Comparing Sustainable Energy Transition in Japan and Germany | [間：AI DA]: supporting international carrier development of early career researchers (ECRs)

Host Institution：

Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs / Dr. Florentine Koppenborg
Technical University of Munich (TUM), Bavarian School of Public Policy, Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy

Visited Researchers and Institutions:

Free University of Berlin, Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU)

Duration of stay：August 26 to September 16, 2019

Participated Events

Workshop: “Japan’s Energy Transition in Comparison”, Technical University of Munich (TUM), August 28-30, 2019
PhD Colloquium, organized by Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy and Chair of Policy Analysis, Technical University of Munich (TUM), August 30, 2019
Conference: “RLI Energie-Dialog 2019”, Reiner Lemoine Institute, September 6, 2019

Aims：

To gain a deeper understanding of the German energy transition policy
To expand network with researchers working on the German and Japanese energy transition

German Researcher hosted by Kyoto U.

Dr. Florentine Koppenborg, Technical University of Munich（TUM)- Bavarian School of Public Policy
Duration of stay：End of March to Early April, 2019
Host: Prof. Makoto Usami, Graduate School of Global Environment Studies

Motivation for application

Collaborative research network for citizen participation in the energy transition policy-making

My PhD research project deals with a German case study of citizen participation in the energy transition policy-making. It also seeks to compare the German and Japanese situation. In Germany, there is an innovative form of citizen participation called “National Civil Society Board”. In this committee, citizen representatives, including young generations, serve as regular members in cooperation with experts.
To pursue this research, I wanted to discuss with leading German researchers in related policy fields at international conferences, and to conduct field research. I have applied to this program together with a female post-doctoral researcher at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to foster the mutual exchange of early career researchers.

Results

Expanding research network concerning the German and Japanese energy transition

During the research stay in Germany, (1) I made a presentation at the TUM’s workshop and attended the PhD colloquium of TUM and (2) discussed my research at the conference of the Reiner Lemoine Institute, and (3) exchanged opinions with researchers at Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU) of the Free University of Berlin.
Through the program, I could establish new connections and expand the existing network with early career and senior researchers working on the German and Japanese energy transition. It enhanced the bilateral research dialogues between the laboratories of TUM and Kyoto University.

Progress on a German case study through the interviews and literature research

Through the interviews with experts such as a member of the secretariat for the “National Civil Society Board”, I could collect valuable primary data on citizen participation related to this committee.
Furthermore, I could obtain the latest academic journal articles published in the German language concerning citizen participation at the Berlin State Library and University Library of the Free University of Berlin.
These resources would contribute to strengthening the theoretical part of my German case study.

Workshop at Technical University of Munich

TUM Science & Study Center Raitenhaslach

Bavarian School of Public Policy, TUM

Outlook

Based on the knowledge gained through the program, I want to contribute to the development of research on citizen participation and deliberative democracy.　
As the next step, I will continue working on my dissertation, so that I could play a role as a catalyst soon for middle- and long term German-Japanese research collaboration in the field of the energy transition.