Dirk Rübbelke

Dirk Rübbelke is a Full Professor of General Economics at Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (TU Bergakademie Freiberg), where he holds the Crispin-I. Mokry Professorship of Environmental and Resource Economics. He chairs the Department of General Economics, especially Environmental and Resource Economics within the Faculty of Economics. From 2022-2023, he served as the first holder of the CURE Visiting Chair of Sustainability - Economics and Policies at Ruhr-Universität Bochum. His academic career includes previous positions as Junior Professor of European Economics at Chemnitz University of Technology (2002-2008), Senior Research Fellow at CICERO (2008-2010), and IKERBASQUE Research Professor at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (2010-2014).

Professor Rübbelke earned his Dr. rer. pol. in 2001 and Dr. rer. pol. habil. in 2006. He maintains extensive external affiliations including as a Research Associate at the Leibnitz Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim, CESifo Research Network Fellow in Munich, and member of the editorial board of the Journal for Environmental Policy and Environmental Law. He also serves on the Committee for Environmental and Resource Economics of the Verein für Socialpolitik.

Professor Rübbelke's research focuses primarily on environmental and resource economics, with particular expertise in climate policy, public goods theory, and energy economics. His work examines the economic dimensions of environmental protection, international cooperation on climate change, and the design of effective environmental policy instruments. He has made significant contributions to understanding ancillary benefits of climate policy, the economics of public goods provision, and the challenges of decarbonizing energy-intensive industries. His interdisciplinary approach combines theoretical economic analysis with practical policy applications, addressing critical issues at the intersection of environmental sustainability and economic development.

Analysis of Professor Rübbelke's recent publications reveals a strong focus on pressing contemporary challenges in environmental and climate policy. His work addresses the European energy transition, particularly examining the impacts of coal phase-outs, hydrogen-based steel production, and the integration of renewable energy. He investigates how climate policies interact with broader sustainable development goals and how to design mechanisms that balance environmental effectiveness with economic competitiveness. His theoretical contributions to public goods economics provide frameworks for understanding international climate cooperation and the role of co-benefits in encouraging participation.

Professor Rübbelke has received recognition through his extensive publication record, including numerous books and over 90 scientific articles. His research has been supported through various academic affiliations and research stays at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Australian National University in Canberra, Hebrew University Jerusalem, and the Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance in Munich.

His international collaborations and research stays at institutions across multiple continents have informed his comparative approach to environmental policy analysis. Professor Rübbelke's work bridges theoretical economic frameworks with practical policy applications, making significant contributions to the understanding of climate policy design, energy transitions, and sustainable development pathways in both national and international contexts.