Berlin, September 1, 2025 – The Council of Experts on Climate Change (ERK) begins its second term today, running from 2025 to 2030, with a new composition of members. Two existing members have been reappointed and three new members have been appointed. The new Council brings together expertise from various disciplines in climate, energy, mobility and economic research:

Prof. Dr. Marc Oliver Bettzüge is Professor of Economics, Energy and Sustainability and Director of the Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI). He has been a member of the Council since 2020.

Dr. Barbara Schlomann is Scientific Advisor to the Executive Director at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI in Karlsruhe. She has also been a member of the Council since 2020.

Prof. Dr. Dr. Tanja Kneiske​ is Scientific Director of the Competence Center Integrated Energy Systems at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies IEG and Professor of Technologies and Management of Integrated Energy Infrastructures (TMIE) at Technische Universität Berlin.

Prof. Dr. Allister Loder​ is Professor of Mobility Policy at Technische Universität München.

Prof. Dr. Julia Pongratz​ is Chair of Physical Geography and Land Use Systems at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

With the start of the new term, former Chair Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Henning, Deputy Chair Dr. Brigitte Knopf, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Heimer are leaving the Council. The newly appointed members thank their predecessors for their dedicated and influential work during the Council’s first five years. The continuing members extend their heartfelt gratitude to the departing colleagues for their dedicated collaboration and commend the former Chair and Deputy Chair for their prudent, competent and collegial leadership. In accordance with the Federal Climate Action Act, the newly constituted Council will elect a new Chair and Deputy Chair from among its members.

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The Council of Experts on Climate Change (ERK) is an independent panel of five experts from different disciplines. It was appointed in September 2020 and is mandated by Sections 11 and 12 of the Federal Climate Action Act (KSG).

For more information about the Council of Experts on Climate Change and their publications, please visit https://www.expertenrat-klima.de/en/. Follow us on Bluesky or LinkedIn.

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