Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung (ANU) is the umbrella and professional association (Dach- und Fachverband) for out-of-school environmental education and Education for Sustainable Development (Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung, BNE) in Germany. According to its own description, it represents roughly 1,300 environmental centres, institutions, associations, initiatives, freelancers and other individuals active in non-formal environmental education and ESD. The ANU was founded in 1992 and advocates for its members' interests at the federal level. It works with eleven state associations (Landesverbände) that cooperate collegially with the federal association. Through advice, conferences, and further education and training, the ANU aims to contribute to a more sustainable world. Its stated mission is to empower people through ESD to expand their competencies, take responsibility, and actively help shape the socio-ecological transformation to preserve the Earth. Its projects set new trends and provide impulses for implementing global sustainability goals. The association networks environmental centres and freelancers with each other, supports contacts with other partners, and enters new cooperations. The ANU is organised as a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein, e.V.). Its federal office (Bundesgeschäftsstelle) is located in Frankfurt am Main. The federal association is governed by a federal speakers' council (Bundes-Sprecherrat), which functions as the board. The ANU publishes the monthly information service ökopädNEWS, which has existed since 1991 and reports on education-policy trends in environmental education, ESD and Global Learning across all education sectors, from early childhood through school and higher education to informal learning. It also issues a newsletter with conference announcements, further education and job offers, and new educational materials and literature tips. Among its best-known projects is Leuchtpol, a nationwide further-education project for early childhood educators on ESD in kindergartens with a focus on energy and the environment. Leuchtpol became active nationwide from September 2009, with eight regional offices conducting training on site. The ANU also runs projects such as "Globale Perspektive nachhaltiger Ernährung" and "Gib Abfall einen Korb", and organises conferences and seminars, including the ANU-Bundestagung. Its members and the public can support the association financially through donations.

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung (ANU) traces its origins to 1988, when it was founded initially as a loose association of environmental education institutions. In 1990, its work was organisationally improved through the founding of a registered association (eingetragener Verein). The ANU's own 'About us' page states that the ANU was founded in 1992 and represents its members' interests at the federal level. The association is structured into a federal association (Bundesverband) and state associations (Landesverbände). According to the ANU's own description, there are eleven state associations that cooperate collegially with the federal association; the German Wikipedia article states that the ANU is divided into a federal association and 14 state associations, with the federal association and the state associations each being independent, non-profit, registered associations. The federal office is located in Frankfurt am Main. Since 1991, the ANU has published the monthly information service ökopädNEWS, which reports on education-policy trends in environmental education, Education for Sustainable Development (BNE) and Global Learning across all education sectors, from early childhood education through school and higher education to informal learning. In addition, a newsletter with conference announcements, further education and job offers, and new educational materials and literature tips is issued. One of the ANU's best-known projects is Leuchtpol, a nationwide further-education project for early childhood educators on Education for Sustainable Development in kindergartens with a focus on energy and the environment. Leuchtpol became active nationwide from September 2009, with eight regional offices conducting training on site. In Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 26 five-day Leuchtpol training courses for pedagogical professionals were conducted by the 'Save Our Future' foundation founded by Jürgen Oppermann. In consultation kindergartens, the topic of sustainability was promoted. Leuchtpol supported kindergartens in their work with the travelling exhibition 'Die Kuh im Kühlschrank'. Further project work includes 'Globale Perspektive nachhaltiger Ernährung' and 'Gib Abfall einen Korb'. The ANU also organises conferences and seminars, such as the further education on the mystery 'Das Geheimnis der Soja-Bohne' (2025), youth workshops 'Zukunft gestalten, wirksam handeln! Mitmischen für eine bessere Welt' (2025), the two-day further education 'Umweltbildung gegen Rechtsextremismus' for multipliers from environmental education and BNE (2024), 'Vom Handeln zum Wissen – Umweltzentren als Change Agents einer Transformation von unten' (2017), and the 'Soziale Plastik-Werkstatt Die wandelnden Gärten' (2015) in cooperation with the und.Institut. The ANU's goals include lobbying for member institutions by informing decision-makers in politics and administration about the concerns of environmental education, nature education and nature and environmental pedagogy; supporting members by organising an exchange of information and advising new members; public relations; conducting projects to promote environmental education; and offering qualifications for staff of environmental education institutions. The association is governed by a federal speakers' council (Bundes-Sprecherrat), which functions as the board of the ANU Bundesverband e.V.

• 2026

  ANU-Bundestagung 'Nachhaltigkeit trifft Gesundheit' at University of Koblenz on 1 October; ANU contribution at the 27th Benediktbeurer Gespräche on 29 April.

• 2025

  Further education on the mystery 'Das Geheimnis der Soja-Bohne' and youth workshops 'Zukunft gestalten, wirksam handeln!'.

• 2024

  Two-day further education 'Umweltbildung gegen Rechtsextremismus' for multipliers from environmental education and BNE.

• 2024

  Satzung (statutes) of ANU-Bundesverband dated 7 November 2024.

• 2017

  'Vom Handeln zum Wissen – Umweltzentren als Change Agents einer Transformation von unten' seminar.

• 2015

  'Soziale Plastik-Werkstatt Die wandelnden Gärten' held in cooperation with the und.Institut.

• 2009

  Leuchtpol nationwide further-education project for early childhood educators becomes active from September, with eight regional offices.

• 1992

  ANU founded (per its own 'About us' page) and represents members' interests at the federal level.

• 1991

  Monthly information service ökopädNEWS begins publication.

• 1990

  Work organisationally improved through the founding of a registered association (e.V.).

• 1988

  ANU founded initially as a loose association of environmental education institutions.

Umbrella and professional association (Dach- und Fachverband) representing the interests of out-of-school environmental education and ESD actors at the federal level in Germany.

• ökopädNEWS

  Monthly information service published since 1991, reporting on education-policy trends in environmental education, ESD and Global Learning across all education sectors.

• ANU-Infodienst newsletter

  Newsletter with conference announcements, further education and job offers, and new educational materials and literature tips.

• Leuchtpol

  Nationwide further-education project for early childhood educators on ESD in kindergartens with a focus on energy and the environment; active nationwide from September 2009 with eight regional offices.

• Globale Perspektive nachhaltiger Ernährung

  Project work of the ANU.

• Gib Abfall einen Korb

  Project work of the ANU.

1. 1Umweltbildung: Startumweltbildung.de
2. 2Umweltbildung: Über unsumweltbildung.de
3. 3Umweltbildung: Satzungumweltbildung.de
4. 4Umweltbildung: Sprecherratumweltbildung.de
5. 5Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
6. 6Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung – Wikidatawikidata.org