The aim of this research focus is to identify those institutional constellations that shape the relationship between society and environment, and to examine the changes therein. The focus is on constellations that affect global climate governance and the transformation towards a low carbon society (Harrison / Sundstrom 2010; Newell / Paterson 2010; Giddens 2009).
In particular, the concern is with the following constellations: 1) institutional constellations that regulate the emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (e.g., corporate greening; carbon markets); 2) institutional constellations that influence the possibilities of adaptation to already incipient climate changes; and 3) institutional constellations which shape the public perception and interpretation of global climate change. Finally, the focus is on 4) the overriding question of mismatches between different institutional constellations among one another in terms of their power to enable transformations towards a low carbon society.
Thus, the analysis of the change of institutions also takes a forward-thinking perspective and is related to the question of the extent to which one can expect institutional change that leads to a more sustainable relationship between society and environment. The specific contribution to the theory of institutional change that is to be made in this research focus refers to the significance of ecological crises as triggers of institutional change.
The CGG collaborates closely with the Cluster of Excellence "Integrated Climate System Analysis and Prediction" (CliSAP), which was granted in November 2007 and which is funded in the second round of the programme on “Excellence in Science” of the Federal government and the Federal states. Prof. Anita Engels is involved here as one of 25 principal investigators and is one of the cluster’s co-chairs.
In this way, the CGG fits into the university-wide concept of the KlimaCampus. Contributions from the social sciences to the otherwise natural science-dominated climate research are an innovative element in the German research landscape in this area. Building on this collaboration, the CGG has won Prof. Irene Neverla from the field of communication sciences and Prof. Hans von Storch from the field of climate research as members, who are also involved in Clisap as Principal Investigators.