Potentials of civic engagement for ecological justice and socio-ecological renewal of society

Against the background of a growing global demand for proteins and at the same time significant negative impacts of the production of animal products, the focus of the project is on the exploration of alternative protein sources and analogues. The aim is to obtain an overview of current processes, raw materials and products for the provision of alternative proteins and analogues and to investigate, on the basis of a selection, how likely and desirable the diffusion of these alternatives is.

Civic engagement is becoming increasingly important for sustainable urban development geared towards the common good. With their interest in liveable, everyday urban spaces, active citizens are driving forward sustainable, cooperative forms of building, living, consuming and working. In doing so, they contribute (at least implicitly) to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, environmentally friendly production processes and the protection of biodiversity. Although civic engagement is recognized as having great potential, it often remains disconnected from administrative processes: Both sides do not come together sufficiently in municipal governance, which reduces the impact of engagement.

In February 2019, the German Federal Cabinet approved the National Strategy for Reducing Food Waste presented by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).