Joint press release from the Lower Saxony Center for Climate Research, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture, and the Volkswagen Foundation:
Braunschweig, June 3, 2026 – How can the socio-ecological transition be shaped in a fair and equitable manner? What approaches lead to societal acceptance of climate protection and adaptation measures? And how can social inequalities be reduced in the context of climate change? With its new call for proposals, “Climate Change, Justice, Society: Just Transition,” the Lower Saxony Center for Climate Research (ZKfN) is seeking a new, multi-site Climate.Future Lab, which is scheduled to begin operations in the summer of 2027. Applications for funding may be submitted immediately.
“The transition to a climate-neutral society will only succeed if it includes everyone. Climate protection must not be a matter of financial means; people with low and middle incomes must also be able to afford the shift away from fossil fuels. This is precisely where the call for proposals comes in: it brings together stakeholders from academia, politics, business, and civil society to develop practical solutions that protect the climate, reduce social inequalities, and foster broad acceptance,” said Falko Mohrs, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture.
The call for proposals centers on the concept of “Just Transition”—that is, a socially just transformation toward a climate-neutral society. Funding is being provided for an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research network that, together with partners from politics, business, and civil society, will develop and test concrete strategies, recommendations for action, and potential solutions. The call for proposals is deliberately broad in scope. Potential research priorities range from the labor market and education to social justice and regional development, as well as local capacity for action and cultural and ethical questions of societal transformation.
Researchers from a wide range of disciplines—such as the social sciences, economics, sociology, law, sustainability studies, the natural sciences, and engineering—are invited to submit transdisciplinary project proposals. Particular emphasis is placed on collaboration with non-academic partner institutions, as well as on formats for knowledge transfer and science communication. The goal is to translate scientific findings into concrete applications and transformation processes in collaboration with societal actors.
Eligible to apply are research consortia comprising at least two academic institutions in Lower Saxony in cooperation with at least one non-academic partner institution. External academic partners and international collaborations are expressly encouraged. The Klima.Zukunftslabor is funded with up to five million euros from the zukunft.niedersachsen program of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation. The funding period is up to six years. The application deadline is November 3, 2026.
Kick-off Event for Interested Applicants
The ZKfN Secretariat is hosting an online information session on June 16, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to mark the start of the application phase. Interested researchers will have the opportunity to ask questions about the call for proposals and network with potential partners to facilitate the formation of consortia. Another information session is planned for July. Registration details will be posted on the ZKfN website shortly.
About zukunft.niedersachsen
zukunft.niedersachsen is the largest research funding program in the history of the state of Lower Saxony. The goal of this joint program between the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation is to strengthen Lower Saxony’s position in national and international scientific competition. The Volkswagen Foundation finances the “zukunft.niedersachsen” funding program primarily from the annual dividend payments on the 30.2 million common shares of Volkswagen AG held by the State of Lower Saxony. In the 2025 reporting year, a total of 202 million euros was available for “zukunft.niedersachsen.” Further information on “zukunft.niedersachsen” can be found here.
About the ZKfN
The Lower Saxony Center for Climate Research (ZKfN) brings together academia, civil society, politics, and business to develop interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary solutions for a safe and equitable climate future. It strengthens climate and climate impact research in Lower Saxony and promotes the transfer of knowledge between research and practice.
About the Funding Call
The call for proposals for funding the Klima.Zukunftlabor can be found on the zukunft.niedersachsen website at: https://zukunft.niedersachsen.de/foerderangebot/climate-future-labs/
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