Kathrine von Graevenitz

Kathrine von Graevenitz is Deputy Head of the Environmental and Climate Economics research unit at ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research in Mannheim, Germany, and Professor of Empirical Environmental Economics at the University of Mannheim since October 2021. She is sponsored by the Leibniz Association through the Program for Women Professors and serves on the scientific consultative group to the Research Data Centres of the German Statistical Offices.

Her research spans environmental and urban economics with a methodological focus on applied microeconometrics. She investigates the impact of environmental and climate regulation on firm performance, the drivers of renewable energy technology adoption, and revealed preferences in housing markets, particularly addressing spatial correlation and endogeneity challenges. Her work often utilizes administrative micro-data to evaluate policy impacts on manufacturing sectors, housing markets, and environmental outcomes.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on empirical evaluation of climate policies, particularly their effects on German manufacturing competitiveness, electricity pricing mechanisms, and renewable energy adoption. Her research combines rigorous econometric methods with practical policy relevance, frequently cited by German economic policy institutions including the German Council of Economic Experts. Her work demonstrates a consistent trajectory from urban environmental valuation (her PhD focus) to broader climate policy evaluation in industrial and housing sectors.

• Cited in the annual report of the German Council of Economic Experts 2022
• Cited in corresponding VoxEU column
• Winner of the Department of Economics Prize for best thesis at University of Essex (2004/2005)
• Member of Female Economists' Network of German Ministry for Economic Affairs

As Deputy Head of ZEW's Environmental and Climate Economics unit, von Graevenitz leads research on environmental regulation impacts and manages collaborations with policy institutions. Her work has been covered by major German media outlets including Zeit Online, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Tagesspiegel, demonstrating its policy relevance. She has been involved in multiple policy briefs for ZEW and government bodies, translating academic research into practical policy recommendations.

Her research is conducted within ZEW's Environmental and Climate Economics unit, which focuses on empirical analysis of environmental policies, climate economics, and sustainability transitions. The unit works closely with German policy institutions and contributes to national climate policy discussions, particularly regarding manufacturing sector impacts and energy transition challenges.