Environmental policy in the 21st century – approaches to novel challenges

In the research project commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency, selected challenges and starting points of environmental policy are examined that require in-depth analysis and strategic consideration of possible courses of action. In concrete terms, the following questions are examined:

1. Dynamics of environmental policy: What can we learn from past conditions for success and obstacles of environmental policy for its future strengthening?
2. Narrative and discourse in environmental policy: (How) Can narratives and discourse be used strategically for environmental policy? Where are the limits to this?
3. Economization of nature and the environment: What opportunities and risks do practices such as the monetarization of biodiversity and ecosystem services or the creation of certificate markets entail? Can the risks be mitigated by intelligent instrument design?
4. Consumption and responsibility: How can environmental policy deal with the (apparent) contradiction between sustainable development and individual (consumer) freedom?
5. Environmental policy in the development policy context: How can environmental policy be designed to contribute to sustainable development (in the sense of Agenda 2030) also in countries of the Global South?