
Katharina Umpfenbach
MA (History, Political Science and Economics)
MSc (Environmental Change and Management)
Coordinator Energy
Senior Fellow
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Katharina Umpfenbach is a Senior Fellow and coordinates Ecologic Institute's work on energy policy. Her research focuses on developing a new regulatory framework that can enable energy sector decarbonisation and sector coupling. She is particularly interested in the interplay of energy market integration in Europe and the German Energiewende and in the integration of the power and transport sectors through electric mobility. She is a native German speaker and fluent in English and French.
With over a decade of experience in policy research, Katharina Umpfenbach has carried out numerous energy policy projects. Currently, she leads an accompanying research process for Germany's major energy research programme SINTEG that showcases innovative solutions for a fully renewable energy system. Since its inception, she has also works on the EU Clean Energy For All Europeans package, with a particular focus on the Governance Regulation, and covers Germany's exit from coal-firing. In the past, Katharina assisted the German Environment Ministry (BMU) in adapting the national support scheme for solar energy and supported the negotiations for the EU 2030 energy and climate targets.
In addition to her research and consultancy work, Katharina teaches students from University of Notre Dame and Duke University. She also regularly presents her insights during visitor programmes for journalists and policy makers from accross the world who seek to better understand the implications of energy sector transformation.
Prior to joining Ecologic Institute, Katharina Umpfenbach worked at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Washington DC. During her time at UNEP, she helped foster cooperation between North American NGOs and UNEP and contributed to environmental assessment reports. She also interned in the German Bundestag.
Katharina Umpfenbach was awarded a MSc in Environmental Change and Management with distinction from Oxford University. In her previous studies at the Humboldt-Universität in Berlin (Germany), Katharina Umpfenbach studied history, political science and economics. Her studies were supported by the German National Academic Foundation.
Contact Katharina Umpfenbach by Email
Selected projects by Katharina Umpfenbach
Big Picture of the European Clean Energy Transition in 2030
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Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP), International Agora Energiewende, Germany
Coal Exit in Germany
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Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich (PtJ), Germany
After the Elections: What matters for German policymakers in the EU's energy package
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Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS), Germany
The Energy Transition as a European Project: Opportunities, Frictions, Options for Action
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Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS), Germany
A Robust Governance System for the EU 2030 Energy and Climate Framework
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European Climate Foundation (ECF), Netherlands
Selected publications by Katharina Umpfenbach
Agora Energiewende and Ecologic Institute (2021): A "Fit for 55" package based on environmental integrity and solidarity: Designing an EU climate policy architecture for ETS and effort sharing to deliver 55% lower GHG emissions by 2030, Berlin: Agora Energiewende.
Umpfenbach, K., Faber, R. (2021). StromNachbarn: Evaluation der sozialen und ökologischen Wirkungen von Mieterstromanlagen in Berlin, Berlin: Ecornet Berlin.
Climact, Ecologic Institute (2020): Analysing the impact assessment on raIsing the EU 2030 climate target - How does the European Commission’s approach compare with other existing studies?
German Institute for Economic Research, Wuppertal Institute, Ecologic Institute (eds.) 2019: Phasing out Coal in the German Energy Sector. Interdependencies, Challenges and Potential Solutions.
Agora Energiewende (2019): European Energy Transition 2030: The Big Picture. Ten Priorities for the next European Commission to meet the EU's 2030 targets and accelerate towards 2050.
Duwe, Matthias; Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils; Umpfenbach, Katharina (2017) Governance of the Energy Union - Assessment of the Commission Proposal for a Governance Regulation, Ecologic Institute, Berlin.
Umpfenbach, Katharina (2017): Nach der Bundestagswahl: Worauf es für die deutsche Politik beim Energiepaket der EU ankommt. Heinrich Böll Foundation. Berlin.
Umpfenbach, Katharina (2017): Die Energiewende als europäisches Projekt. Chancen, Reibungspunkte [Energy transition as a European project]. Study commissioned by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Berlin: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.
Markus Hametner et al. 2017: Smarter, greener, more inclusive? - Indicators to support the Europe 2020 strategy. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Sartor, O., Donat, L., Duwe, M., Umpfenbach, K. (2017). Developing 2050 decarbonization strategies in the EU: Insights on good practice from national experiences, Study n°03/2017, IDDRI, Paris, France, 22 p.
Umpfenbach, Katharina (2015): Streamlining planning and reporting requirements in the EU Energy Union framework. An opportunity for building consistent and transparent strategies, Ecologic Institute, Berlin.
Bodle, Ralph and Umpfenbach, Katharina (2015): The links between reporting requirements under the UNFCCC and EU governance of 2030 targets. Policy Brief for the European Climate Foundation, Ecologic Institute, Berlin.
Katharina Umpfenbach, Andreas Graf and Camilla Bausch (2015): Regional cooperation in the context of the new 2030 energy governance. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.
Piotrowski, Ralph; Susanne Langsdorf and Ania Rok 2013: Going out of the town hall - The benefits and how they can be achieved. [Policy Brief]. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.
Umpfenbach, Katharina 2014: Influences on consumer behaviour. Policy implications beyond nudging, Berlin: Ecologic Institute.
Umpfenbach, Katharina 2013: How will we know if absolute decoupling has been achieved? Common Approach for DYNAMIX. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.
Popova, Mariana et al. (eds.) 2013: Sustainable development in the European Union. 2013 monitoring report of the EU sustainable development strategy. [eurostat Statistical books 2013 edition]. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Bauler, Tom et al. 2013: Alternative Collective Consumption and Production Niches - Lessons from their emergence, developement and governance, Berlin.
Raggamby, Anneke von and Frieder Rubrik (eds.) 2012: Sustainable Development, Evaluation And Policy-Making. Theory, Practise and Quality Assurance. [Evaluating Sustainable Development series]. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
European Commission (ed.) 2011: Sustainable development in the European Union. 2011 monitoring report of the EU sustainable development strategy. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
Ecologic Institute, Berlin/Vienna; ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability; European Secretariat Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) 2010: After Lisbon, the Role of Regional and Local Authorities in a New Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Better Jobs – Local Sustainable Energy Strategies: Opportunities and Challenges: European Union Committee of the Regions.
Umpfenbach, Katharina and Stephan Sina 2010: "Analysis of the German Federal Government's National Renewable Energy Action Plan", in: 27 National Action Plans = 1 European Energy Policy? Brussels: Green European Foundation, 44-56.
Mehling, Michael et al. 2010: Transforming Economies through Green Investment: Needs, Progress and Policies. [GMF Climate & Energy Paper Series 2010]. Washington DC: German Marshall Fund of the United States.
Brack, Duncan and Katharina Umpfenbach 2009: "Deforestation and Climate Change: Not for Felling". The World Today, Vol. 65, No. 10, 7–9.
Kaphengst, Timo; Katharina Umpfenbach and Ingo Bräuer 2008: „Die ökonomischen Folgen des illegalen Holzhandels für die deutsche Holz- und Forstwirtschaft“, commissioned by Greenpeace e.V., Berlin: Ecologic - Institut für Internationale und Europäische Umweltpolitik.