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    Jürgen P. Kropp




Policy and Outreach News

Science News from the Research Group
Umweltklang 2022: "Umweltklang" Concert celebrated by Berlin Symphonic Orchestra and enriched by short contributions on air and water. Awesome experiment!
greenlead 2022: Intensive and lively dinner discussions about the necessary transformation of cities, together with people from Vonovia, DGNB, Eon, Minister Geywitz etc.. The event was initiated by Joschka Fischer and Friends and Green Tec Award.
BOG53 2022: Keynote speech on urban change and the role of a shift to bio-based materials on the occasion of the 72. anniversary of the German Forestry Council (DFWR) and in the presence of the MP H. Wüst of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster. Handover of the the gift (H.C. von Carlowitz book) by G. Schirmbeck DWFR president.
BOG53 2022: Impressive first face-to-face meeting of PlanAEarth Advisory Board with the companies' young and energetic team - great discussions! I am sure that my board colleagues, i.e. Kirsten Dunlop, Chad Frischman, Michael Sheren, Martin Wainstein, Gonzalo Munoz see it similar. I appreciate to support PlanAEarth during the next years.
BOG53 2022: Members of ICIMOD's Board of Governors meet at Govadari Knowledge Center/Nepal to learn how low-tech developments support mountain community development.
Banepa 2022: Meeting and discussion with Mayor Shanti Rakna Shakya and Chief of Administration Prakash Acharya, City of Banepa/Nepal about the possibilities to make cities carbon sinks through sustainable construction.
Toronto 2021: Key note lecture and panel discussion on the Indo-German Forum on Cities and Climate. Organised by German Federal Office and DIWH New Delhi.
Toronto 2020: Key note lecture on Think Tank Architecture and Urban Development (University of Lucerne/Switzerland) and panel discussion with pilosophers, architects, and planners. In our lecture it was emphasized that for sustainable cities, the 3rd dimension must be valued equally, as is already the case today for area planning, new materials should be considered and cities should be understood as urban-hinterland systems.
Toronto 2019: The European Caculator Model (EUCalc) was presentend on COP25 in Madrid at EU Pavillion on session Technology Transition for industry: the role of research and innovation programmes. EUCalc is a new model of intermediate complexity which allows to assess trade-offs and synergies of energy related decisions for EU member countries and the EU as a whole. Link to EUCalc Model.
Toronto 2019: Keynote by JP. Kropp on DAAD symposium Climate Resilient Cities: The Interplay of Research, Innovation and Society Massey College, University of Toronto, Canada
Program Committee ICIMOD 2018: Program committee members (PAC, image first row) met at ICIMOD at Kathmandu in November to evaluate ICIMOD's achievements and future plans. On landmark was the finalization of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment which will be published in December 2018 by Springer Science.
Chancellor Merkel with
                                          speakers 2018: The Global Solutions Summit took place in Berlin covering a broad range of topics ranging form security issues and financial stability up to climate change. JP Kropp discussed with other panelists Ecosystems and Livelihoods under Threat: Solutions for a Changing Hindu Kush Himalaya Image: Chancellor Merkel with all speakers. [press release]
Minister Schulze 2018: David Molden (2nd, Director of ICIMOD) and Eklabya Sharma (4th, Vice Director of ICIMOD) and Jürgen Kropp (3rd, new ICIMOD board of directors member) meet Federal Minister of Environment Ms. Svenja Schulze to discuss the German support for environmental research and development at ICIMOD
First Nations
                                          Representative Grand Chief
                                          Littlechild 2018: The IPCC Cities Conference has been opened by several addresses from governmental officials and first nations. It takes place in Edmonton Alberta from 4. - 8. March. J.P. Kropp will provide a keynote on the Thursday's Opening Panel and contribution to the subsequent panel discussion.
Washington 2017: On behalf of the German Embassy Washington several institutions have been visited by J. Kropp in the US in order to foster and intensify scientific cooperation. Amongst them Georgia Tech Atlanta and University of South Florida at Tampa. In Washington he joined a panel discussion on actual climate diplomacy at the German Historical Institute.
SUSCO 2017: The Antall Jozsef Knowledge Centre and European Union hosted a conference entitled the "Global Energy Landscape" on Oct. 26th 2017 (SUSCO 2017) at Budapest. J. Kropp was a panel speaker and introduced insights about needs and challenges in terms of a real transformation of or societies.
BT 2016: Again PIK advises German Parlamentarians in climate change issues. A series of discussions with members of parliament from different parliamentary groups took place end of May  (link to blog of MdB Bulling-Schröter - in german).
Mexico 2016: J. Kropp invited keynote speaker on the 6th Mexican-German Climate Dialogue at the Hacienda De Los Morales. The event was organised by the German Embassy and the Centro Mario Molina. (German Embassy Mexico City - in german)
CMF 2016: Potsdam Newspaper reports about Climate Media Factory as as a successful spin-off of PIK and Film University Potsdam (in german)
Global Calculator 2015: An international team led by the United Kingdom's Department of Energy and Climate Change and co-funded by the European Union's Climate-KIC launched the Global Calculator. The tool enable lay people an politicians to examine trade-off and synergies between different climate related action. Several scientists contributed to the tool, e.g. from London School of Economics, International Energy Agency, the Chinese Energy Research Institute, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and its spinoff Climate Media Factory (CMF) [press release] [Global Calculator Website]
Lanzhou 2015: Key note at Lanzhou University/Dunhang Forum Revitalizing the Silk Road: how climate change affects modern cultures<\i>
Mexico 2015: Key note on German-Mexican Climate Change Dialogue (on behalf of German Foreign Office and German Technical Cooperation) in Mexico City [Report by German Embassy]
Colombia 2014: Minister of the Environment Luz Helena Sarmiento Villamiza and Colombian Ambassador to Germany meets PIK and discussed planned projects between Germany and Colombia [press release].
Astana 2014: Invited expert to a Kazahk cabinet meeting and key note speaker at the Gov't of Kazahkstan on the occasion of the launching of Kazahkstan's green economy strategy.
PUPC 2013: Key note and panel discussion at Aula Magna June at Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, Lima on Climate Change and Disaster Prevention. The Aula Magna aimed to be a preparatory meeting for the upcoming UNFCCC COP conference in Lima 2014.
consats 2013: Signing of cooperation agreement between PIK and COMSATS University, Islamabad/Pakistan to support the new Centre for Climate Change & Development Research at COMSATS (back f.l.t.r.: 2. Rector of COMSATS University Dr. Zaidi; 3. Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, founder of the Global Change Impact Studies Centre, Pakistan; 4. former Pakistani Ambassador to Germany Mr. S. Kamal [press release].
CleanTech 2012: Climate Media Factory (CMF), Potsdam an innovative media lab founded by K.D. Müller, Potsdam Film University and J. Kropp, PIK was awarded by the renown CleanTec Media Award for its innovative ideas for communicating climate change. The Laudatio was given by the actress Christiane Paul [press release].
CleanTech 2012: Climate Media Factory (CMF) produced an animated video showing earth history within 4mins by the help of a methaphoric website. The video was produced on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for the Science Year 2012.
AVH" 2011: Key note address at Inaugural Session and Key note lecture on Alexander von Humboldt Conference on Adaptation & Mitigation of Climate Change (on occasion of 60th anniversary of Indian/German diplomatic relationships), Bangalore/India, opening panel with Chief Minister Gowda and Governor Dr. Hans Raj Bhardwaj (Karnataka State) [press release]
Resilient Cities 2011: Member of opening panel and key note speaker on the 2. World Conference on Cities and Adaptation to Climate Change in Bonn/Germany [Website ]
Aiwan-e-Sadr 2010: Honorable Member of the concluding Panel of Int. Conf. on Climate Change & Development at President's Residency Islamabad/Pakistan Aiwan-e-Sadr. Panel: President Asif Ali Zardari, J. Kropp PIK, Environmental Minister Afridi, President Zardari, State Secretary Environment Malik, United Nations Country Director Tanaka [press release] [The Guardian]
Delhi 2010: Key note on ``Climate Change Challenges for India'' followed by a critical intervention by Nitin Desai (former Undersecretary-General of United Nations) on a High Tea Event of the Indian Forum of the Parliamentarians in New Delhi
COP15 CPH 2009: PIK and German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) presented a climate service ci:grasp (Climate Impacts: Global and Regional Adaptation Support Platform) on the Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP15) on an official side event [press release].
Hans Seidel
                                          Stiftung 2009: In the Bavarian Embassy to the Federal Gov't J. Kropp provided a talk on "Climate and Development: A forced Departure" on invitation of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (image: J. Kropp, MdB Ruck, Dr. Hebecker)
[link].
Adaptation Manual 2009: Climate Change Adaptation Manual for Practitioneers published in four different languages [EN, ESP, PT, FR].

Gini 2021: Urban scaling and Zipf law are closely related our detailed study show. Results supports they idea that urban scaling does not solely emerge from intra-city processes, as population distribution and scaling of urban GDP are correlated to each other. Further details in PlosOne 16(1): e0245771
morphology
Building volume and surface temperature
2020: Due to lack of data it is difficult to assess urban heat islands (UHI) In a recent article most influential factors of UHI have been identified. It was shown building volume is highly relevant. Results also indicate that polycentric are in favour in comparison to monocentric cities. This helps future city planning and to cope with adverse consequences. Details in Nature Comm. 11: 2647
hungry_cities
Potential for near urban food production
2019/20: Local production matters for climate protection, but not at any price. For more than 4000 cities worldwide the potential of local food production have been evaluated. It can be shown that > 30% of urban residents could be nourished by near urban food production, but climate change, urban growth and changing nourishment would have a tremendous impact on the local potential and will decrease it considerably. Details: ERL 14(9): 094007 Env. Sci. & Tech. 54(17): 10551 [press release] .
footprint
Isolines: population vs. area
2019: Reducing urban carbon footprints is pivotal for achieving climate protection targets, but which factors are forcing urban emissions remains unclear. A recent study based on a Cobb-Douglas approach estimated contributions of population size or urban density. The larger the city, the higher is the impact of changing its population or density, but population changes always have a greater effect on emissions than population density. Details:Nature Comm. 10: 3204.
urban Kaya 2019: An extension of the well-known Kaya identity to urban systems show that cities in the developing world have some leap-frogging potential. While GDP doubling in OECD cities comes together with a doubling of energy consumptions (and equivalent emissions). This can be explained by established life styles and infrastructure lock-ins. This does not hold for cities in the developing world. [Urban Kaya].
Community
                                          Based Initiatives 2018: It is broadly discussed if and how community based initiatives can contribute to the sustainability challenge. While many of these initiatives are based on voluntary work it can be shown that its mitigation potential can be tremendous. If only 5% of European citizens would engage in CBIs the achievement of climate protection targets could be easily achieved (cf. also TESS project) [CBI].
Berlin
                                          School of Sustainable Futures 2018: Berlin School for Sustainable Futures(BSSF), a University of Applied Sciences, will start 2020 after receiving its final approval from German Council of Science and Humanities and Berlin Governing Mayor/Senate Chancellery – Higher Education and Research. BSSF is a private University bringing together sustainability challenges, cultural transformation needs, and digital humanism via by advanced and modern curricula. J.P. Kropp acts as founding dean for the sustainability department and is a designated board member. [BSSF].
ICIMOD 2018: J. Kropp became appointed member of the board of directors of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). ICIMOD deals with environmental challenges in mountainous regions, is operated by all countries who owns a part of the Himalaya/Hindukush region, and has its headquarter in Kathmandu/Nepal.
SDGs 2018: The publishing of Sustainable Development Goals was a seminal political achievement. Now a framework exists that helps to tackle deficits in human and environmental development. However, the complex multi-dimensional challenges are difficult to analyse and so far little is known about the interactions, correlations and potential conflicts between the set of SDGs. With our article we tried to break up the complicated interlinkages and investigate how different SDGs influence each other [Article], [Press Release].
Urban Issues 2017/2018: In the last 12 months several papers have been finalised which have been prepared in the RAMSES project. They show that that cities can be analysed from a systematic point of view coarse resolutions can provide huge valuable insights about cities, their dynamics, and about potential transformations. Moreover, several documents have been published which supports city planners in their resilience planning, e.g. RAMSES Transition Handbook and Training Package.
[Damage and Adaptation Curves for 600 cities ,
[Benchmarking Eco-efficiency of Cities,
[Urban Form and Heat Burden.
RAMSES Logo 2017: The European funded 5yr project RAMSES (final report) has bin finished with an international conference entitled Cities and Climate Change Conference 2017 at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research More than 170 researchers from accross the globe explored the latest advances in research and practice addressing climate change in cities, including issues of infrastructure, planning, governance, economics of adaptation, risk management, health prevention and their possible trade-offs and synergies with sustainability objectives.
European Energy
                                          Week 2017: The three H2020 funded sister projects INNOPATH, REINVENT and EUCalc organised a session on the European Energy Week 2017. The coordinators P. Ekins, L. Nilsson (Lund), and J. Kropp (Potsdam) shared their views about a European Sustainability Transformation and what is needed to get there [Conference Website].
EUCalc 2016: European Union supports the development of a European Model to foster societal and technological transformation with more than 5m €. The idea for the project relies on the Global Calculator which was motivated by UK Dept. of Energy and Climate Change. The new model will be downscaled on member state level, allows detailed trade-off analyses and will be user friendly, i.e. is usable by stakeholders. [EUCalc website, Global Calculator website].
TESS 2016: Towards European Sustainable Societies (TESS) FP7 project has been finished. The aim of the project was to assess the impact of community based initiatives on climate protection targets. I has been estimated that in case of voluntary engagements of only 5% of all European citizens climate protection targets would be easily achievable. Details of the assessment and tools can be found on the TESS website. [TESS website, Track It! Tool ].
Urban Scaling 2016: The scaling analysis of CO2 emissions in cities with population size suggests an exponent which is development dependent with a transition from super- to sub-linear scaling. From mitigation point of view, the results imply that urbanization is desirable in developed countries, but not in developing countries, evt. a hint of an export of pollutant intensive industries into developing countries [link to article].
Food Waste 2016: In a recently published article we estimated the effect of food surplus and waste on climate change. 10% of all emissions from agriculture are related to food waste. Besides these results a previously published article showed the increasing relevance of agriculture for future greenhouse gas emissions in particular if lifestyle and demographic change is considered [link to article] [press release].
city
                                          emissions 2016: Urban sprawl leads to more emissions from cities. An analysis of all inhabited areas in the US show a sub-linear relationship between population density and total emissions (i.e. on-road and buildings). A doubling of the population density would entail a reduction of total CO2 emissions in buildings and on-road sectors typically by at least 42%. Population density exerts a higher influence on on-road emissions than buildings emissions. [link to article]
Damage Assessment 2016: A new study provides a method to quantify monetary losses from coastal floods and on city level under sea-level rise. For the first time, the scientists show that the damage costs consistently increase at a higher rate than the sea-level rise itself [link to article] [press release].
Residential Heat 2015: Energy (and emission) savings from housing sector needs much more investements and an almost doubled renovation rate if self-defined targets of energy reduction should come true in 2050 in the Netherlands. This confirms a previous study, which was published already in 2011 and which investigated the the German residential sector [link to article] [ article 2011].
PlosOne 2014: JP Kropp Appointed Academic Editor: PlosOne.
Crop
                                          Calories in Meat 2013: On a global scale, about 40% of the global crop calories currently are used as livestock feed and about 4 kcal of crop products are used to generate 1 kcal of animal products. Concering future demographic growth and dietary changes will almost double global fed demand by 2050. Securing food availability could be therefore threatened by an overproportional meat consumption  [link to article].
Heat
                                          Island Effect 2013: Cities heat up stronger than the rural regions surrounding them – and if climate change continues, this will become a risk for the inhabitants. On the basis of satellite data, researchers have now more comprehensively than ever before investigated this so-called heat island effect for thousands of cities in Europe [link to article] [press release]
Development dynamics 2013: Development dynamics from an agrarian towards an industry and to a service oriented economy can be described by simple system of differential equations based on kinetic equations [link to article]
Emissions from
                                          agriculture 2013: Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture may triple by 2050 in comparison to 2005, if dietary changes and demographic growth is considered. A systematic identification of global nourishment styles and its relation to the human development level indicates that agriculture may become a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions [link to article]
Challenges
                                          in Sustainability 2012-2014: JP Kropp Appointed Founding and Editor-in-Chief of the New Journal: Challenges in Sustainability.
RAMSES 2012: Five year Project on Cities (RAMSES) received funding of about 5.2 mln Euros from the European Union. The project will be coordinated by PIK and runs under the rooftop of the Climate Change and Development Group/Sustainable Cities Flagship [link to website] [CCD Group] [project trailer].
Emission Burden Sharing 2011: The integration of developing countries into global CO2 reduction schemes needs a fair burden
sharing. In our approach for balancing climate change mitigation it is shown that human development might be a measure to come to an more objective burden sharing amongst countries, but it also shows that contributions from industrialised countries must be even much larger [link to article] [press release].
In
                                          Extremis 2011: New Book by Kropp JP & Schellnhuber HJ (eds): In Extremis: Disruptive Events and Correlations in Hydrology and Climate, Springer, Berlin, 400p.
 Advanced
                                          Methods 2007: New Book by Kropp JP & Scheffran J (eds): Advanced Methods for Decision Making and Risk Management in Sustainability Science Nova Science Publishers, New York


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