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Common questions
Is wupperinst.org legit or a scam?
AboutUs doesn't label sites "legit" or "a scam": this page lists the dated registration, DNS, HTTPS, mail-authentication and safety checks we could verify, each with its source, so you can decide for yourself.
Who owns wupperinst.org?
Nobody has completed AboutUs's owner verification for wupperinst.org. That's true of most sites here — it isn't itself a warning sign.
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Registered 1995 · site is live · HTTPS valid
Wupperinst.org
The Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy is a German research organization that develops environmental policy guidelines, strategies, and instruments to advance sustainability at regional, national, and international levels. Based in Wuppertal, Germany, it focuses on climate, energy, and ecological economics research.
Checked in the last 30 daysOlder, dated recordFrom registration records
Registered 31 years ago · on AboutUs since 2006 · 1 registrar change since Oct 26, 2016 · no ownership change on record since 2016 · last checked Oct 11, 2026.
Registration
RegisteredMay 2, 1995wupperinst.org was registered on May 2, 1995.Source: RDAP, fetched Aug 22, 2026
AboutUs record
AboutUs wiki pageJun 21, 2006 – Jan 17, 2008An AboutUs wiki page described wupperinst.org from Jun 21, 2006 to Jan 17, 2008 (2 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023Said about itself in 2006Jul 1, 2006
Registrar
Vautron Rechenzentrum AGOct 26, 2016 – Mar 18, 2020Registrar Vautron Rechenzentrum AG (IANA 1443) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for wupperinst.org, from Oct 26, 2016 to Mar 18, 2020.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)Key-Systems GmbH
Ownership
Ownership recordsOct 26, 2016 – Jan 31, 2026Registration records for wupperinst.org are held from Oct 26, 2016 to Jan 31, 2026 (59 records). None shows a change of registrant. Privacy-service and redaction changes are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
No ownership changes recorded, 2016–2026
Zone file
No nameserver records held, Feb 2026 – Oct 2026Nameservers: second-ns.com, second-ns.de, your-server.deNameservers: second-ns.com, second-ns.de, your-server.deOct 26, 2016 – Jan 31, 2026Registration records listed second-ns.com, second-ns.de, your-server.de nameservers (ns.second-ns.com, ns1.your-server.de, ns3.second-ns.de) for wupperinst.org from Oct 26, 2016 to Jan 31, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Certificate
Google Trust ServicesMay 11, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Google Trust Services issued 116 certificates for wupperinst.org from May 11, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 24, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)Let's EncryptMay 16, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026
200020102020Jan ’26Oct ’26← last 12 months, drawn wider
Every dated fact on this lifeline (12)
May 2, 1995Registration: wupperinst.org was registered on May 2, 1995.Source: RDAP, fetched Aug 22, 2026
Jun 21, 2006 – Jan 17, 2008AboutUs record: An AboutUs wiki page described wupperinst.org from Jun 21, 2006 to Jan 17, 2008 (2 edits).Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006–2023
Jul 1, 2006AboutUs record: “The Wuppertal Institute explores and develops environmental policy guidelines, strategies, and instruments in order to promote sustainability at regional, national, and international level.”Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Oct 26, 2016 – Mar 18, 2020Registrar: Registrar Vautron Rechenzentrum AG (IANA 1443) in the WHOIS and RDAP records held for wupperinst.org, from Oct 26, 2016 to Mar 18, 2020.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is)
Oct 26, 2016 – Jan 31, 2026Ownership: Registration records for wupperinst.org are held from Oct 26, 2016 to Jan 31, 2026 (59 records). None shows a change of registrant. Privacy-service and redaction changes are not counted.Source: WHOIS / RDAP archive (who.is); counted by registrant name and organization only
Oct 26, 2016 – Jan 31, 2026
“The Wuppertal Institute explores and develops environmental policy guidelines, strategies, and instruments in order to promote sustainability at regional, national, and international level.”
Source: AboutUs wiki archive, 2006
Current AboutUs recordJul 9, 2026 – Aug 22, 2026 (latest)Authority and Safety last refreshed Aug 22, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Key-Systems GmbH
Aug 21, 2020 – Oct 11, 2026 (latest)
Registrar Key-Systems GmbH (IANA 269) in the registration data recorded, first on Aug 21, 2020 and most recently on Oct 11, 2026.
Source: RDAP, fetched Aug 22, 2026
Let's Encrypt issued 36 certificates for wupperinst.org from May 16, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 19, 2027.
Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
ZeroSSL GmbHJul 24, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026ZeroSSL GmbH issued 2 certificates for wupperinst.org from Jul 24, 2026, the latest valid until Dec 31, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Certificate from Let's EncryptAug 22, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026 (latest)Let's Encrypt certificate valid Aug 22, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026, as seen on Oct 11, 2026.Source: TLS check, Oct 11, 2026
Zone file: Registration records listed second-ns.com, second-ns.de, your-server.de nameservers (ns.second-ns.com, ns1.your-server.de, ns3.second-ns.de) for wupperinst.org from Oct 26, 2016 to Jan 31, 2026.Source: From registration records (WHOIS / RDAP archive, who.is)
Aug 21, 2020 – Oct 11, 2026Registrar: Registrar Key-Systems GmbH (IANA 269) in the registration data recorded, first on Aug 21, 2020 and most recently on Oct 11, 2026.Source: RDAP, fetched Aug 22, 2026
May 11, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Certificate: Google Trust Services issued 116 certificates for wupperinst.org from May 11, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 24, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
May 16, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt issued 36 certificates for wupperinst.org from May 16, 2026, the latest valid until Jan 19, 2027.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Jul 9, 2026 – Aug 22, 2026AboutUs record: Authority and Safety last refreshed Aug 22, 2026.Source: AboutUs checks
Jul 24, 2026 – Oct 26, 2026Certificate: ZeroSSL GmbH issued 2 certificates for wupperinst.org from Jul 24, 2026, the latest valid until Dec 31, 2026.Source: Certificate Transparency logs (AboutUs's own certificate-log reader)
Aug 22, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026Certificate: Let's Encrypt certificate valid Aug 22, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026, as seen on Oct 11, 2026.Source: TLS check, Oct 11, 2026
All 4 safety checks passed (Oct 26, 2026).
Automated safety checks
DNS (passed)
HTTPS (passed)
Page metadata (passed)
Security headers (passed)
Current facts
Latest available measurements; dated entries retain their dates. These are measurements, not an endorsement of the site.
latest result
Domain registered May 2, 1995 — 31 years old.
latest result
Registrar on record: Key-Systems GmbH — unchanged since AboutUs began tracking (Aug 6, 2026).
latest result
HTTPS request succeeded for wupperinst.org.
checked Oct 3, 2026
The live front page reads as an education or reference site that is a public service, mainly for specialists in its field.
Authority 59/100— ahead of 59% of the August 2026 scored sampleClear
Why this authority score
59 is a percentile: higher than 59% of sites we score.
How it's calculated
Prominence (Tranco rank #125,774)+6
Verified continuity: 31.5 years (RDAP registration)+11
Security & email hygiene+3
Calibration adjustment (published map)+11
Model score: 31/99 — what these reason lines add up to.
Published Authority (percentile): 59/100 — this site's rank against the August 2026 scored sample. Public Authority is capped at 99.
Safety evidence
No unexpired threat-feed result; name-similarity check available (recorded about 65 days ago); 3/3 transport and email checks available (oldest recorded about 65 days ago). This is evidence coverage, not a probability that a website is safe.
What wupperinst.org said about itself, 2006
Quoted from the site's AboutUs wiki page in each year it changed (1 version). These are the page's own words at the time, not AboutUs's assessment. New words · dropped words
2006
The Wuppertal Institute explores and develops environmental policy guidelines, strategies, and instruments in order to promote sustainability at regional, national, and international level.
Site history
Dated record — historical facts always carry their date.