Agora Verkehrswende

The Verkehrswende – the transition to a climate-neutral transport system – is embedded in a set of far-reaching climate goals and legislation. The most important of these is the 2015 Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty requiring that countries hold “the increase in global average temperature to well below 2℃ above pre-industrial levels” and pursue “efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels”. In Germany, the key legislation is the amended Climate Change Act of June 2021, which “enshrines in law the goal of achieving greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045”. For Germany’s transport sector, this means cutting current emissions nearly in half by 2030 and eliminating all emissions by 2045.

Achieving climate-neutral mobility requires a two-pronged approach. We need to make sure that the transport system is more efficient and we need to decarbonise the energy needed to run it. This means switching from fossil fuels to green electricity and fuels produced with renewable energy. And it means increasing the energy efficiency of the transport system by discouraging unnecessary trips, using more environmentally friendly modes of transport (bus, train, bicycle), bundling travel, and improving vehicles and other transport technologies. Only if we pursue both strategies will we be able to create a truly sustainable transport system. What is more, the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is tied to other important concerns such as social justice, freedom, economic efficiency, health, environmental protection and quality of life. In this sense, the Verkehrswende (transport transformation) is also a Fairkehrswende. (just transport transformation).

We develop evidence-based recommendations for policy action that draw on the concerns of both the economy and civil society. Our Team is staffed by 25 researchers across a variety of disciplines, from engineering and economics to urban planning and political science. We seek to encourage dialogue and foster real impact. The goal is to build majorities in favour of a climate-neutral transport sector that serves the common good. We understand the transition to decarbonised mobility not as a task for the transport sector but as a collective endeavour, one that is part of a larger transformation of society towards sustainability.

We cooperate with numerous research institutes and partner organisations. For projects dealing with the interactions between transport and other sectors, we frequently join forces with our sister organisations Agora Energiewende, Agora Industry, and Agora Agriculture. Through our advisory bodies, such as the Agora Verkehrswende Council and our Cities Network, we assemble various interests and perspectives and create a trusted space for open discussion and for working together to find solutions.    

Agora Verkehrswende is funded mostly by two foundations: Stiftung Mercator (headquartered in Essen) and the European Climate Foundation (headquartered in Den Haag). Within our mission of promoting a sustainable transport sector, we retain full discretion over how the funding is spent.

In 2021 the total budget of Agora Verkehrswende was 2.15 million euros. (See “Downloads” for a breakdown of our financial resources for the years 2019–2021). 86 per cent of our budget came from our two main funding agencies, Stiftung Mercator (58 per cent) and the ECF (28 per cent). 14 per cent stemmed from public donors.

As a rule, our funding comes in the form of grants. Agora Verkehrswende does not rely on work commissioned by third parties. Rather, we receive grants for projects we develop ourselves. Agora Verkehrswende accepts outside commissions only if the work does not jeopardise our impartiality and independence.

Please find the Financial overview form 2020 to 2023 on our German website.

Preventing dangerous climate change is one of Stiftung Mercator’s central objectives. Ambitious climate change mitigation is only possible if greenhouse gas emissions can also be effectively reduced in the area of transport – and this requires a dramatic cut in oil consumption in the transport sector. The goal of Agora Verkehrswende is to work together with key stakeholders in the areas of politics, business, academia and civil society in drawing up the necessary basic framework for a comprehensive climate change mitigation strategy for the transport sector in Germany, ultimately including its complete decarbonization.

Stiftung Mercator is a private and independent foundation. Through its work it strives for a society characterized by openness to the world, solidarity and equal opportunities. In this context it concentrates on strengthening Europe; increasing the educational success of disadvantaged children and young people, especially those of migrant origin; driving forward climate change mitigation and promoting science and the humanities. Stiftung Mercator symbolizes the connection between academic expertise and practical project experience. One of Germany’s leading foundations, it is active both nationally and internationally. Stiftung Mercator feels a strong sense of loyalty to the Ruhr region, the home of the founding family and the foundation’s headquarters.

www.stiftung-mercator.de/en/

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) is a joint initiative to combat global warming by several large, international foundations from Europe and the USA. Part of the ClimateWorks network, it has been working to promote effective climate protection in Europe since 2008. As the largest, most prosperous country in the EU, Germany plays a key role in the strategy of the European Climate Foundation – not least because the clean energy revolution (Energiewende) has shown that the transition to an environmentally friendly energy system is feasible.

www.europeanclimate.org