Jena, September 24, 2026. Social cohesion is a fundamental prerequisite for successfully addressing global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. This is the conclusion of a new partial report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) titled »Social Cohesion Strengthens Security«.
- Topic: New WBGU partial report on security and climate transformation
- Co-author from Jena: Prof. Dr. Aletta Bonn (University of Jena / UFZ / iDiv)
- Core demand: Close integration of climate and social policy as well as the expansion of local participation
- Publication: September 24, 2026
Prof. Dr. Aletta Bonn from the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena also played a key role as a co-author of the current report. The biodiversity researcher emphasizes that profound changes in energy, transport, and heating policy can encounter resistance if social justice is not considered. When costs and benefits are perceived as unfairly distributed, social conflicts intensify.
Role of Prof. Aletta Bonn in Federal Advisory Services
Prof. Dr. Aletta Bonn is a professor of ecosystem services at the University of Jena and also heads the Department of Ecosystem Services at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig. She has been a member of the WBGU since November 2024, contributing her expertise on human-nature relationships and participatory formats.
In her federal advisory role, she advocates for addressing ecological and social issues in tandem. Sustainable changes, according to Bonn, require not only technical solutions but, above all, trust, fair participation, and the experience of self-efficacy at the local level.
The Report at a Glance: Core Recommendations
The WBGU partial report analyzes how social resilience and security can be strengthened through targeted political measures. The key points are:
- Connecting climate and social policy: Climate-friendly alternatives (such as heating system upgrades or mobility) must be accessible to lower-income households to avoid overburdening them.
- Strengthening participation: Early and citizen-oriented participation processes—for example, in wind energy projects—increase acceptance and enable people to actively shape decisions.
- Protecting nature together: Joint actions for a healthy environment, such as restoring streams or planting trees, foster a sense of community and strengthen local self-efficacy.
- Open communication: Political communication should transparently identify different interests and highlight the shared benefits of transformation processes.
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Background: About the WBGU and the main report
The German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) is an independent scientific advisory body. The current chapter is part of the comprehensive main report »Security – Sustainable and Integrated«. Due to the dynamic security policy situation, individual parts are being published in advance. The full document is available on the WBGU website.
Contact and Information
For questions regarding the partial report, the working group at the research center is available:
- Contact person: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Aletta Bonn
- Institution: Professorship for Ecosystem Services / iDiv
- Address: Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig (Google Maps)
- E-mail: aletta.bonn@uni-jena.de
- Phone: +49 341 9733153
- Website: iDiv Working Group Ecosystem Services
Source:
Social Cohesion Strengthens Security
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.