IKEM's key topics at COP30

Just Transition

The global energy transition is reshaping economies and societies worldwide, but without careful planning the shift from fossil fuels risks deepening inequalities within and between countries. Since its inclusion in the preamble of the Paris Agreement, Just Transition has become a key focus of international climate negotiations. The concept aims to embed social justice and equity into climate policy, turning the energy transition into a driver of inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainable development.

Just Transition Roadmap to COP30

Quelle: Pexels/Kevin Malik

Soil Protection and Land Use

Healthy soils and sustainable land use are essential for both climate action and human well-being, serving as carbon sinks, biodiversity reservoirs, and the foundation of food systems. International climate negotiations increasingly recognize that protecting and restoring soils is critical to achieving mitigation and adaptation goals. Major challenges remain in reversing land degradation, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and ensuring that soil and land management benefits both ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

IKEM discussion paper

IKEM events at the COP30

Information on upcoming IKEM side events at COP30, including topics, speakers, and schedules, will be published here once finalized.

Official UNFCCC side event

Advancing a Climate-Resilient, Green, and Just Energy Transition

18 November 2024 | 11:30–13:00 | Side Event Room 9

The energy sector’s vulnerability to climate change affects critical sectors, communities, and security. This event, hosted by IKEM and OSCE, examines the climate-energy nexus, associated security challenges, and tools for a Climate-Resilient, Green, and Just Energy Transition, with a focus on developing countries.

Agenda

Recording

Der Beitrag IKEM at COP30 erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

Why do we need a European association for climate law?

Climate action is a global challenge that transcends national borders. Yet climate law and the research surrounding it remain highly fragmented and largely confined to national contexts. With the EACL, we aim to establish a forum that brings together and advances scientific dialogue on climate law. In this way, Europe can learn from shared experiences, highlight successful strategies, and strengthen the role of law in climate protection as a whole.

What role does IKEM play in the establishment of the EACL?

IKEM has supported the creation of the association both conceptually and organizationally. This commitment is a natural continuation of our previous work: for many years we have sought to establish climate law as an independent legal field – for example by supporting doctoral projects and through the journal Klima und Recht. We have succeeded in anchoring the discipline at the national level; the next step is to extend this to the European level and give the field greater international visibility.

How does the EACL plan to contribute to scientific discourse?

Scientific exchange and cooperation are at the heart of the EACL’s activities. We are planning thematic working groups on specific issues, an annual conference, and eventually a dedicated publication series.

We will also contribute through the expertise of our members. I am very grateful that we were able to recruit eleven leading climate law experts from across Europe to our Executive Board – the majority of them women. This gives us a strong and diverse network through which we can communicate the EACL’s positions and research findings.

A broad involvement of early career researchers is especially important to us. Addressing shortcomings in climate protection and charting new paths will be their responsibility in the years ahead – which is why we want to support them from the outset and give them a central role within the EACL. Two representatives of the younger generation already serve on our Board. Reflecting this priority, we opened our first conference with a workshop on climate law and intergenerational justice, specifically designed for emerging scholars.

What other priorities did the first EACL conference set?

The inaugural conference brought together nearly 50 speakers in ten expert panels covering various aspects of European climate law. A recurring theme was how to respond to deficits in climate protection and the risks of a possible climate overshoot. Participants discussed the legal solutions available and the potential role of new technologies, such as carbon dioxide removal. Other sessions addressed intergenerational justice, the human right to a safe climate, and the rights of nature. It also became clear that climate litigation remains a vital instrument for ensuring accountability, and that companies are increasingly recognized as central actors in climate protection.

What are the next steps for the EACL?

Our immediate focus is on establishing sustainable structures and expanding our membership base. Applications can already be submitted via an online form on our website. At the same time, we are setting up the first thematic working groups and preparing for the next EACL conference, scheduled for autumn in Helsinki.

Der Beitrag “Establishing climate law as an independent legal field” erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

EACL is an association of legal experts, scholars and researchers dedicated to advancing the study of climate law in Europe and beyond. It provides a platform for in-depth discussion, fosters collaboration among legal experts, and supports the participation of young scholars, with the aim of strengthening legal responses to climate change from global to local levels.

IKEM director Michael Rodi, one of the founders and current president of EACL, emphasized the importance of the new leadership:

“The founding of EACL has been a longstanding personal goal, and it is encouraging to see that it has received such remarkable attention from the academic community. I look forward to working with this outstanding board to strengthen climate law and to support legal responses to the global climate challenge.”

The elected members of the Executive Board are:

• Harro van Asselt (University of Cambridge)
• Jelena Bäumler (Leuphana University Lüneburg)
• Lucila De Almeida (European University Institute, NOVA University Lisbon)
• Mirjana Drenovak-Ivanović (University of Belgrade)
• Ievgeniia Kopytsia (Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University Kharkiv, University of Genoa)
• Michael Kalis (University of Greifswald, IKEM)
• Kati Kulovesi (University of Eastern Finland)
• Michael Mehling (MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research)
• Michael Rodi (University of Greifswald, IKEM)
• Francesco Sindico (University of Strathclyde, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law)
• Christina Voigt (University of Oslo)

Der Beitrag EACL Elects Executive Board erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

Der Beitrag Climate Action, Security and Energy Transition in the Baltic Sea Region erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

Der Beitrag Paths to the hydrogen economy erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

Der Beitrag Legal and Policy Expertise with Civil Society at the Forefront of Ukraine’s Green Recovery erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

The transformation of the energy system towards renewable energies is making the provision of system services – i.e. technical services to stabilize the electricity grids – increasingly important. At present, IFS is mainly provided by large fossil-fuel power plants. As these plants will no longer play a role in the future energy system, the requirements for the procurement concept for IFS will change in a decarbonized electricity system in 2045+.

In view of this, the SysZell project is researching the further development of system services. The project partners at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau have developed an innovative procurement concept with which IFS can be provided in a market-based manner in the decarbonized electricity system 2045+. The study subcontracted to IKEM examines the conditions under which this approach can be legally implemented.

Simon Großmann, co-author of the study, explains:

“Our study shows that a market-based procurement mechanism for IFS is possible in principle in an electricity system based on renewable energies – if a coherent legal framework is created. The existing principles of a transparent, non-discriminatory and competitive process must be observed.”

The study presents the legal status quo and identifies the need for fundamental adjustments. These include, in particular, the design of suitable market mechanisms, the introduction of clear prequalification criteria, consideration of interdependencies with existing balancing energy markets and ancillary services and the guarantee of system security. In addition, the study recommends further legal adjustments, including a coordinated determination of demand for ancillary services by the transmission system operators and the creation of a market for very fast balancing energy (fast frequency response) for the effective integration of the new concept.

Study author Leonie Durschang adds:

“Despite the expected elimination of existing large-scale fossil fuel power plants, the market-based procurement of IFS can represent an important building block for system security in the decarbonized electricity system 2045+. The implementation of the concept developed in the SysZell project is legally possible and is in the hands of the Federal Network Agency.”

The SysZell project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Der Beitrag Legal framework for market-based system services erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

Whether new or existing buildings – heating networks play a central role in the decarbonization of the heat supply. Neighborhood solutions can not only effectively integrate renewable energy sources, but also leverage synergies between different types of buildings and uses. But what do such solutions look like in practice – technically and in terms of planning?

We addressed this question at the Berlin Energy Round Table. In their presentation, Maren Henniges (Megawatt Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH) and Blerina Qose (Green Urban Energy GmbH) explained how district heating networks can be a building block of the energy transition and climate protection and which heat sources can be used.

Our conclusion from the discussion: Even if there are exceptions, heating networks almost always make sense in neighborhoods. Practical examples from ongoing projects – including the energy concept for the Berlin district at the former Tegel airport – impressively demonstrated how diverse renewable heat sources can be combined.

Many thanks to the hosts and all participants for the open exchange and valuable input!

Quelle: Megawatt

Quelle: Megawatt

Quelle: IKEM

Quelle: IKEM

Quelle: IKEM

Quelle: Megawatt

Berliner Energiestammtisch

Megawatt

Green Urban Energy

Der Beitrag Heating networks for sustainable neighborhoods erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

Ammonia offers great potential as a climate-friendly maritime fuel, as no CO₂ is released during its combustion and established transport and storage infrastructures already exist. At the same time, its chemical nature makes high demands on environmental and health protection necessary. In the event of technical defects or human error, leaks may occur despite precautionary measures. The study therefore analyzes the consequences of such scenarios in terms of liability law and shows that there are currently no uniform international regulations governing liability for damage caused by ammonia.

“The use of ammonia as a marine fuel opens up new possibilities in maritime climate protection,” explains Friederike Allolio, co-author of the study and scientific officer at IKEM. “At the same time, the legal framework is still inadequate. In contrast to pollution caused by crude oil, damage caused by alternative fuels such as ammonia is not yet subject to any international agreement that provides for strict liability. This creates uncertainty for shipping companies and can make it more difficult for injured parties to enforce their rights in the event of an accident.”

The authors of the study therefore recommend including alternative fuels in existing or new international liability agreements. Judith Schäfer-Gendrisch, Managing Director of IKEM and co-author of the study, emphasizes: “The current regulations on liability in the event of damage essentially date back to a time when fossil fuels were the standard. In order to advance the energy transition in shipping, these structures need to be revised and opened up to alternative fuels such as ammonia – with clear liability limits and compulsory insurance.”

The study was developed in the sub-project “CF 11.3” of the joint project CAMPFIRE, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space as part of the program “Change through Innovation in the Region” (WIR).

Der Beitrag Liability issues hinder the use of ammonia as a marine fuel erschien zuerst auf IKEM.

The necessary transition to a climate-neutral heat supply requires clear political signals, reliable framework conditions and a socially balanced design. The new German government is facing a wide range of tasks and there are numerous unanswered questions, not only with regard to the announced reform of the Building Energy Act – for example, regarding the ambitions for climate protection, the future role of renewable heating technologies and the requirements for existing buildings.

We discussed these and other topics with our guests at the Forum Wärmewende on July 9, 2025. For the podium we were able to invite Thomas Bareiß (CDU/CSU), Dr. Alaa Alhamwi (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Florian Zerzawy (FÖS) and Dr. Cezara Missing (Viessmann Climate Solutions).

Our conclusion: the heating transition is technically feasible and makes economic sense in the long term. But the transformation must be supported politically in order to be successful. The Federal Government must now quickly clarify how to proceed with the GEG.

Summary

This issue of Forum Wärmewende was supported by Viessmann Deutschland GmbH.

More about the Forum Wärmewende

Der Beitrag Between announcement and implementation: heating policy after the change of government erschien zuerst auf IKEM.