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Climate Politics

Climate change is one of the major global challenges of the twenty-first century. It is essential to take mitigation actions to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases while also adopting measures to adapt to the changes being brought about by climate change. FFU researchers investigate the policy and politics of climate change, looking at the roles of actors, policy processes and policy content and outcome at the national, European, and international levels. Climate change is a horizontal, cross-sectoral policy issue that touches on a wide-variety of policy sectors, including energy supply, transportation, infrastructure, industry, agriculture and services, as well as land-use, households, consumption, nutrition, resources and waste management.
The energy sector has a key role in limiting the effects of global warming. The production and use of energy as well as the trading of energy commodities are of central importance not only for our climate, but also for the economic development, the environment and human health. FFU research addresses transitions to sustainable energy systems that minimize the negative impact on the environment and foster economic growth and technological innovation and create new jobs. This research considers international, national, regional and municipal (local) strategies, policy measures and strategic concepts. Renewable energies, energy efficiency and energy saving are analyzed from political, administrative and socio-economic angles. The FFU performs studies of energy markets, energy infrastructure and security of supply as well as the environmental and climate effects of various electricity, heat and fuel technologies. Particular emphasis is placed on the design of the “Energiewende”.
Other important issues being researched at the FFU are the different national energy structures, policies, and processes related to nuclear energy, shale gas extraction, and other often controversial energy forms. One such area is nuclear energy. The FFU conducts international comparisons of nuclear energy policy and governance systems as well as the policy and politics of nuclear waste. Comparisons are made across European countries as well as with Japan and the United States. Considerable research at the FFU has looked into the Fukushima nuclear disaster and its impacts on energy policies of countries around the world, including Japan. In Germany nuclear energy is a central topic due to the decision to phase-out its use and the concomitant decision requiring a decision on a final disposal method and site for highly radioactive waste. New analytical approaches are demanded especially with respect to the risks and safety of radioactive waste but also in terms of participatory processes in the search of a final repository.

The core concern of the GIZ program RE-ACTIVATE for the MENA region is to create favourableconditions to combine the goals of transforming the energy systems with a sustainable economic development that creates domestic employment effects. The research is intended to contribute to the creation of functioning renewable energy and energy efficiency markets and support employment in the region. (more)

The project explores how and to what extent international public administrations (IPAs) interact with political and non-political actors of various levels during and in-between major international conferences.

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The Indo-German Expert Group is an interdisciplinary working group of renowned experts from leading research institutions / political think tanks in India and Germany. It was set up in 2013 to enhance collaborative learning, contribute to informed decision-making in both countries and feed into the international debate on a green and inclusive economy. 

since November 2013

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English version coming soon!

Über die personal- und arbeitspolitischen Besonderheiten in den Unternehmen der erneuerbaren Energiewirtschaft ist vergleichsweise wenig bekannt. In interdisziplinärer Kooperation zwischen dem Forschungszentrum für Umweltpolitik und dem Management-Department des Fachbereichs Wirtschaftswissenschaft (FU Berlin) zielt das von der Hans-Böckler-Stiftung geförderte Forschungsprojekt darauf ab, diese Lücke zu füllen, indem insbesondere die soziale Nachhaltigkeit in der Windenergiebranche in den Blick genommen wird.

Laufzeit: 01.02.2014 - 31.01.2016

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The project develops a classification to bring together the supply side of the market and the various demands with the aim to contribute to the success of the technology mechanism of the UN framework convention on climate change. For that purpose, the study will analyse the technology needs assessment of emerging economies and developing countries taking part in the UNFCCC’s technology mechanism. In addition to that, the FFU will study the conditions for successful technology transfers and develop a map of the relevant actors in Germany in this field.

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The Environmental Policy Research Centre participates in a large joint project with major German institutes ”Establishment of a research platform for nuclear waste material: Interdisciplinary analysis and development of criteria for assessment”.

Aim of the sub-project is primarily the policy and social analysis of the development of a strategy for a nuclear waste storage solution in Germany under participation of relevant stakeholders.

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The research network aims at improved understanding of multi-level climate governance in India and the European Union. It will analyze the interplay between the innovation capacity of local levels through to (supra)national levels of climate change and variability governance.

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Bioenergy Promotion 2 is a so called Extension stage project (ESP) under the EU INTERERREG IVB Baltic Sea Region Programme. The overall aim of Bioenergy Promotion 2 is to strengthen and implement key results from the Main stage project Bioenergy Promotion (2009-2011) through demonstration, testing and transfer measures in selected demo regions and beyond.

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Die gemeinnützige Klimaschutzagentur Bremer Energie-Konsens und die GEWOBA Aktiengesellschaft Wohnen und Bauen haben in Absprache mit den Koordinatoren des bundesweiten Projekts „Stromsparcheck“ von Caritas und eaD ein ähnliches Projekt in Bremen gestartet, den „EnergieSparCheck für GEWOBA-Mieter“. Dieses Projekt will mit einer Kombination aus Beratung und direkter Umsetzung von Maßnahmen die Ziele CO2-Emissionssenkung und Energiekostendämpfung erreichen.

Laufzeit: 01.01.2012 - 01.12.2012

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The Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU) supports the project with its expertise in the field of “Green Economy”. Specifically, it supports the preparation of the country studies, summarizes and compares their main results so as to develop policy recommendations for the region as a whole, and prepares a comparable case study on “The German energy transition and its implications for green jobs”.

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During international research workshops, we address the question whether and how federal states serve as experimental laboratories to climate governance in the areas of promotion of renewable energies, energy conservation and climate action planning.

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Schools@University is an innovative inter- and transdisciplinary educational format at the Freie Universität of Berlin that builds bridges between academia and civil society. Fifth and sixth graders and their teachers are invited to the FUB twice a year to gain in-depth knowledge on sustainability issues and critical thinking skills empowering them to effect changes within their everyday world and in society at large. The format is based on two pillars:

  • A one-week program for 10 -13 years-olds featuring 75 interactive and participatory workshops.

  • A half-day practical teacher training to encourage application of lessons learnt in their respective schools.

We develop the workshop designs together with 100 partners from academia (students, scientists and administration staff), the state of Berlin, local businesses/companies, art and culture institutions, as well as NGOs.

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The Environmental Policy Research Centre is involved in the Alliance with a comprehensive project from the political science perspective. The project will investigate new governance requirements for the electricity system restructuring.

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The research project investigates how governments in these countries integrate existing climate policies both horizontally and vertically.

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The IKI is active in three fields: promoting climate-friendly economies, fostering measures to adapt to the effects of climate change and ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of natural carbon reservoirs, reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

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This research project compares lead markets in the EU with cases in China, India and Brazil.

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The National Climate Initiative (NKI) addresses consumers, industry and municipalities as well as social and cultural establishments. The Initiative supports programmes and provides backing for clusters of comparable projects and individual specific projects.

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The German-Indian Sustainability and Climate Change Dialogue brings together decision-makers, scholars and future environmental leaders from Germany and India. They address climate protection and environmental governance and discuss the challenges and chances for bilateral environmental cooperation between both countries.

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The project aims at strengthening the development towards a sustainable, competitive and territorially integrated Baltic Sea Region in the field of sustainable use of bio-energy.

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With the EU Commission’s recommendation to all member countries to implement biomass action plans and with the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC, biomass is expected to contribute considerably to the goal of 20% share of renewable energy sources (RES) in energy supply in Europe by 2020.

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English version coming soon!

Das Projekt entwickelt politische Strategien der Förderung von nachhaltigem Konsum beim Stromverbrauch von Privathaushalten, wobei sowohl der Erwerb von Produkten als auch ihre Nutzung berücksichtigt werden.

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By appointment of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the consortium Adelphi Consult – FFU Berlin supports the intentions of the German Federal Government to found an International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

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The German-Indian Sustainability and Climate Change Dialogue brings together decision-makers, scholars and future environmental leaders from Germany and India.

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To mark the 20th anniversary of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) in cooperation with the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), the Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU) at the Freie Universität Berlin and the European East-West Academy for Culture and the Media (EOWA) planned to launch a series of events themed “Chernobyl +20” .

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The Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management ("Life Ministry") appointed an interdisciplinary group of independent experts to evaluate implementation activities under the Austrian Sustainability Strategy.

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RegEnergy developed innovative policy measures for a sustainable accommodation of heat energy on the communal and regional level. The project component 3 aimed to establish an interregional exchange of experiences and transfer of knowledge concerning these policy measures.

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REALISE FORUM (Renewable Energy and Liberalisation in Selected Electricity markets–Forum) attempted to establish a basis for coherence for national renewables policies in the view of a possible harmonisation or coordination of financing mechanisms and support scheme for RES-E.

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The Climate Technology Initiative (CTI) has been set up in 1995 by principal member states of the OECD/IEA and European Commission in order “to promote the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by fostering international co-operation for accelerated development and diffusion of climate-friendly technologies and practices for all activities and greenhouse gases”.

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The SUSTAIN EU-ASEAN project aims at establishing a more sustainable and integrated research and innovation cooperation between the EU and the ASEAN region in the areas of climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials. It will also improve the uptake and exploitation of respective research results by different user groups. The project's approach is to achieve this through:

  • Creating a knowledge base on the strategic environment for sustainable cooperation, uptake and implementation of results of joint EU-ASEAN environment research
  • Developing and testing tools for increased synergies, uptake, exposure and visibility of joint EU-ASEAN research
  • Developing a roadmap and concrete proposals for upgrading joint research and innovation, for more sustainable and strategic future cooperation
  • Identifying and cluster EU funded and relevant bilateral projects in the area of climate action, raw materials and resource efficiency