Melanie Pichler

Melanie Pichler is a Professor at the Institute of Social Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), with a Habilitation in Political Science (2023). Her work bridges political ecology, social-ecological transformations, and sustainability policy.

• Research Focus: Climate change mitigation, bioeconomy governance, forest transitions, and the political dimensions of resource use.
• Education: PhD in Political Science (2013, University of Vienna), MA in Political Science and International Development Studies (2009, University of Vienna).

Her research integrates biophysical modeling with critical political economy to address sustainability barriers in EU policy, Southeast Asian forests, and industrial conversions. Recent projects include Transforming essential provision systems through eco-social corridors (2024–2027, FFG-funded) and Hidden Emissions of Forest Transitions (2018–2024, EU-funded).

She has presented at leading conferences like the International Degrowth Conference (2024) and the European Society for Ecological Economics (2024). Her publications emphasize planetary boundaries, climate policy, and postgrowth frameworks.

As a reviewer and committee member for journals like Forest Policy and Economics and initiatives such as the Price for Development Research Austria, she contributes to academic governance. Her teaching and outreach focus on resource politics, sustainable economic systems, and critical policy analysis.