3 Further Institutes

The Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) was initiated by the German government in 2009 as part of the German High-Tech Strategy for Climate Protection. Since June 2014, GERICS has been a scientifically independent organizational unit of the Helmholtz Center Hereon. The interdisciplinary team of GERICS develops science-based, prototype products and services to support decision-makers in politics, business and public administration on climate change issues.

The Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) is a cooperation between the Alfred Wegener Institute and the University of Oldenburg. The research institute based in Oldenburg explores marine biodiversity and its importance for the functioning of marine ecosystems. Scientists at the HIFMB not only investigate the biodiversity changes in a world of transition, they also develop scientific foundations for marine conservation and ecosystem management.

The Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) analyses, develops and supports development paths and solution options for the global transformation to a sustainable society. RIFS works closely with representatives from science, political institutions, business and civil society. The institute was founded in 2009 as the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and has been affiliated with the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences under its new name since January 2023.