Future Viability Foundation

The Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit (Future Viability Foundation) is a German non-profit foundation established in late 1997 by members and friends of the development and environmental organisation Germanwatch e.V. Its founding donor was Klaus Milke. Headquartered in Bonn, the foundation works to preserve the natural foundations of life, protect biodiversity, advance environmental and climate protection, and promote global justice. It pursues these goals through its own sustainability projects and by supporting Germanwatch both financially and in terms of content. The foundation's overarching objectives are the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement at national and international levels. It focuses on bridging the gap between the recognised need for change and the actual actions of politics, business, and consumers. Key areas include dialogue programmes with politics and business, international climate protection (with a particular emphasis on climate litigation), and the transformation of animal husbandry for sustainable global food systems. The foundation also engages in networking activities and political advocacy, complementing the work of Germanwatch. A flagship initiative is the climate lawsuit case of Saúl Luciano Lliuya against RWE, which the foundation supported financially and through Germanwatch. The foundation committed to covering the legal, court, and expert costs for the Peruvian farmer and mountain guide. The case, widely noted internationally, ended in a defeat at the Higher Regional Court of Hamm on 28 May 2025, though the court did not rule out future liability claims against major emitters. Another major project is the international foundation platform Foundations 20 (F20), initiated in 2017 during Germany's G20 presidency. The foundation is a member of F20's steering group, and Klaus Milke chairs the platform. The foundation also supports Germanwatch's work on sustainable agriculture and animal welfare through the thematic fund Tiere.Menschen.Rechte. The foundation is governed by a board, a board of trustees (Kuratorium), and an advisory council (Beirat), with representatives from politics, science, business, and NGOs. It finances its activities through donations, additional endowments, and capital income. It does not accept funding applications, acting on its own initiative. In January 2025, it co-founded the KURS-HALTEN initiative with the Stiftung Gesunde Erde – Gesunde Menschen and 36 other German foundations, addressing democratic parties ahead of the federal election. The foundation remains active in sustainability policy debates and international foundation networks.

The Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit was founded in late 1997 as a foundation under German civil law (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) by members and friends of the development and environmental organisation Germanwatch e.V. The founding donor was Klaus Milke. Since its establishment, the foundation has received additional endowments from over 30 individuals. It is based in Bonn and has consistently focused on preserving the natural foundations of life, protecting biodiversity, advancing environmental and climate protection, and promoting global justice. From its inception, the foundation has supported Germanwatch both financially and in terms of content, in accordance with its statutes. Over the years, it has carried out its own sustainability projects and engaged in networking and advocacy. In 2015, the international community adopted the 2030 Agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. These became the foundation's overarching objectives, guiding its work on national and international levels. A significant chapter in the foundation's history is its involvement in the climate lawsuit brought by Peruvian farmer and mountain guide Saúl Luciano Lliuya against the German energy company RWE. The foundation, together with Germanwatch, supported Lliuya in his civil claim. Due to climate change-induced glacier melt, a glacial lake above the Andean city of Huaraz has grown significantly, threatening a flood disaster that could affect up to 50,000 people. Lliuya sought to hold RWE, Europe's largest CO2 emitter, responsible for approximately 0.5% of the necessary protective measures. The foundation committed to covering the legal, court, and expert costs. The case gained international attention. On 28 May 2025, the Higher Regional Court of Hamm (OLG Hamm) dismissed the claim on appeal, ruling that there was no concrete danger to Lliuya's property, but it did not exclude the possibility of future liability claims against major emitters. A revision was not allowed. In 2017, during Germany's G20 presidency, the foundation initiated the international foundation platform Foundations 20 (F20) together with a group of German foundations. The platform aims to encourage foundations to advance the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement and the 2030 Agenda through their operational work, grant-making, and investment activities. By now, more than 60 international foundations are members of F20. The foundation is a member of F20's steering group, and Klaus Milke serves as its chair. The foundation also supports Germanwatch's work on environmentally sound and fair agriculture through the thematic fund Tiere.Menschen.Rechte. This fund backs the Germanwatch team for world food, land use, and trade, which campaigns for agriculture that respects animals, health, ecology, and social justice, and fights the misuse of antibiotics in the meat industry. In January 2025, the foundation co-founded the KURS-HALTEN initiative with the Stiftung Gesunde Erde – Gesunde Menschen (founded by Eckart von Hirschhausen) and originally 36 German foundations. The initiative addresses democratic parties with a message for a vibrant democracy and the preservation of livelihoods, and is explicitly open to additional foundations. In May 2026, a Kurs-Halten event took place at the Deutscher Stiftungstag 2026. The foundation is governed by a board of three people, a board of trustees (Kuratorium) of six people, and an advisory council (Beirat) of 19 people. The board handles operational affairs, the Kuratorium directs foundation policy and decides on the use and investment of funds, and the Beirat provides expert advice and impulses. The foundation finances itself through donations, additional endowments, and capital income. It acts on its own initiative and does not accept funding applications. It is also a shareholder and supporter of the climate protection initiative atmosfair since its founding in 2005.

• 2026

  Kurs-Halten event at Deutscher Stiftungstag 2026.

• 2025

  Co-founds the KURS-HALTEN initiative with Stiftung Gesunde Erde – Gesunde Menschen and 36 other German foundations.

• 2025

  Higher Regional Court of Hamm dismisses appeal in Huaraz climate lawsuit against RWE.

• 2017

  Initiates the international foundation platform Foundations 20 (F20) during Germany's G20 presidency.

• 2015

  UN adopts 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement, which become the foundation's overarching objectives.

• 2005

  Becomes a shareholder and supporter of the climate protection initiative atmosfair since its founding.

• 1997

  Foundation established as Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts by members and friends of Germanwatch e.V.; Klaus Milke is founding donor.

Non-profit foundation bridging civil society, business, and politics to advance the SDGs and Paris Agreement.

• KURS-HALTEN

1. 1Start - Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeitstiftungzukunft.org
2. 2Über uns - Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeitstiftungzukunft.org
3. 3Das treibt uns an - Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeitstiftungzukunft.org
4. 4Schwerpunkte unserer Aktivitäten - Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeitstiftungzukunft.org
5. 5Wikidata: Future Viability Foundationwikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia: Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeitde.wikipedia.org