Kompetenzinitiative

Kompetenzinitiative is the short name of the Kompetenzinitiative zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Demokratie e.V., a German registered association (eingetragener Verein) based in Munich. It describes itself as a scientific initiative for protection against mobile-phone radiation and as an international, interdisciplinary and non-partisan association working for a turnaround in health and environmental policy, especially regarding the growing exposure of everyday life to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Its central campaign slogan is the demand for a 'Funkwende' — a wireless turnaround — intended to sharply reduce the environmental and health burden attributed to smartphones, WLAN, radio technology and similar sources, to inform the public about these issues, and to promote low-radiation, advanced technologies. The association grew out of a grouping of the same name founded on 30 April 2007, which was later converted into the legal form of a registered association. Its programme 'Gesundheit ist keine Handelsware!' ('Health is not a commodity!') remains the basis of the registered association. According to its statutes, the KI sees itself as an international, interdisciplinary and cross-party association committed to a necessary turnaround in health and environmental policy, particularly in the field of the rapidly advancing saturation of our living environment with electromagnetic fields. It argues that independent research, balanced public information, protection of the more sensitive and weaker members of society, and the preservation of human, animal and plant life are being heavily impaired by prevailing mobile-communications policy. The organisation pursues its goals through several activities. In technical terms, it seeks to publicise ignored, suppressed or denied results of independent science. In ethical terms, it advocates a cross-disciplinary professional ethos that excludes instrumentalisation for commercial and political needs, and calls for an ethical code for consumer- and environmental-protection officials that limits simultaneous cooperation with industry. In social terms, it emphasises solidarity and the protection of vulnerable groups. The association organises conferences and meetings on the biological effects of mobile communications and on the 5G/mobile-communications debate, including events in Klingenthal (2009), Mainz (2019) and Düsseldorf (2022). It also offers membership and accepts donations, with its office listed at Straßburger Straße 16, 80809 Munich. Public figures associated with the initiative include the physicist and mathematician Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Klaus Buchner, the general practitioners Dr. med. Monika Krout and Barbara Dohmen, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wilfried Kühling, professor of spatial and environmental planning. As a civil-society advocacy organisation rather than a commercial manufacturer, Kompetenzinitiative does not sell products; its 'offerings' are information, events, publications, membership and campaigning. It operates primarily in Germany but presents itself as part of an international network of scientists and citizens concerned about electromagnetic fields. Its positions place it within the broader debate over mobile-communications safety, where it argues that current limits address only thermal effects and neglect non-thermal biological effects such as oxidative processes, genetic damage, effects on the nervous system and harm to unborn life.

The Kompetenzinitiative zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Demokratie emerged from a grouping of the same name founded on 30 April 2007. According to its statutes, that founding association was later transferred into the legal form of a registered association (eingetragener Verein), and the programme 'Gesundheit ist keine Handelsware! Kompetenzinitiative zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Demokratie' remained the basis of the registered association. The organisation defines itself as an international, interdisciplinary and non-partisan association committed to a necessary turnaround in health and environmental policy, especially in the field of the rapidly advancing saturation of the living environment with electromagnetic fields (EMF). From its beginnings the initiative framed its work around what it describes as deficits in societal development caused by prevailing mobile-communications policy: the impairment of independent research, balanced public information, protection of the more sensitive and weaker members of society, and the preservation of human, animal and plant life. Its statutes set out a threefold approach. Technically, it aims to publicise ignored, suppressed or denied results of independent science. Ethically, it advocates a cross-disciplinary professional ethos that excludes instrumentalisation for commercial and political needs, and demands an ethical code for consumer- and environmental-protection officials that limits simultaneous cooperation with industry. Socially, it emphasises solidarity and the protection of vulnerable groups. A central element of the initiative's public work has been a series of conferences and meetings. Its website lists a conference in Klingenthal in 2009, further meetings between 2009 and 2015, a conference in Mainz in 2019 on the biological effects of mobile communications, and a conference in Düsseldorf from 14 to 16 October 2022 on the current 5G/mobile-communications discussion, risks and perspectives. These events bring together scientists, medical practitioners and civil-society actors who question the adequacy of existing exposure limits. The initiative's substantive position is that mobile-phone radiation can intervene in the biology of the body in various ways. While current limits are intended to prevent harmful thermal effects of microwave radiation, the association argues that various non-thermal (biological) effects and impacts are not taken into account, including oxidative processes, damage to genetic material, effects on the nervous system and harm to unborn life. On this basis it demands significantly stricter limits, verified independent research, and much stricter legislation for health protection against technical radiation that, in its view, was not foreseen in the evolution of living systems. The association is based in Munich, with its office listed at Straßburger Straße 16, 80809 Munich, and it accepts membership applications by post as well as donations. Public figures associated with it include the physicist and mathematician Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Klaus Buchner, the general practitioners Dr. med. Monika Krout and Barbara Dohmen, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wilfried Kühling, professor of spatial and environmental planning. While rooted in Germany, the initiative presents itself as part of an international, interdisciplinary network and continues to campaign for a 'Funkwende' — a wireless turnaround — intended to sharply reduce the environmental and health burden of smartphones, WLAN, radio technology and similar sources, to inform the public, and to promote low-radiation, advanced technologies.

• 2022

  Conference in Düsseldorf from 14 to 16 October 2022 on the current 5G/mobile-communications discussion: risks and perspectives.

• 2019

  Conference in Mainz from 4 to 6 October 2019 on the biological effects of mobile communications.

• 2009

  Conference in Klingenthal held from 4 to 6 October 2009.

• 2007

  Founding of the association of the same name on 30 April 2007, later converted into a registered association (e.V.).

Civil-society scientific advocacy association campaigning for a 'Funkwende' and stricter protection against mobile-phone and wireless radiation; non-commercial, interdisciplinary and non-partisan.

Product categories. Public information and awareness campaigns on mobile-phone radiation · Conferences and expert meetings on biological effects of mobile communications · Membership and donation programmes · Policy demands for stricter EMF limits and independent research

1. 1Home – Kompetenzinitiative e.V.kompetenzinitiative.de
2. 2Satzung – Kompetenzinitiative e.V.kompetenzinitiative.de
3. 3Tagungen – Kompetenzinitiative e.V.kompetenzinitiative.de
4. 4Mitglied werden – Kompetenzinitiative e.V.kompetenzinitiative.de
5. 5Kompetenzinitiative – Wikidatawikidata.org