Technologies to shape future change

The pace of technological progress is increasing rapidly, offering new opportunities and going hand in hand with the growth of the world's population, which according to a UN forecast could reach around 10 billion people by 2050. How will we deal with our limited resources in the future? How can new materials and technologies contribute to sustainable economic cycles? How can we replace fossil fuels and how can we make our energy and transportation systems climate-friendly? Our healthcare system also faces many challenges. For example, the number of very old people requiring more intensive medical care and nursing is increasing. Cardiovascular diseases are also becoming more common, for which new materials and therapeutic approaches need to be developed.

New materials and processes create opportunities to make our transportation and energy systems, medical technology and industry more sustainable and resource-efficient.

At the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, climate and coastal research, materials research and technology development come together in a unique interdisciplinary approach. These disciplines are dedicated to holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable and resilient development. In order to understand complex systems such as new materials and their interactions with technologies and people, the methods range from observations and experimental studies to the development of digital twins.

In addition, products, dialogue formats and services are developed to support decision-makers from politics, business and society and to enable the sustainable and resilient use of global resources.