PowerShift

PowerShift (full self-designation: PowerShift – Verein für eine ökologisch-solidarische Energie- & Weltwirtschaft) is a German non-governmental organisation headquartered in Berlin. Founded in 2010, it is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) based at the Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte in Berlin. The organisation describes its goal as an ecologically and socially just world, and it pursues this through research, policy analysis, lobbying, public information work, campaigns and civil-society networking. PowerShift's work is organised around several thematic fields: trade and investment policy, raw materials (Rohstoffpolitik), energy policy, climate and resource justice, and mobility. In trade policy it has positioned itself against German support for international agreements such as TTIP and CETA, and it criticises the EU-Mercosur agreement. It took part in the international campaign for withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty, from which Germany and the EU exited in 2023 and 2024 respectively. On raw materials, PowerShift advocates a "Rohstoffwende" — a raw-materials transition aimed at sharply reducing global extraction and consumption — and argues that strategic dependencies can only be reduced through a circular economy and less waste. In energy policy it calls for stronger re-municipalisation of district heating, rejects carbon capture and storage as a sham solution, and is sceptical of large-scale hydrogen projects in the Global South. In transport policy it supports a Verkehrswende and car-free inner cities, and coordinated the project "Berliner Straßen für alle". As a civil-society actor, PowerShift produces studies, analyses and position papers, runs workshops and petitions, and participates in campaigns at local, national and international level. It is a member of networks and alliances including the Initiative Lieferkettengesetz (Supply Chain Act Initiative) and the EU Raw Materials Coalition, and it leads the Arbeitskreis Rohstoffe, which organises the Rohstoffgipfel. The association had 34 members at the end of 2024 and has signed the Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft. Its managing director is Tine Laufer, who has been with PowerShift since 2017, took over management in 2018 and joined the board in 2023.

PowerShift was founded in 2010 as a German non-governmental organisation and registered non-profit association based in Berlin. It established its office at the Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte, a shared civil-society building in the German capital. From its early years the organisation focused on the intersections of trade, raw materials and energy policy, with an explicit orientation toward ecological and social justice in the global economy. In the 2010s PowerShift became known for its critical stance on international trade and investment agreements. It positioned itself against German support for TTIP and CETA, citing concerns about unregulated global trade, and later criticised the EU-Mercosur agreement for endangering agricultural operations on both sides of the Atlantic and for facilitating the export of hazardous chemicals such as pesticides. The organisation also engaged in the international campaign for withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty, a goal achieved when Germany exited in 2023 and the EU in 2024. In the field of corporate litigation rights, PowerShift documented and criticised investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) proceedings, arguing that arbitral tribunals rule differently and less transparently than national courts and often in favour of claimant companies. On raw materials, PowerShift developed the concept of a "Rohstoffwende" — a raw-materials transition aimed at reducing global extraction and consumption. It criticised the orientation of German raw materials partnerships with producing countries and the close coordination of policy with industry interests, arguing that long-term reduction of strategic dependencies, for example on China, can only be achieved through a consistent expansion of the circular economy and a significant reduction of raw-material waste. In 2023 it published a study examining the metal demand of various energy technologies, concluding that although renewables also require raw materials, this is not an argument against the energy transition, since older technologies such as coal mining are not more resource-friendly. PowerShift also called on the German government to strengthen the secondary raw materials market and to align primary extraction consistently with environmental and human-rights criteria. In 2025 it argued in the Frankfurter Rundschau for a "just dialogue on the distribution of raw materials" and a reduction in metal consumption, and in 2026 it criticised the Trump administration's considerations of annexing Greenland from the perspectives of international law and democracy, describing them as standing for a "failed raw materials policy". In energy policy, PowerShift has demanded stronger re-municipalisation of district heating and rejected carbon capture and storage as a "sham solution". It views wood combustion critically as an energy source, particularly the notion of wood as an alternative to fossil fuels, because reforestation takes decades and wood combustion itself produces carbon dioxide. It regards hydrogen as a promising energy carrier in principle but is sceptical of large-scale hydrogen projects in the Global South and their potential to perpetuate colonial injustices. In transport policy, PowerShift advocates a Verkehrswende in German cities and supports concepts for car-free inner cities. It coordinated the project "Berliner Straßen für alle", aimed at a fairer distribution of urban living space and new mobility and living spaces in Berlin. In autumn 2021 it installed parklets at several locations in Berlin in coordination with district offices to demonstrate alternative efficient uses of former car parking spaces. As a civil-society actor, PowerShift produces studies, analyses and position papers, conducts educational and information work, engages in public relations and participates in civil-society campaigns. It initiates and supports campaigns at local, national and international level, typically relying on the participation of civil-society actors, citizens and interested parties through petitions, workshops and actions. The organisation is a member of civil-society networks and alliances including the Initiative Lieferkettengesetz and the EU Raw Materials Coalition, and it leads the Arbeitskreis Rohstoffe, which organises the Rohstoffgipfel. It had 34 members at the end of 2024 and has signed the Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft. Tine Laufer has been with PowerShift since 2017, took over management in 2018 and joined the board in 2023.

• 2026

  Rohstoffgipfel 2026 announced; PowerShift criticises Trump administration's considerations on Greenland.

• 2025

  PowerShift criticises German raw materials partnerships and contributes to study on arbitration cases by Russian companies.

• 2024

  EU exits the Energy Charter Treaty; PowerShift has 34 members at year-end.

• 2023

  Germany exits the Energy Charter Treaty; PowerShift publishes study on metal demand of energy technologies; Tine Laufer joins the board.

• 2021

  PowerShift installs parklets in Berlin as part of 'Berliner Straßen für alle'.

• 2018

  Tine Laufer takes over management of PowerShift.

• 2017

  Tine Laufer joins PowerShift.

• 2010

  PowerShift founded as a German non-profit association in Berlin.

Non-profit advocacy and research NGO brand focused on ecological and social justice in the global economy; independent, non-partisan, civil-society oriented.

• Policy analyses and background papers

  Research and analysis on trade, raw materials, energy and mobility policy.

• Studies

  In-depth studies such as the 2023 study on metal demand of energy technologies.

• Position papers

  Position papers on the organisation's thematic areas.

• Workshops and educational events

  Educational and information work, workshops and events.

• Petitions and campaigns

  Civil-society campaigns at local, national and international level.

1. 1Wir zeigen Wege aus der Klimakrise - PowerShiftpower-shift.de
2. 2Über uns - PowerShiftpower-shift.de
3. 3Team - PowerShiftpower-shift.de
4. 4Jobs & Praktika - PowerShiftpower-shift.de
5. 5Powershift - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Powershift - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org