© UNU-FLORES
The Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) at the Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA) and the United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES) have signed a Global Framework Agreement to strengthen international collaboration on sustainable mine closure, land reuse, and climate adaptation.
The signing took place during a high-level visit of a Brazilian delegation, organized by UNU-FLORES in cooperation with Lausitzer und Mitteldeutschen Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (LMBV) . The delegation included representatives from Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Mining Agency (ANM), alongside German partners such as BTU Cottbus–Senftenberg, Research Institute for Post-Mining (FIB) in Finsterwalde, Brandenburg and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. The event brought together further exchange strategies for post-mining rehabilitation and socio-economic transition, with site visits across the Lusatian coalfields.
From Coal Legacy to Global Leadership
Germany’s Ruhr Valley and Lusatia regions, once dominated by coal and heavy industry, have undergone one of the most profound transformation journeys in modern history. From subsidence and mine-water management to community renewal and ecological restoration, these regions have demonstrated that coal transitions can create new, sustainable futures.
At the heart of this expertise stands FZN, which now expands its reach globally through a strategic alignment with UNU-FLORES. Together, the institutions will channel decades of German experience into actionable global frameworks, ensuring that no mining region is left behind and that local stakeholders become the architects of their own sustainable transformation.
“The Ruhr and Lusatia regions are living proof that transformation is possible,” said Dennis Pulimittathu, Chief Strategy Officer for International Cooperation at FZN. “Through this partnership, we are translating our lived experience into global cooperation, helping countries identify their real challenges and find tailor-made solutions that bring healing - not just recovery - to mining regions.”
© UNU-FLORES
Field Visit in the Lusatian Mining District
As part of the Brazilian delegation’s visit, FZN together with UNU-FLORES and LMBV, conducted an extensive field visit across the Lusatian mining district. During the tour, participants observed first-hand how Germany has managed the technical, ecological, and social dimensions of post-mining transformation - from mine-water treatment plants and stabilized pit lakes to reclaimed landscapes and new regional development hubs.
The delegation discussed the different governance models, stakeholder engagement processes, and financing mechanisms that have enabled Germany’s successful transition. This hands-on exchange provided the Brazilian experts with tangible insights for adapting similar frameworks to their own mining regions like in Minas Gerais, Pará or Santa Catarina.
Photo: Dennis Pulimittathu
Scoping Missions: From understanding to action
Under the new Global Framework Agreement, FZN and UNU-FLORES will conduct joint Scoping and Fact-Finding Missions on demand to identify real-world challenges in transitioning mining regions.
These missions will bring together scientific analysis, community dialogue, and policy consultation to design integrated solutions for issues such as land instability, groundwater recovery, contamination management, and socio-economic revitalization. By combining on-site data, institutional mapping, and participatory approaches, the two institutions aim to transform evidence into targeted, implementable transition strategies. This approach positions FZN and UNU-FLORES as practical think tanks capable of bridging science, governance, and local development needs.
“Our collaboration is about turning knowledge into transformation,” emphasized Julia Haske, Deputy Director and Head of Land Use and Transition at FZN. “By linking scientific data with local decision-making, we support just, inclusive, and adaptive transitions that leave no ecological or social debt behind. Furthermore, our approach is pragmatic and human-centered, every region is different. Our task is to understand its unique story, its environmental DNA, and its social fabric. Only then can we co-create sustainable pathways for transformation.”
Transforming into the "TGÖ": A future-oriented Think Tank for Geo-Resources and Geo-Ecology
FZN’s growing international profile coincides with its institutional transformation into the Transformation Center for Georesources and Geoecology ("Transformationszentrum für Georessourcen und Geoökologie - TGÖ"). It will work as a new independent think tank funded under North Rhine-Westphalia’s “5-Standorte-Programm”. Located in Herne’s Funkenberg Quartier, the TGÖ will host an interdisciplinary team of researchers focusing on geo-resources, mine-water management, geomonitoring, and ecological restoration coupled with Transition Sciences.
This transformation strengthens FZN’s role as a global centre of excellence in supporting post-mining regions through science-based innovation, policy advisory, and capacity building, not only in Germany but across the EU and the Global South and North.
A Shared Global Mission
The collaboration between FZN | THGA and UNU-FLORES brings together two institutions united by a shared conviction: that post-mining transformation and climate adaptation are essential pillars of the global sustainability agenda. “With this framework, we are moving decisively from restoration to transformation,” said Mr. Ulrich Wessel, Managing Director of DMT-LB, the parent organization of FZN | THGA. “By combining the decades of experience gained in Germany’s mining regions with the global reach and policy interface of UNU-FLORES, we are empowering countries to turn their mining legacies into assets. For people, for nature, and for the planet. This partnership reflects DMT-LB’s commitment to advancing applied science and practical solutions that support a just and sustainable transition worldwide.”
