Mira Kopp

Mira Kopp is a Researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and University of Jena, working within the Department of Environmental Politics under the thematic area of Environment and Society. She has held this position since March 2022, focusing on urban sustainability governance and environmental policy research.

Mira completed her B.Sc. in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a major in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Freiburg between 2017 and 2021. Her professional experience includes a Research Assistant position at the Chair for Societal Transition and Circular Economy at the University of Freiburg (2020-2022) working on projects 'Biocities' and 'Circulus,' an Internship at the Office for Sustainability Management in Freiburg (2022), and prior internships at the European Secretariat of Climate Alliance and University College London.

Her research expertise centers on urban sustainability transitions, with specialized knowledge in industrial ecology, urban metabolism, and municipal governance. She investigates how cities can transform their systems toward sustainability, particularly analyzing material and energy flows within urban environments and the governance structures that enable these transitions. Currently, she is working on a Volkswagen Foundation-funded project examining factors that sustain urban mobility changes initiated during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

As part of UFZ's research program (2021-2027), Mira contributes to interdisciplinary work across domains including water resources, chemicals in the environment, sustainable ecotechnologies, and societal transformations toward sustainability. Her department participates in cross-sectional research on climate, energy, bioeconomy, and microplastics, and is involved with platforms like 'Societal Transformations towards Sustainability,' GoMo - Governance Monitor, and Thirsty Cities.