Law, Policy and Governance

While stakeholders are not always aware of it, law, policy and governance play a crucial role in all environmental realms. They create the setting within which environmental problems are regulated and policies negotiated. The international and European levels have great import for national environmental policy. In European Union countries, many stipulations determining national rules and regulations are in fact set in Brussels.

Our key activities include advising ministries and other decision-makers and drafting proposals showing how governance instruments and laws for sustainable environmental policy can be shaped. Moreover, our scientists help to transpose EU directives and regulations into national German law. In addition to the “classic” branches of environmental law – such as emission and ambient pollution control law, waste management law and energy law – we explore market-based instruments, voluntary agreements, corporate social responsibility and public participation.

Research priorities

• EU legislation
• General environmental law
• Sectoral environmental law (e.g. energy, climate protection)
• German Environmental Code
• Policy instruments and governance
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Public and stakeholder participation
• Green procurement
• International environmental and sustainability policy