Rare Europe gGmbH
Rare Europe is the European representative office of Rare, a global leader in driving social change for people and nature, located in Berlin. We represent Rare in Europe.
Our approach
Rare invests in people-centered conservation solutions. We partner with local leaders, individuals, and their communities to help them co-manage, protect, and restore their natural resources against threats like climate change.
Our priorities
Rare is committed to ensuring the well-being and prosperity of all life on earth. To achieve this, we focus on tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity, securing food systems, promoting social equity, and driving public funds and private capital toward better environmental outcomes, among other priorities.
DRAGONS: Diffusing biodiversity Response-able Action and awareness raising through citizen empowerment, inclusive engagement and innovative GOvernance of Nature and Society
Duration: June 2026 – May 2029DRAGONS develops, tests, and diffuses innovative approaches to overcome the psychological, emotional, and structural barriers that limit meaningful action for biodiversity. Despite growing awareness of biodiversity loss, translating concern into action remains a major challenge. DRAGONS addresses this ecological paradox by tackling the “Dragons of Inaction” – the complex factors that prevent people, communities, and institutions from engaging with biodiversity and nature restoration. Within the project, Rare Europe will conduct research to explore determinants most likely to drive behavioural change in support of five project pilot initiatives delivered in Finland, the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, and Colombia. Rare will also work with partners to deliver trainings, workshops and coaching to strengthen biodiversity action while supporting health, equity, climate resilience, and democratic participation.DRAGONS is funded by the Horizon Europe programme under Grant No. #101291624.
BITE - Behavioural Insights and Interventions to Target Excessive Plate Waste
Duration: October 2025 – March 2027The BITE project tackles high-waste plates in workplace canteens — meals returned with a large handful of food or more still on them that account for a disproportionate share of total food waste. Through combined qualitative and quantitative research, Rare is uncovering what leads diners to return high-waste plates, then designing and testing interventions to reduce them. The work is being piloted at a major corporate campus in Dublin that serves over 3,000 diners a day across multiple cafes, with findings and a Practical Guide for food service professionals published openly to support EU and global food waste reduction targets.
VfN - Behavior Science for Nature Conservation in Germany
Duration: November 2025 – November 2028This project will help conservation practitioners in Germany apply behavior-centered design to support nature conservation, biodiversity protection, and education for sustainable development. Rare Europe will convene a national advisory group of conservation and sustainability experts to guide the project, helping identify what German practitioners need to adopt behavior-centered design and shaping a long-term strategy for embedding these approaches across the sector. Practical training will be made widely available through a German-language online course and interactive virtual trainings. Through an open call, three local projects will receive coaching and funding to put these approaches into practice, building real-world evidence of what works in the German context. Results will be shared through a public learning event and German-language case studies.
Atong Tañon - Unlocking Effective Management of the Philippines' largest Marine Protected Area
Duration: November 2025 – October 2030Spanning 5,358.93 km², the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) is the Philippines' largest Marine Protected Area (MPA). However, its globally significant ecosystem is under pressure from human exploitation and climate change. Despite its status as an IUCN category V MPA, effective management and protection of the TSPS are considered to be weak, due to various constraints. As a result, fisher families face declining fish catch and deteriorating livelihoods. Rare, with financial support from Blue Action Fund, and in partnership with the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, is working to enhance the effective and inclusive management of the TSPS by addressing key challenges related to governance and regulations, technical capacity, enforcement, sustainable financing, as well as community participation and livelihood opportunities.
The Team of Rare Europe
Uli Frank Gräbener, Executive Director, Rare Europe | LinkedInClaudia Quintanilla, Vice President, Global Hub for Learning & Collaboration | LinkedInLisa Schindler Murray, Director, Natural Climate Solutions & Blue Carbon | LinkedInFrederik Stapke, Senior Manager, Global Development | LinkedInInga Steadward, Senior Manager, Finance & Operations | LinkedInSam Gray, Manager, Global Development | LinkedInMariano Viz, Manager, Data Science & Strategy | LinkedInAlice Mueller, Senior Associate, Agreement Services and ComplianceWillem Krüsmann, Associate, Behavioral Research | LinkedIn
Let's get in touch
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)30 49908438
Imprint
Rare Europe gGmbH
Große Hamburger Straße 30
10115 Berlin
GermanyRegistered at the District Court of Charlottenburg under HRB 198034 BVAT Identification Number (USt-IdNr): DE364774568Executive Director
Uli Gräbener
[email protected]