Political scientist, political ecologist and scholar-activist at the Chair of Global Climate Governance at the University of Hamburg and member of the research group “GLOCALPOWER – Funds, Tools and Networks for an African Energy Transition”. My research focus is on socio-ecological transformation, transition conflicts and energy and climate justice. A specific focus is on the role of social movements and trade unions in low-carbon transitions.

Country/Region of interest/research focus: Germany, South Africa

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Madlen Kobi is assistant professor at the Unit of Social Anthropology at the University of Fribourg and leads the research project «Urban Bricolage. Mining, Designing and Constructing With Reused Building Materials“ (SNSF-PRIMA, 2022-2026). The project investigates at the intersection of anthropology and architecture the practical challenges of reusing building materials in selected European countries. The analysis of reuse practices leads to rethinking our current capitalist system where environmental injustices are inscribed in the production, circulation, taxation and consumption of resources and building materials. Madlen Kobi has more than ten years of experience in conducting research on urban development in China with an interest in circular economy, infrastructure, urban political ecology, ethnic place-making, material culture and urban climate change.

Country/Region of interest/research focus: China, European Cities

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Caroline Meier is a research Fellow and PhD candidate at the Biosphere Reserves Institute at the University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde, Germany. I study cultural dimensions of human-‘nature’ relations. Of particular interest are power relations within environmental initiatives, how they emerged and how they work. In my PhD project, I investigate how international organisations allowed and still allow for local knowledge to be heard and promoted beyond the local scale by the use of the example of the UNESCO ‘Man and the Biosphere’ programme. The PhD project takes a historical perspective and is localised in the critical thought school and within this, political ecology.

Country/Region of interest/research focus: Central America