Doris Knoblauch
Political Scientist (Diplom-Politologin)
Coordinator Resource Conservation & Circular Economy
Co-Coordinator Plastics
Senior Fellow
- Team
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Doris Knoblauch joined Ecologic Institute in January 2006 and works as a Senior Fellow and Coordinator for Resource Conservation & Circular Economy. Thematically, she focuses on plastics governance, circular economy, resource efficiency, green urban environments, local climate protection as well as evaluations and assessments. Another focus is environmental policy in international cooperation. Doris Knoblauch works in German and English and has good knowledge of Spanish and French.
Doris Knoblauch is an experienced project manager and passionate scientist. Specifically, she is working on the following projects:
Networking and Knowledge Transfer Project of the Funding Programme "Resource-efficient circular economy – circular textiles" (ZirTeNet): Doris Knoblauch heads the project together with Mandy Hinzmann. Together with the project team, they support the networking of 16 joint projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) on the topic of circular textiles.
Resource Efficiency and Natural Resources in an International Context: Doris Knoblauch coordinates the project and conducts evaluations on a variety of topics related to resource conservation and the circular economy.
Challenges for International Climate Protection in the Face of the Global Triple Crisis. Climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution: The project focuses on analyzing the challenges and interactions between the three crisis and the question of how measures can be designed to create synergies between climate protection, biodiversity conservation, and the reduction of environmental pollution. Other crises are also involved, such as land degradation and food security. The project is led by Doris Knoblauch.
Plastic Pirates – German coast: In this project, school classes and youth groups search for plastic waste on the coasts and the river system of the Elbe – including its tributaries such as the Havel, Mulde or Saale. In doing so, they are making an important contribution to research. The collected research data is uploaded to a central web platform and then analyzed by scientists from the Kiel Science Factory and Ecologic Institute.
Monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Europe 2020 Strategy: Doris Knoblauch is part of the team at Ecologic Institute monitoring the SDGs under the coordination of the Institute for Managing Sustainability. Thematically, she is responsible for SDG 17, "Partnerships for the goals".
Doris Knoblauch is an active member of the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty, an international network of diverse, independent scientific and technical experts seeking to contribute with summaries and interpretations of scientific knowledge to decision makers and the public involved in the negotiations towards a global agreement to end plastic pollution. She is furthermore member of the European Citizen Science Association and of the German speaking Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (Gesellschaft für transdisziplinäre und partizipative Forschung e.V.).
Since 2012, Doris Knoblauch has also worked intensively with cities and municipalities. Thereby, she has not only built up a network of different cities and municipalities as well as relevant actors, but also gathered a deep understanding of the functioning and needs of communities. In her work, she appreciates when science can be of practical use for communities and results are directly implemented to solving on-the-ground problems.
Furthermore, Doris Knoblauch is an experienced and passionate moderator. Within the last 15 years she has facilitated a variety of different events, including small working groups via larger international project meetings as well as stakeholder events to conferences.
Contact Doris Knoblauch by Email
Selected projects by Doris Knoblauch
Challenges for International Climate Protection in the Face of the Global Triple Crisis
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German Environment Agency (UBA), Germany
Resource Efficiency and Natural Resources in an International Context
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German Environment Agency (UBA), Germany
Plastic Pirates Plus: Opportunities along the coast
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Postcode Lotterie, Germany
Further projects in the field of "plastics"
"Plastic Pirates" explore Plastic Litter on the Danube
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Ferry-Porsche-Stiftung, Germany
Technological Options for Reducing Plastic Waste in the Oceans
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Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (TAB), Germany
The Plastic Pirates Go to the Danube
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German Aerospace Center, DLR Bonn (DLR), Germany
Plastic Pirates – German coast
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Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich (PtJ), Germany
Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!
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Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany
Projects related to cities
Climate Adaptation Naturally!
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German Environment Agency (UBA), Germany
International Cooperation to Restore and Connect Urban Environments in Latin America and Europe (INTERLACE)
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European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International
Selected publications by Doris Knoblauch
Burgos Cuevas, Natalia et al. (2025): Moving from interconnected crises to systemic solutions. Resource efficiency, nature-based solutions, and systemic transformation as responses to the complexity of the triple planetary crisis. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8108.
Knoblauch, D., Felthöfer, C., Heni, Y., Burgos Cuevas, N., & Best, A. (2025). The Interconnected Challenges of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Environmental Pollution: Drivers, Interdependencies and Impacts of the Triple Planetary Crisis. Interim report, Climate Change 82/2025. German Federal Agency. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8107.
Iwaszuk, E.; Spantzel, T.; Kroos, F.; Knoblauch, D. (2025): Integrated Approaches to Addressing the Triple Planetary Crisis: Country Best Practices. Lessons learned from Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand, Panama, Rwanda and Sweden. Policy paper. Climate Change 81/2025, German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-8106
Current model of material use & key policy actions to address structural barriers
|CC-BY 4.0 Umweltbundesamt. Source: Ecologic Institute 2025.
Umweltbundesamt 2025: Current model of material use & key policy actions to address structural barriers. Infographic.
Umweltbundesamt 2025: Examples of nature-based solutions as systemic solutions for the triple planetary crisis. Infographic.
Schöberlein, Paula; de la Vega, Ramiro; Knoblauch, Doris (2025): Kurs Klimagerechtigkeit: Wie Brot für die Welt die Bedürfnisse der ärmsten und verletzlichsten Bevölkerungsgruppen in der internationalen Klimapolitik stärkt. Evaluierung des Themenschwerpunkts Klimapolitik bei Brot für die Welt Deutschland. Ecologic Institut, Berlin.
Tröltzsch, J., Bueb, B., Davis, M., Dengler, F., Dicke, F., Knoblauch, D., Kupilas, B., Mederake, L., Naumann, S., Pumberger, M., Scholl, L., De la Vega, R., & Georgi, B. (2025). Naturbasierte Lösungen für die kommunale Klimaanpassung stärken: Herausforderungen und Lösungsansätze. Umweltbundesamt. https://doi.org/10.60810/openumwelt-7902
Syberg K, Gündoğdu S, Olsen T, et al. A circular plastic economy should account for all societal costs. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics. Published online 2025:1-10. doi:10.1017/plc.2025.10019
Infographic: Morales-Caselles, Carmen; Knoblauch, Doris; Aliani, Stefano (2025): An effective plastics treaty for marine life, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 970, 2025, 178941, ISSN 0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178941.
Morales-Caselles, Carmen; Knoblauch, Doris; Aliani, Stefano (2025): An effective plastics treaty for marine life, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 970, 2025, 178941, ISSN 0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178941.
Further publications in the field of plastics regulation
Schönberg, J., Böhm-Beck, M., Trdan, S., Grego, M., Knoblauch, D., Hinzmann, M., Dittmann, S., Knickmeier, K., Robic, U., Thiel, M., Kiessling, T. (2025). Recommendations for Involving Citizen Scientists in Anthropogenic Litter Research Within the Water Framework Directive. In: Auqatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 25:e70192.
Dittmann, Sinja et al. (2024). Temporal variability of litter pollution of rivers in Germany – A long-term assessment by schoolchildren as citizen scientists, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 209, Part B, December 2024, 117253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117253
Knoblauch D and Mederake L (2024). The missing consensus: An analysis of problem definitions and key motivations in the first zero draft for a global plastics treaty. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics, 2, e22, 1–12 https://doi.org/10.1017/plc.2024.29
Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty (2024). Primary Plastic Polymers: urgently needed Upstream Reduction. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10906376
Hinzmann, Mandy; Knoblauch, Doris; Mederake, Linda; Schritt, Hannes; Stein, Ulf (eds.) (2022): Key messages of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment".
Mederake, Linda; Knoblauch, Doris (2022): Global rules in a new global treaty: Asia's opportunity to end single-use plastic pollution. Published in July 2022 by WWF Philippines.
Knoblauch, D.; Mederake, L. (2021): Government policies combatting plastic pollution, Current Opinion in Toxicology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2021.10.003.
Knoblauch, Doris; Schritt, Hannes (2020): Umweltproblem Plastikverpackung. Aufkommen in Deutschland und Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt. In: Kröger, Melanie; Pape, Jens; Wittwer, Alexandra (Hrsg.) (2020): Einfach weglassen? Ein wissenschaftliches Lesebuch zur Reduktion von Plastikverpackungen im Lebensmittelhandel. ISBN: 978-3-96238-243-8. Oekom Verlag, München.
Simon, Nils et al. (2018): No More Plastics in the Ocean. Gaps in Global Plastic Governance and Options for a Legally Binding Agreement to Eliminate Marine Plastic Pollution. Draft report for WWF to support discussions at the Ad Hoc Open-ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics. Berlin: adelphi.
Knoblauch, D.; Mederake, L.; Stein, U. Developing Countries in the Lead—What Drives the Diffusion of Plastic Bag Policies? Sustainability 2018, 10, 1994.
Further publications on local climate policies
Gutiérrez Miranda, Marcela; Felthöfer, Charlotte; Knoblauch, Doris (2024). Integrating Nature-Based Solutions in Policy and Planning: Findings and Lessons from INTERLACE Cities. Transversal City Impulse Paper. INTERLACE Deliverable 2.5.
Burgos Cuevas, N. et al. 2024: Developing ambitious local long-term climate neutrality strategies. Charting the course: Crafting forward-thinking local climate neutrality strategies. Association of Municipalities Polish Network "Energie Cités" and Ecologic Institute, Berlin-Kraków.
Gutiérrez Miranda, M.; Burgos Cuevas, N.; Felthöfer, C.; Knoblauch, D. (2024): From ideas to action. INTERLACE impulses for successfully implementing NbS in cities. INTERLACE Project Deliverable 2.4.
Leone, M., Gutiérrez Miranda, M., Knoblauch, D., Melo, I., Maestre Andrés, S., Jakubowska-Lorenz, E., Bergier, T., Yepez, G. & Salmon, N. (2021) Governance analysis for planning and implementation of urban NBS: Governance practices, challenges and needs of INTERLACE Cities. Deliverable 2.2. INTERLACE project.
Eisenmann, Lothar, Muckenfuss, Lisa, Knoblauch, Doris, Nütz, Felix 2023: Evaluation 2020/2021 der Masterplan-Kommunen 2016, Förderrichtlinie „Masterplan 100 % Klimaschutz“. Bericht zum Vorhaben Evaluation, Begleitung und Anpassung bestehender Förderprogramme sowie Weiterentwicklung der Nationalen Klimaschutzinitiative (NKI). Oeko-Institut: Berlin.
Knoblauch, Doris, Noebel, Rebecca, Safaricz, Nizara, Paar, Angelika, Hecker, Clemens 2023: Evaluation 2020/2021 der Förderrichtlinie „Kommunale Energieeffizienz- und/oder Ressourceneffizienz-Netzwerke“ im Rahmen der Nationalen Klimaschutzinitiative (NKI). Bericht zum Vorhaben Evaluation, Begleitung und Anpassung bestehender Förderprogramme sowie Weiterentwicklung der Nationalen Klimaschutzinitiative (NKI). Ecologic Institute: Berlin. IFEU: Berlin.
Knoblauch, D., Naumann, S., Mederake, L., Araujo Sosa, A. C. 2020: CLEVER Cities Policy Brief. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.
Mederake, Linda; Iwaszuk, Ewa; Knoblauch, Doris (2019): The evolving role of cities as non-state actors in the international climate regime. In: Abdullah, Hannah (Ed.) Cities in World Politics. Local responses to global challenges. Monografías CIDOB 75. Barcelona: CIDOB.
Iwaszuk, Ewa; Mederake, Linda; Knoblauch, Doris (2019): The Transformative Potential of Local Climate Change Strategies. In: Zevi, Tobia (Ed.) The Century of Global Cities. How Urbanisation is Changing the World and Shaping our Future. Milan: Italian Institute for International Political Studies.
Knoblauch et al. (2019). Multi-level policy framework for sustainable urban development and nature-based solutions -- Status quo, gaps and oppor-tunities. Deliverable 1.2, CLEVER Cities, H2020 grant no. 776604.
Davis, M.; Abhold, K.; Mederake, L.; Knoblauch, D. (2018): Nature-based solutions in European and national policy frameworks. Deliverable 1.5, NATURVATION. Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement No 730243, European Commission, 50 pp.
Duwe et al. (2017) "Paris compatible" governance: long-term policy frameworks to drive transformational change. Ecologic Institute. Berlin.
Selected events by Doris Knoblauch
Conference:ZirTeNet at the ADD-ITC Textile Conference in Aachen
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- Aachen, Germany
Workshop:From Thread to Cycle: Business Models for a Circular Future
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Conference:Climate Transition of Cities – From Planning to Action
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- online and Kraków, Poland
Conference:Kick-off Conference of the BMBF Funding Measure "Circular Textiles"
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- Berlin, Germany
Digital Event:Building a Lasting Legacy
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Visitors Program:Inspiring Climate Action in Cities in Central and Eastern Europe
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- Chemnitz, Germany
Visitors Program:Analyses of the Structure of German and European Climate Protection Law
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- Berlin, Germany
Conference:Reimagining Urban Spaces
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- Granollers, Spain
Workshop:The Plastic Pirates at the International Danube Festival in Ulm
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- Ulm, Germany
Digital Event:Innovative Energy Systems and Economic Growth: Realizing Regional Value in Climate Protection
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Digital Event:Navigating Challenges in Citizen Participation for Climate Neutrality
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Digital Event:From Packaging to Microplastics: Unwrapping EU and international plastics policy
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Conference:Rethinking Urban-rural Linkages for People and Biodiversity
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- Envigado, Colombia
Conference:Cities Talk Nature Conference: Unlocking the potential of underutilised urban areas
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- Chemnitz, Germany
Discussion:International Networks and Collaboration on Climate Research
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- Berlin, Germany
Conference:Tackling Microplastics in the Environment
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- Brussels, Belgium
Workshop:Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!
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- Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain
Digital Event:How to Get My Research Topic into the Media – And how to keep control over the issue coverage?
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Conference:Cities Talk Nature
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- San José, Costa Rica
Conference:Theme Day: Plastic in the Environment
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- Berlin, Germany
Summer School:Plastics in the Environment – PhD-WinterSchool
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- Döllnsee-Schorfheide, Germany
Selected presentations by Doris Knoblauch
Speech:Which Policy Instruments Help Cities Implement Nature-based Solutions?
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- Berlin, Germany
Doris Knoblauch presents research findings on the perception of environmental responsibility at the ECSA Conference 2026.
|© Ecologic Institute, 2026
Panel discussion:Plastic Pirates at ECSA 2026
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- Oulu, Finland
Speech:Reflection on Collected Waste Data from Coastal Areas in the Citizen Science Project "Plastic Pirates"
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- Leipzig, Germany
Lecture:Plastics and Their Global Impact: Why the World Needs a Binding Agreement
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- Berlin, Germany
Giant Plastic Tap by Canadian artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong in front of the event building of the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in Ottawa 2024
|© Linda Mederake, 2024
Panel discussion:On the Way to a UN Plastics Agreement
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- Berlin, Germany
Speech:Navigating Urban Climate Transformations: Unravelling the Mechanisms of Successful Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Cities
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- Turku, Finland
Lecture:Integrating Nature: Promoting nature-based solutions (NbS) in Niepołomice (Poland)
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- online
Speech:Climate Adaptation through Nature-based Solutions
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- Leipzig, Germany
Lecture:Plastics, Green Urban Environments and Local Climate Protection
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- Berlin, Germany
Speech:Participation is Key – at the right time
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- Cascais, Portugal
Doris Knoblauch answers questions from the audience at the panel "'Lessons Learned' and Practical Examples from Innovative Climate Protection Projects."
|© Felix Nütz
Chairing:NKI Networking Meeting of Innovative Climate Protection Projects
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- Berlin, Germany
Lecture:Plastics & The Environment – Responsibilities and Implications Between North and South
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- Berlin, Germany
Speech:Tackling Plastic Pollution – Introduction to Global Plastic Pollution and the Discussions at the International Level
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- Berlin, Germany
Lecture:The Governance of Plastics
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- Berlin, Germany