Research topics
We investigate the role of robust carbon management strategies in ambitious, just, and sustainable climate change mitigation.
Our research is organized according to three thematic areas (respective projects are listed in brackets):
1. State of Carbon Management Knowledge
We examine the current state of research of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) through systematic reviews and meta-analysis (State of CDR, CDRSynTra2, and the Ecosystem of Systematic Reviews on CDR (ESROC)). Insights from ESROC are published at CO2removal.org.
2. Implementation challenges in different deployment contexts
- We look at side effects of CDR deployment (UPTAKE), including implications for biodiversity, land tenure conflicts, justice, and distributional impacts (CDRSynTra2). We also explore public perceptions (ESROC, CDRSynTra2), and wider CDR portfolios in integrated assessments (UPTAKE).
- We examine financing mechanisms for carbon management (TRANSFORM, UPTAKE) and address monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) (CDRSynTra2), stakeholder analysis, as well as approaches for dealing with uncertainty.
3. CDR across geographies
We analyze CDR strategies at various scales, from urban and national strategies to robust global portfolios (e. g. GENIE).
Methodologies
We are an interdisciplinary group that use a range og quantitative and qualitative modelling methods, including:
- Spatial analysis
- Scenario assessment
- Evidence synthesis: systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- Expert elicitation
- Decision-making under deep uncertainty
- Stakeholder engagement
- Applied Game Theory
Master thesis topics
Master's students are welcome to contact any member of the research group or scm@pik-potsdam.de regarding possible thesis topics.
Potential topics are:
- System boundaries for quantifying CDR in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and certification methodologies
- Climate change mitigation and adaptation synergies in cities
- Nature Finance
- Analysis of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility
- Coalitional Games and Stability in the current geopolitical context
- Economics of CDR
