What is CEC doing?

CEC is an international consulting buero based in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded by Dipl. Ing. Stefan Schurig and builds on a global network of organisations, independent experts, researchers and consultants. It's focus lies on the crosscutting areas between 'climate change', ‘renewable energy’, 'sustainable cities' and ‘public engagement’.

Stefan Schurig

Profile: Stefan Schurig

Welcome! I founded CEC in 2017 as the platform (the best German term to describe the character of CEC would be 'Werkstatt` - workshop) from where I develop high-profile initiatives and campaigns and hold different consultancy mandates in the sustainability space. I feel blessed to be working and engaging with a global network of colleagues and friends in different constellations.

I'am a mason and an architect by training. So why did I not choose to design buildings and instead work on sustainability issues and environmental politics? Because already in my teenage years I got struck by how we as humans treated nature - that very nature that all life depends on and what makes life worth living. Why would we accept then our rather linear approach to generate energy - actually downgrading 'ressources' to 'waste' - as the ultima ratio? As an architect you quickly get to the conclusion that it's not just the buildings that matter. It's the design of the built environment as a whole, interaction with space, the metabolism of cities, the infrastructure. And of course underlying  business models. And that policies can be either manifestating this status quo. Or lay the foundation for transformation. And for growing neighbourhoods, cities, countries and the world into sustainable systems. It's a decision!

That's why I've been devoting most of my professional career to sustainable development and sustainability matters. My current mandates include the position as Managing Director of the Swiss based Toni Piëch Foundation (since 2021) as well as the role as Senior Advisor to the World Future Council. From end of 2023 to March 2025 I've been also serving as Member of the Supervisory Board of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) during its start-up phase.

Until end of 2023, I served as the Secretary General of the Foundations-20 platform (F20) which I co-founded in 2017. Before, I was the Director Climate Energy and Member of the Executive Board of the World Future Council (WFC) since 2007. Before that, I was the spokesperson of Greenpeace for 10 years. Between 2002 and 2007 I also served as Member of the Senior Management Team of Greenpeace Germany and Head of the Climate Energy Unit responsible for overall operations as well as the countrywide climate and energy program.

Until 2013 I've been also serving as a member of the energy advisory board of the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg and was appointed by UN Habitat as member of the steering committee of the World Urban Campaign. 

I did invited lectures at Imperial College London, Technical University Berlin, Technical University of Hamburg and University of Flensburg. Between 2015-2018 I've been also teaching a masters class at Hamburg University (HCU) on sustainable urban development. 

"The challenges of global urbanisation trends, the balance between economic interests and ecologic footprints, as well as developing politically feasible solutions have always been at the heart of my professional career."