Forum Flex Workshop: Picturing Our Future

On March 10–11, 2026, 24 researchers from Helmholtz centres and partner organizations met at Telegrafenberg in Potsdam for the Forum Flex workshop “Picturing Our Future.” The noon-to-noon format created space for interdisciplinary exchange on how co-creative approaches can help shape future research on climate risk and uncertainty within the Helmholtz Earth and Environment research field.

The workshop was initiated by Maria Hörhold (AWI) together with colleagues from AWI, GFZ, RIFS, and GEOMAR. Participants included researchers from Helmholtz centres as well as representatives from partner organizations such as Leibniz University Hannover, the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), and Climate Analytics. The workshop built on earlier discussions from a breakout session at the annual Topic 2 meeting of the Helmholtz research program “Changing Earth – Sustaining our Future,” further developing the idea of establishing climate risk and uncertainty as a cross-cutting, co-creative research theme in the upcoming PoF V programme.

Following an informal opening, the first day featured keynote inputs from climate science, social sciences, sustainability research, and civil protection. Christina Nikogosian (BBK) highlighted the role of climate information in civil protection and civil defence. Pia-Johanna Schweizer (RIFS) addressed the involvement of societal partners in dealing with climate and systemic risks. Thom Laepple (AWI) summarized the current state of climate change and its societal risks, while Tanja Bogusz (Leibniz University Hannover) presented approaches for integrating social and natural sciences, setting the stage for discussions on co-creation. Together, these contributions emphasized the strong interconnections between climate risk, scientific disciplines, and broader cultural and political contexts.

In subsequent sessions, participants explored potential project ideas that could serve as role models for bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and societal action. Particular attention was given to identifying relevant stakeholders and discussing how joint knowledge production across disciplines and with societal actors can be implemented in practice. Open brainstorming resulted in a diverse range of project ideas.

The evening dinner provided further opportunities for exchange through the informal format “Auf ein Wort mit …”. Guests included filmmaker Florian Heinzen-Ziob, who is working on the documentary Das Gewicht der Welt, following three natural scientists and their responses to the climate crisis; Christina Nikogosian (BBK), who shared her experience in civil protection; and Dalia Kellou (Climate Analytics), who contributed perspectives on adaptation and risk analysis. These conversations added valuable insights into different professional contexts and ways of bringing scientific work into practice across public institutions, civil services, and the private sector.

On the second day, the project ideas were revisited and further developed. For most ideas, responsible persons were identified to coordinate next steps. The initiatives ranged from practical approaches—such as providing climate information for civil servants—to more conceptual efforts, including the development of frameworks for co-creative risk research. Storyline and scenario-based approaches were highlighted as promising tools to make climate futures more tangible and to create shared spaces for exploring possible pathways and responses. Rather than predicting the future, these approaches support engagement with local communities and stakeholders and enable collaborative reflection on plausible risks and related decisions.

Participants emphasized that climate risk and uncertainty form a productive interface between Earth system science, risk research, and the social sciences, and can therefore serve as an integrative element in the future programme.

The Forum Flex activity was initiated by Maria Hörhold (AWI), Jan Saynisch-Wagner (GFZ), Benjamin Hofbauer (RIFS), Pia-Johanna Schweizer (RIFS), and Stephan Juricke (GEOMAR).