples from different actors and projects from research, teaching and on campus demonstrate how sustainability and climate protection can be achieved and how important cooperation and networks are at Freie Universität Berlin in this field. Whether living labs, futurist projects, international collaborations or committed teams, the range of examples and data in the Sustainability Report illustrates what has been Freie Universität Berlin for many years: promoting and actively communicating sustainability and climate protection throughout the university.

European Union EMAS Certificate and FU Environmental Statement 2024

In September 2024, the environmental management system of Freie Universität Berlin was also audited by an external EMAS environmental verifier. The European environmental management system EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) is the environmental management certification of the European Union and is one of the most demanding management standards in this field worldwide. With the successful certification, Freie Universität is one of the small groups of currently around 20 EMAS-validated universities in Germany. The accompanying environmental statement presents the development of Freie Universität's activities and results in a transparent manner. The Sustainability Program 2024-2026 currently comprises 30 measures for implementing the sustainability goals. Sustainability Teams Sustainability programs at department level. It also provides an overview of direct and indirect environmental aspects as well as university-wide environmental indicators. Freie Universität Berlin thus provides a transparent insight into its sustainability and environmental management.

For more information

• The FU Sustainability Report 2024 can be ordered free of charge from the Sustainability & Energy Office of Freie Universität Berlin, Phone: 030 838-65970, Email: nachhaltigkeit@fu-berlin.de
• The FU Sustainability Report 2024 and the FU Environmental Statement 2024 are available online at: https://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/nachhaltigkeit/stabsstelle/kommunikation/berichte/index.html

Contact

• Andreas Wanke, Head of the Staff Unit Sustainability & Energy at Freie Universität Berlin, email: andreas.wanke@fu-berlin.de