Katharine Rietig

Katharine Rietig is a Research Fellow at the Earth System Governance Network and was previously a PhD candidate at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she served as Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Geography and Environment Department and contributed as Research Assistant to the GLOBE climate change legislation study at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

She holds an MA in Political Science, Economics and International Law with concentration in International Relations and Environmental Economics from Ludwig-Maximilian-University of Munich (LMU Munich), a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Regulation (Distinction) from LSE, and a full Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education from LSE. Her academic background also includes studies in International Business and Trade at American University in Washington DC and Zhejiang University in China.

Rietig's research centers on climate change governance with particular focus on learning processes in policy-making. She investigates how climate objectives integrate into sectoral policies across energy, transport, agriculture and economic development domains through a multilevel governance lens emphasizing European frameworks while connecting to domestic implementation and UNFCCC negotiations. Her scholarly work spans climate policy integration mechanisms, multilevel governance structures, the strategic influence of non-governmental actors, and international environmental organization dynamics. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent emphasis on practical governance frameworks for climate policy coherence and the strategic positioning of academic expertise within international climate negotiations.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• Murmann Fellowship funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
• Distinction in MSc Environmental Policy and Regulation at LSE

Rietig's research trajectory demonstrates strong institutional support through multiple funded projects including the European Community's 7th Framework Programme for the Sustainable RIO initiative on EU sustainable development (a collaboration between LSE, Sciences Po Paris and Free University Berlin), where she served as contributor and Project Administrator. Her research methodology combines comparative policy analysis with network approaches to understand knowledge transfer in climate governance.

Her professional ecosystem extends across multiple research units including the Grantham Research Institute (where she worked with Michael Jacobs on EU-India climate diplomacy), the Center for Applied Policy Research at LMU Munich, and the Earth System Governance Network. This multi-institutional engagement reflects her commitment to bridging academic research with practical climate policy development across European and international contexts.