The Real Change Programme

Real Change for the Real World

The Real Change Program is an international alliance of universities examining the science of sustainable development in collaboration with businesses, NGOs, communities and policy makers.The program was launched on 9 May 2008 at The Natural Step's Leadership Challenge in Stockholm, with help from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, and the Director Generals from the five Swedish agencies supporting the program. Real Change will support global leaders as they implement sustainability solutions - ensuring that their decision making is based on scientific foundations and will result in real change towards sustainability.

Since its founding almost 20 years ago, The Natural Step’s purpose has been to serve around the world as a bridge between scientific research and the reality of daily decision making. The Real Change Program provides a structure for us to continue this commitment with more systematic research, networking, communication and funding.

The Real Change program was founded by The Natural Step, Blekinge Institute of Technology and Lund University. It is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Agency, Formas, VINNOVA and NUTEK in a unique cross-community cooperation.

Universities currently participating in Real Change are:

• Turku University, Finland, Ecoefficiency
• Amazon University, Brazil, Earth & Ecosystems
• Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden, Sustainable Product Development
• Chalmers University, Sweden, Health
• Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden, Metals and Recycling
• Macquarie University, Australia, Algae Biomass
• Nijmegen University, Netherlands, Water Management
• Polytech University of Milan, Italy, Business Development
• Royal Technical University, Sweden, Traffic Planning and Infrastructure

If you are also interested in getting involved in Real Change in research and application partners, please contact Jonas Oldmark at jonas.oldmark @ thenaturalstep.org.

The Real Change website has now been launched - learn more here: http://www.realchange.nu/.