Projects of Ulrich Petschow

• Climate change and global finance at the crossroads Policy challenges, politico-economic dynamics, and sustainable transformation

  Humanity is facing a millennium challenge: the transformation of state, industry, and society towards zero CO2 emissions. This goal can only be achieved if the necessary financial resources are made available. The financial [...] More

• Shaping the socio-ecological transformation together in a just way Alliances of social, welfare, environmental associations and trade unions

  From both a social and an ecological perspective, the current economic and lifestyle practices in industrialized countries have serious negative impacts. They exploit the environment and pollute the climate and at the same [...] More

• Negotiating change, shaping the just transition New structures for socio-ecological policy-making bridging state and civil society

  Implementing a “Just Transition” is a complex task for society. The challenges are great: It is not just a matter of providing answers to the climate crisis, but of dealing with a multitude of crises that overlap or even [...] More

• SustAIn – Sustainability Index for Artificial Intelligence

  The expectations for applications with artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision making are high in many societal end economic spheres. Whether it is speech or face recognition, recommendation systems, autonomous [...] More

• New societal alliances for just transition pathways in Germany

  The climate and biodiversity crises continue to come to a dramatic head, while the political responses to these challenges remain inadequate, even after the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. Climate targets have [...] More

• Strategic Dialogue on Growth Independence

  The Growth Independence Strategy Dialogue builds on the results and experiences of the UBA project “Approaches to Resource Conservation in the Context of Post-Growth Concepts”. This project analyzed in particular the question [...] More

• Digitalisation and Green Economy Interactions between the process of digitalisation and the transition to a green economy

  The project aims to analyse and evaluate the opportunities and challenges of digital change from an environmental point of view. The project investigates the environmental effects of digitalisation, the future scenarios for [...] More

• Change in perspective Bioeconomy – for more sustainability A dialogue project in the science year 2020/2021

  

  With the bioeconomy topic, the German science year 2020/2021 was dedicated to the transformation from an oil-based to a bio-based form of economy. In times of a rapidly growing world population, dwindling biodiversity and [...] More

• Corona and Sustainability In search of a new balance between market, state and civil society for a resilient society

  The global corona pandemic hit most countries unprepared and has had a massive impact on the health of the world's population to this day. At the same time, the measures required to combat the disease have led to considerable [...] More

• ReCap – Capping Macro Rebounds Reconsidering the Role of Energy and Resource Productivity for Economic Growth, and Developing Policy Options for Capping Macro-Level Rebound Effects

  

  For more than 30 years, economic science has dealt with the emergence of rebound effects in the context of resource efficiency improvements both theoretically and empirically. Based on this research and diverse growth [...] More

• New Alliances for Sustainability Policy Cooperation perspectives for environmental actors with unions, social organization and charities

  Environmental actors increasingly realize the need of cooperative thinking and acting. Links to other policy areas are too close; possible impacts of the necessary transformation too strong. It is essential to convince [...] More

• Approaches to Resource Conservation in the Context of Post-Growth Concepts

  

  The recent institutions of society and economy are mainly focused on economic growth, measured in Gross National Product (GDP). This enhances a consumption of resources that is incompatible with planetary boundaries. Current [...] More

• Needs and Opportunities for Climate Resilient and Sustainable Design of National and Cross-Border Infrastructure

  The result of the research project will be the systematization and processing of existing knowledge concerning the development dynamics, the guiding principles and the interdependencies of the infrastructures and possible [...] More

• Commons-based Peer Production in Open Labs (COWERK)

  

  The project COWERK intends to examine the adoption of cooperative ways of organizing the economy by using the example of open-access labs. The project has the aim of analyzing the adoption of new technological methods in the [...] More

• Sustainability Strategies and Policies: Challenges and Approaches

  The project supports the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety in the further development of the sustainability and environmental programs [...] More

• Current discussion on the introduction of an innovation principle and the relationship to the precautionary principle Short Study

  In order to improve the innovation climate in Germany and Europe, representatives of research-intensive large companies and meanwhile the EU are calling for the introduction of an “innovation principle”, which should [...] More

• Mobility Transition – The German Automotive Industry in Upheaval

  On behalf of the think tank Denkwerk Demokratie, IÖW has examined the conditions for a mobility transition as well as its implications for the German automotive industry. Denkwerk Demokratie is financed by trade unions and [...] More

• Analysis of Approaches to Alternative Economy: Effects of Sustainability and Need for Action for the State Politics of North Rhine-Westphalia - An Explorative Analysis

  The project examines the complex concept of alternative economy with an explorative approach, it points out possibilities of social, economic and ecological effects and deduces needs for action for the state politics of North [...] More

• Resilient Design of the Energy System Exemplified by Options of Transformation in the EE-Methane-System and Regional Self-Suffciency (RESYSTRA)

  The German „Energiewende“ is understood as a project of societal transformation with the goal to create a resilient energy system. Due to path-dependency, such transformation cannot be achieved by public regulation only, but [...] More

• Economics of climate change adaptation - Integrated economic modeling and institutional analysis at different scale levels (econCCadapt)

  The project brings together different economic disciplines and scale levels: Institutional economics, economic modeling at different scale levels using complementary methods of macroeconomic modeling and regionalized [...] More

• Scientific Support on the Topic: Environmental and Conservation Policy as Social Policy – Concepts and Future Challenges

  Environment and nature conservation policy is also social policy. This statement might seem trivial but it is highly relevant when taking into account the increasing and ever more dramatic effects of failing environmental [...] More

• Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast (RADOST)

  The aim of the RADOST project is to develop regional adaptation strategies in a dialogue between research institutions, business, public administration and civil society. The IÖW is responsible for the socioeconomic analysis [...] More

• Stakeholder Dialogues: Adaptation to Climate Change

  The adaptation of society, the economy and the environment to the inevitable consequences of climate change gets increasingly important. For this process key stakeholders in economy and society need to be sensitised for the [...] More

• Water Flows in Germany

  

  The website www.bmbf.wasserfluesse.de presents interactive graphics and films on Water Flows in Germany. The aim of the research project is to capture the water flows in Germany in an integrative analysis and in innovative [...] More

• Linking adaptation knowledge and stakeholders, policy-relevant synthesis and target-oriented communication

  The German Adaptation Strategy includes dialogue processes with relevant stakeholders. Moreover, it aims at informing different target groups about climate impacts and possible adaptation measures. In this project the IÖW and [...] More

• Public sector and infrastructure financing of German seaports and waterways - Optimization instead of double sponsorship

  In German seaports parallel infrastructures with huge investment and maintenance costs are being funded despite increasing financial constraints. So, at the moment, on the one hand port infrastructures are being increasingly [...] More

• The Potential of Advanced Technological, Decentralised and Personalised Production against the Background of a Low Carbon Economy

  Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the project aims to identify the most relevant manufacturing and consumption patterns of the future. Therefore technological and organizational concepts will be [...] More

• Improving strategic environmental policy consultancy in the context of the general principle of sustainable development - study and professional dialogue about approaches and utilization perspectives of environmental and sustainability research.

  In the field of sustainability research it can be observed that the successful transfer of generated knowledge into the various fields of social and political activity remains limited. Causes are, among others, that the [...] More

• Utilization of the current debates on social welfare for the environmental justice and conclusions for the political and societal transformation. Concepts of social welfare and environmental justice

  Subject of the project are the proposals on the transformation of society in the perspective of sustainable, future-oriented development that are currently discussed in wide areas of the interested public as well as in [...] More

• Adaptive support device/textile with pressure controlled stiffness and integrated sensor technologies inspired by the human skin

  The research project is funded by the Ministry of Research within the program Biona, which aims to support the development in biomimetic approaches. The project aims to develop an adaptive decubitus mattress for persons whose [...] More

• Overall-effective measures for sustainable water resources management in the coastal area of Shandong Province, PR China

  Water shortage and water pollution are serious problems in China's Northern provinces which strongly influence not only socio-economic development, but also ecology and quality of life in these regions. Shandong Province and [...] More

• Converging Technologies – Socio-ecological options for shaping innovations (CONTEC)

  The growing connection between nanotechnologies, genetic engineering, information and communications technology and cognitive sciences is one of today’s most influential technological developments with far-reaching [...] More

• Interlinking of climate scenarios with other scenarios from the ecological and social area

  The integration of climate scenarios with other models for social and environmental development is a precondition for a reliable estimate of the future development of coupled human-environment systems under conditions of [...] More

• Bioeconomy – Comment on the statement of the BioEconomy Council

  The BioEconomy Council has presented a study which deals with the perspectives and the action approaches to promote bio-economy. The basic orientation of bio-economy is that a fundamental change from the use of non-renewable [...] More

• SPICOSA (Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment)

  The overall objective of SPICOSA is to develop a self-evolving, holistic research approach for integrated assessment of Coastal Systems so that the best available scientific knowledge can be mobilized to support deliberative [...] More

• Literature Review: Biomimetics in Economics and Business

  The project aims to investigate the current state of the art of biomimetic applications in economic sciences. Therefore, relevant literature will be reviewed and summed up. Suggestions for prospective biomimetic activities [...] More

• ICZM Oder – Research for an Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Oder Estuary Region

  The Oder Estuary is a rural region at the German-Polish border. It has great ecological and recreational potential. The region suffers from economic and social problems and a steep gradient between West and East and between [...] More

• Combating climate change and moorland management strategies

  In the debate about alternative strategies for combating climate change and the emission of climate-relevant gases, agricultural land use plays a significant role both as an emitter and with regard to potential avoidance [...] More

• Development of a Platform for Deliberative Processes on Nanotechnology in the European Consumer Market (NANOPLAT)

  NANOPLAT will develop a platform for deliberative processes on Nano-science and Nano-technology (NS&T) in the European consumer market. The support action will concentrate on deliberative processes concerning human and [...] More

• Self-organising adaptive systems: an analysis of the opportunities and risks of new ICT approaches and ways to shape them

  Within the framework of an innovation and technology analysis, the opportunities and risks of self-organising adaptive systems are examined with the focus on organic computing. One of the main driving factors behind such [...] More

• Increasing the acceptance and use of mineral secondary raw materials, taking account of the protected interests and application-related requirements of potential macro-economic benefits as well as sectoral economic incentives.

  Well over half the waste generated in Germany is mineral waste. It represents a major potential for resource conservation. Huge quantities of natural, mineral raw materials, such as natural stone, sand, gravel and the [...] More

• Relief Effects for the Environment through Nanotechnological Processes and Products

  The project “Relief Effects for the Environment through Nanotechnological Processes and Products”, conducted in cooperation with Bremen University, is aimed at the prospective identification and evaluation of the potential [...] More

• ICZM Oder – Research for an Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Oder Estuary Region

  The Oder Estuary is a rural region at the German-Polish border. It has great ecological and recreational potential. The region suffers from economic and social problems and a steep gradient between West and East and between [...] More

• Potentials and trends in bionics

  Bionics exercises great fascination for many different reasons. It promises 'adapted', ecologically compatible solutions for social problems. An important contribution towards implementing this promise consists in working out [...] More

• Options for decoupling Economic Growth and Transport

  Das Forschungsvorhaben brachte mehr Transparenz in die Diskussion um die Wechselwirkungen zwischen Wirtschaftswachstum und Verkehrsentwicklung, entwickelte Strategien und Gestaltungsprinzipien, die als Bestandteil von [...] More

• Consumer conference on the perception of nanotechnology in the fields of food, cosmetics and consumer goods

  Nanotechnology is regarded as a key technology of the 21st century. The hopes and expectations placed in it as a motor for innovations are enormous. This project is being conducted on behalf of the Bundesinstitut für [...] More

• Developing New Methodologies to Assess the Sustainability Impacts of Trade Policies (SIA Method)

  Das Projekt entwicklete im Auftrag der Europäischen Kommission neue Methoden, um die Effekte internationaler Handelsbeziehungen besser und breiter evaluieren zu können. Diese Methoden sollten geeignet sein, um Effekte in [...] More

• Concerted Action on Trade and Environment (CAT&E)

  The Concerted Action on Trade and Environment (CAT&E) is designed to provide an opportunity for the large and growing community of European researchers working on trade and environment issues to meet regularly, to discuss [...] More

• Potentials and application perspectives for bionics. Proximity to nature as an opportunity and as a risk

  The main focus of the approach pursued here consists in a systematisation of the approaches and fields of bionics (in particular against the background of the current dynamic differentiation between bionic approaches). [...] More

• Governance and Sustainability – New Approaches and Networks for Social-Ecological Governance Neue Zugänge und Netzwerke für eine sozial-ökologische Steuerung

  Der dynamische Wandel von Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft und Umwelt verändert die Kontextbedingungen für eine sozial-ökologische Steuerung gesellschaftlicher Entwicklung. Auf allen politischen, wirtschaftlichen und räumlichen [...] More

• Elements of a sustainability oriented Green Budget Reform Bestandsaufnahme und Perspektiven für konkrete Umsetzungsmaßnahmen

  Green budget reform, differentiation of value added tax, business development reform, sustainability assessment More

• Developing agrobiodiversity Strategies for action and impetus for sustainable livestock and plant breeding

  The dramatic decrease in biodiversity in the field of agrogenetic resources (agrobiodiversity) poses a creeping global environmental problem which is currently not accorded corresponding significance on the political agenda.  [...] More

• Sustainability Effects of the Manufacturing and Application of Nanotechnological Products

  Nanotechnology is increasingly promoted by national and international research and technology politics. It holds huge potentials on the future technology markets.But the assessment of its impacts on society and environment is [...] More

• Nanotechnology and Regulation within the framework of the precautionary principle

  The objective of the intended study is to examine the current state of regulation regarding nanotechnology within selected EU member states and the United States of America and to consult the European Parliament regarding [...] More

• Policy Patterns for the Creation of International Markets for Innovations for Sustainable Development How Pilot-Markets become Lead-Markets

  This interdisciplinary research project aims to find out under which conditions Lead - Markets for sustainable products and processes develop, and how such conditions can be improved on by policy. Lead- Markets for [...] More

• Potential Applications of Nanotechnology based materialsPart 2: Analysis of the ecologic, social and legal aspects Teilgebiet 2: Analyse ökologischer, sozialer und rechtlicher Aspekte

  The Project "Potential Applications of Nanotechnology based materials, Part 2: Analysis of the ecologic, social and legal aspects" is commissioned by the TAB (Office of Technology Assessment at the German Parliament). The aim [...] More

• Wettbewerbsfähigkeit - Umweltleistung - Management

  Das Projekt diente der Ermittlung von Faktoren, die ökologische Initiativen kleiner und mittlerer Unternehmen fördern oder behindern. Es hatte das Ziel, der Politik Empfehlungen zur Förderung ökonomisch und ökologisch [...] More