Sustainability Transformation Conference 2025

The fifth Sustainability Transformation Conference took place in Berlin earlier this year. The conference was hosted by the Umweltbundesamt – German Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, in cooperation with the Association for Cultural Policy (KuPoGe).

It was a great pleasure to again moderate the Sustainability Transformation Conference. I really appreciate the openness and forward-thinking of the German Environment Agency to explore diverse angles and dimensions of sustainability.

Previously, for example, we set a strong focus on the interlinkage between sustainability and democracy. This year the focus was on the cultural dimension of environmental and sustainability policies, as well as the sustainability dimension of cultural policies, exploring ‘culture’ with two different meanings: as a set of shared values and norms, but also as the practice of culture through cultural production and participation.

It is always a joy being on stage with Dirk Messner (President of the German Environment Agency), who dives into all aspects and dimensions with critical thoughts and sharp reflections. It was also a pleasure to moderate the opening dialogue with Claudia Roth (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media), Michel Friedman (lawyer, philosopher and journalist) and Stefan Tidow (State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection), as well as several other dialogues and sessions throughout the day.

Big thanks to the team at the German Environment Agency for the invitation and the good collaboration, in particular to Claudia Kabel and Jeremias Herberg and of course Dirk Messner.

Photo credits: Susanne Kambor, @Umweltbundesamt
Umweltbundesamt – German Environment Agency