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Environment

Alongside digitalization, climate change is the megatrend of our time. Our economy is still largely dependent on fossil energies. How must the economy be shaped so that it is in harmony with the environment? What does an economically efficient and socially acceptable climate policy look like? How can energy needs be met more and more from renewable sources? Can the transformation to a circular economy succeed? These and other questions are addressed by the Environment Energy Infrastructure competence area at the Institute of German Business.

About the topic

In 2015, Germany and the EU set themselves ambitious goals by signing the UN Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. Important levers for greater sustainability exist, for example, in transport, the building sector and industry. The EU also has big plans when it comes to climate protection: The Green Deal is intended to pave the way to a climate-neutral future. The money for this - one trillion euros - is to be raised via a fund and come from private investors.

German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

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how much more do we need and what comes next?
Michael Hüther / Malte Küper / Thilo Schaefer IW-Policy Paper No. 5 30. May 2023

The future of natural gas: how much more do we need and what comes next?

Natural gas has become increasingly important for Germany in the last three decades, be it for heating buildings, providing process heat in industry or generating electricity. At the same time, the dependence on imports of natural gas has risen to almost 100 percent in recent decades, with most of the imports coming from Russia.

IW

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CO2 Regulation of Road Transport in Europe
Thomas Puls Expertise 30. May 2023

Compendium 5.3: CO2 Regulation of Road Transport in Europe

With the Compendium CO2 Regulation in Europe, the IW has been providing the interested public with a comprehensive collection of data on the development of CO2 emissions from passenger car traffic in the European Union, as well as on the applicable regulatory ...

IW

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An Assessment Based on the IW Patent Database
Enno Kohlisch / Oliver Koppel / Malte Küper / Thomas Puls IW-Trends No. 1 14. March 2023

The Focus of Research in Germany’s Automotive Industry

The automotive industry in Germany is currently facing several challenges. Car production had already fallen significantly before the Covid19 pandemic and in 2020 and 2021 suffered two slumps of historic proportions.

IW

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Factors Influencing the Decentralised Energy Transition in North Rhine-Westphalia
Martin Beznoska / Björn Kauder / Finn Arnd Wendland IW-Trends No. 4 25. January 2023

Factors Influencing the Decentralised Energy Transition in North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the most populous of Germany’s sixteen states and an industrial heartland, is a particular focus of the energy transition. Despite considerable progress in expanding the use of renewable energy, NRW still lags far behind other ...

IW

Our Experts

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Andreas Fischer

Andreas Fischer

Economist for Energy and Climate Policy

Tel: +49 221 4981-402
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Adriana Neligan

Dr. Adriana Neligan

Senior Economist for Environment, Circular Economy and Sustainability

Tel: +49 30 27877-128
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Thomas Puls

Thomas Puls

Senior Economist for Transport and Infrastructure

Tel: +49 221 4981-766
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Thilo Schaefer

Dr. Thilo Schaefer

Head of Digitalisation and Climate Action Research Unit

Tel: +49 221 4981-791
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how much more do we need and what comes next?
IW-Policy Paper No. 5 30. May 2023

The future of natural gas: how much more do we need and what comes next?

Michael Hüther / Malte Küper / Thilo Schaefer

Natural gas has become increasingly important for Germany in the last three decades, be it for heating buildings, providing process heat in industry or generating electricity. At the same time, the dependence on imports of natural gas has risen to almost 100 percent in recent decades, with most of the imports coming from Russia.

IW

Read study
Expertise
CO2 Regulation of Road Transport in Europe
Expertise 30. May 2023

Compendium 5.3: CO2 Regulation of Road Transport in Europe

Thomas Puls

With the Compendium CO2 Regulation in Europe, the IW has been providing the interested public with a comprehensive collection of data on the development of CO2 emissions from passenger car traffic in the European Union, as well as on the applicable regulatory framework, since 2015.

IW

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The Energy Dependence of Bank Loans
IW-Report No. 31 26. May 2023

The Energy Dependence of Bank Loans

Markus Demary / Niklas Florian Taft

Russia's war against Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerability of the Federal Republic of Germany to Russian energy imports, especially natural gas.

IW

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External Publication
How Circular Are Businesses in Germany?
External Publication 31. March 2023

How Circular Are Businesses in Germany?

Sarah Lichtenthäler / Adriana Neligan in Intereconomics

A low-carbon economy could be more readily achieved by improving resource efficiency and thinking in cycles. Consequently, we need a new understanding of economic activity and an alternative approach to raw materials.

IW

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The Economic Impact of the 9-Euro-Ticket
IW-Trends No. 1 15. March 2023

The Economic Impact of the 9-Euro-Ticket

Jan Felix Engler / Christian Rusche

The 9-Euro-Ticket, which provided a month’s unlimited travel on local and regional trains, trams and buses throughout Germany, was available from June to August 2022.

IW

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