Communicating the insights gained through research to business, politics and society is one strategic objective of PIK. The institute addresses the information needs of society, and focuses especially on making its knowledge available to policymakers. In addition, PIK researchers are actively engaged in communicating science to non-academic audiences, creating spin-off companies and even developing technology mechanisms that have been granted a patent.
Business
Dealing with the consequences and changes caused by climate change is a challenge that countries, regions and cities must face, but also companies wanting to compete in the market in the long term. The sooner companies implement a systematic adaptation strategy and consider local and sector-specific opportunities and risks, the better the chances to develop tailor-made and efficient options for action. PIK has, for example, provided model-based assessments of the impact extreme temperatures have on heat-sensitive railroad-tracks and security technology for Deutsche Bahn. It also developed climate scenarios for the European Central Banks and Supervisors’ Network for Greening the Financial System .
Even though PIK mainly conducts model-based basic research, researchers have developed several successful spin-offs:
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Elena International: Provision of consulting and software solutions for the digitization of grids and the integration of renewable energies and electromobility |
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Climate Media Factory: Creation of scientifically sound and entertaining audiovisual media
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Greenjobs.de. the job portal for environmental professionals |
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Gemueseackerdemie: Educational programme for children to strengthen awareness of the importance of nature and appreciation of food |
Civil Society
PIK researchers are heavily and enthusiastically engaged in knowledge transfer activities to society. Our annual reports summarize presentations held for different audiences and highlight examples. Communication to media is supported by PIK’s Communications Team.
The institute also supports a number of lighthouse initiatives with civil stakeholders as main target groups:
- ClimateImpactsOnline: This web portal offers an efficient transfer channel to communicate new research results and datasets. It is well recognised in the community and frequently visited. An educational version, developed specifically for use in schools, is being currently being integrated into the portal.
- ISIpedia, the open climate impact encyclopedia: The Website offers public access to climate-impact science to generate a better understanding of climate related risks. Data, research articles, and summaries can be searched by country, type of impact and type of study.
- SENSES: The SENSES project investigates potential socio-economic futures in the face of climate change and how this knowledge can be made accessible to a broader public. It develops tools and approaches to make the new generation of climate change scenarios more comprehensible, culminating in a climate service for decision makers. We will identify central needs for this step in a co-creation process between scientists and decision makers from policy and business.
A selection of research projects at PIK involving knowledge and technology transfer to different stakeholders can be drawn from our project database. In addition, PIK coordinated a collaborative project from which fokustransfer.de emerged - a website that pools knowledge and networks for the transfer community in Germany.
If you have any questions relating to PIK's transfer activities, please get in touch with the Science Management team.
