Research Cluster Climate and Energy Policy

The Research Cluster analyses the climate and energy policy of the European Union, the processes under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, cooperation in plurilateral initiatives and developments on global energy markets.

Projects

Head

Dr. Susanne Dröge

Head

susanne.droege@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Climate policy
- EU climate policy
- Energy policy
- Environmental policy
- Risk governance
- United Nations
Dr. Oliver Geden

Head

oliver.geden@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- EU, Europe
- Energy, climate, environment
Projects

Researchers

Ole Adolphsen

Associate

ole.adolphsen@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Energy, climate, environment
- UN, global governance, int. law
Projects
- International Climate Policy and Multilevel Governance (Ariadne)
Dr. Miranda Böttcher

Associate

Miranda.Boettcher@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Climate policy
- Foresight
- Sustainability governance
Projects
- Marine CO₂-Removal: Scenarios and Governance (ASMASYS II)
Dr. Nicoletta Brazzola

Associate

nicoletta.brazzola@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- EU, Europe
- Energy, climate, environment
Projects
- CDR policies for the next decade of EU climate governance (CDRnext)
Jule Könneke, M.A.

Associate

jule.koenneke@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Energy, climate, environment
- UN, global governance, int. law
Projects
- German climate diplomacy in the context of the European Green Deal
Dr. Jacopo Maria Pepe

Associate

jacopo.pepe@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Felix Schenuit

Associate

felix.schenuit@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
Projects
- Upscaling of Carbon Dioxide Removal (UPTAKE)
- State of CDR Report
Leona Tenkhoff

Associate

leona.tenkhoff@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Energy, climate, environment
- Europe
- Climate policy
- EU climate policy
Projects
- State of CDR Report
Dr. rer. pol. Sonja Thielges

Visiting Fellow

sonja.thielges@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Energy, climate, environment
- United States
- Climate policy
- Energy policy
- Transatlantic relations

Research Support

Leonie Oechtering

Student Assistant

leonie.oechtering@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Energy, climate, environment

Projects

The research project accompanies the German government’s “climate foreign policy” strategy from its inception to its implementation.
The aim of the ASMASYS II project is to develop and assess marine CO₂ removal (mCDR) scenarios. Particular attention will be paid to assessing the future political feasibility of such scenarios.
The project analyses current developments and challenges in international climate cooperation as well as their implications, options and priorities for German and EU climate diplomacy
The project analyses current developments and challenges in international climate cooperation as well as their implications, options and priorities for German and EU climate diplomacy
The »State of Carbon Dioxide Removal« report is a global, independent scientific assessment of carbon dioxide removal research, development, demonstration, deployment, perceptions, scenarios and policymaking.
UPTAKE aims to facilitate the sustainable upscaling of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods by developing a set of robust strategies through technical, theoretical, and practical analysis accompanied by interactive dialogue within a CDR stakeholder forum.

International Climate Policy and Multilevel Governance (Ariadne)

The research project accompanies the German government’s “climate foreign policy” strategy from its inception to its implementation.
Marine CO₂-Removal: Scenarios and Governance (ASMASYS II)

The aim of the ASMASYS II project is to develop and assess marine CO₂ removal (mCDR) scenarios. Particular attention will be paid to assessing the future political feasibility of such scenarios.
CDR policies for the next decade of EU climate governance (CDRnext)

The project analyses current developments and challenges in international climate cooperation as well as their implications, options and priorities for German and EU climate diplomacy
German climate diplomacy in the context of the European Green Deal

The project analyses current developments and challenges in international climate cooperation as well as their implications, options and priorities for German and EU climate diplomacy
State of CDR Report

The »State of Carbon Dioxide Removal« report is a global, independent scientific assessment of carbon dioxide removal research, development, demonstration, deployment, perceptions, scenarios and policymaking.
Upscaling of Carbon Dioxide Removal (UPTAKE)

UPTAKE aims to facilitate the sustainable upscaling of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods by developing a set of robust strategies through technical, theoretical, and practical analysis accompanied by interactive dialogue within a CDR stakeholder forum.

SWP Publications

- Jule Könneke
- Ole Adolphsen
The Limits of Multilateral Climate Policy
- German
COP30 and the Conflict Between Petrostates and Electrostates

SWP Comment 2026/C 05, 03.02.2026, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2026C05
- Leona Tenkhoff
- Lisa Voigt
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility and Its Role in International Forest Finance
- German
SWP Comment 2026/C 01, 12.01.2026, 6 Pages

doi:10.18449/2026C01
- Oliver Geden
- Andy Reisinger
Overshoot: Returning to 1.5°C Requires Net-negative Emissions Targets
- German
SWP Comment 2025/C 47, 19.11.2025, 4 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025C47
- Holly Jean Buck
- Alaa Al Khourdajie
- Shinichiro Asayama
- Oliver Geden
Four scenarios for an IPCC navigating Artificial Intelligence

Research Division EU/Europe, Working Paper Nr. 08/2025, September 2025, 15 pages
- Download (PDF) | 561 KB
Felix Schenuit

International Credits in EU Climate Policy: Old Conflicts, New Challenges
- German
SWP Comment 2025/C 28, 20.06.2025, 7 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025C28
- Felix Schenuit
- Domenik Treß
Scaling Industrial Carbon Dioxide Removal: Policy Options for a Short-Term Strategy
- German
SWP Comment 2025/C 13, 09.04.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025C13

External publications

- C.-B. Sarpey
- S. Avrutin
- R. Steenkamp
- A. Oschlies
- U. Bernitt
- Miranda Böttcher
- N. Mengis
- A. Proelss
Monitoring Environmental Impacts of mCDR Field Tests

in: CDRmare HUB Workshop Report. GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Germany, 19 pp.

doi: 10.3289/CDRmare.58
- Miranda Böttcher
- Malte Winkler
- Axel Michaelowa
Accounting and monitoring challenges for blue carbon enhancement in national climate policy targets and international carbon markets

in: Carbon Management, 16(1), 01.12.2025.

doi:10.1080/17583004.2025.2585895
- Helene Muri
- Olivier Sulpis
- Gabriela Argüello
- Chelsey A. Baker
- Miranda Böttcher
- et al.
Monitoring, Reporting and Verification for Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal

in: Muñiz Piniella, A., Rodriguez Perez, A., Kellett, P., Alexander, B., Bayo Ruiz, F., Heymans, J. J. (Eds.), Future Science Brief N°. 13 of the European Marine Board, 2025.

doi:10.5281/zenodo.17435116
- Charlotte Unger
- Sonja Thielges
From Bush to Trump: 25 Years of U.S. Climate Policy Roller Coaster

in: Zeitschrift für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik, 05.11.2025

doi:10.1007/s12399-025-01070-5
- William Lamb
- Carley Reynolds
- Oliver Geden
- Steve Smith
- Naomi Vaughan
- Greg Nemet
- Katie Lebling
- Morgan Edwards
- Jan Minx
- Matt Gidden
Carbon dioxide removal in the G20 pledges: limited and lacking credibility

State of Carbon Dioxide Removal Insight Report, Oxford, October 2025

doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/X8U9M
- Matthew J. Gidden
- Siddharth Joshi
- John J. Armitage
- Alina-Berenice Christ
- Miranda Böttcher
- et al.
A prudent planetary limit for geologic carbon storage

in: Nature, 645, pp. 124–132, 03.09.2025.

doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09423-y

The Climate Policy and Politics dossier

Most publications compiled in our »Climate Policy and Politics« dossier are from members of the Research Cluster.

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The Climate Policy and Politics dossier