Prof. Dr Dirk Messner

Co-Director

Käte Hamburger Kolleg / Centre for Global Cooperation Research
Schifferstraße 44
47059 Duisburg
Germany

Phone: +49 (0)203 379-5230
Fax: +49 (0)203 379-5276
E-Mail: messner@gcr21.uni-due.de


President of the German Environment Agency

Vita

Since 2020

German Environment Agency

President

2018–2019

Institute for Environment and Human Security of United Nations University (UNU-EHS)

Director

2008–2019

German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU)

Co-Chair

Since 2006

University of Duisburg-Essen

Professor for Political Science

2003–2018

German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Bonn

Director

2003

Geschwister Scholl Institute for Political Science, LMU Munich

Professor for International Political Economy

2002–2004

Freie Universität Berlin

Faculty of Economics and Social Science Adjunct Professor for Political Science

2002

Freie Universität Berlin

Habilitation

Subject of the thesis: "Desafíos de la globalización en América Latina"

1995–2003

Institute of Development and Peace / Institut für Entwicklung und Frieden (INEF), University of Duisburg-Essen

Academic Director

1995

Freie Universität Berlin

Dissertation (summa cum laude) (Dr. rer. pol.) Subject of the thesis: "The Network Society: International Competitiveness as a Problem of Social Governance"

1985–1995

German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Bonn

Dept. IV: Industrialisation; newly industrialising countries (regional focus: Latin America) Researcher

1982–1984

Freie Universität Berlin and Sogang University Seoul

Studies in Political Science and Economics

Selected Publications

Messner, Dirk et al. (2016): Humanity on the Move: Unlocking the Transformative Power of Cities, Berlin: German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU).

Fues, Thomas / Messner, Dirk (2016): 'The G20: Balancing National Interests with the Global Common Good', China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies 2 (3): 293–309.

Messner, Dirk / Weinlich, Silke (eds.) (2016): Global Cooperation and the Human Factor in International Relations, Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Messner, Dirk (2015): 'Deutschland als Gestaltungsmacht in der globalen Nachhaltigkeitspolitik - Chancen und Herausforderungen unter den Bedingungen umfassender Globalisierung', in: Gunther Hellmann, Daniel Jacobi & Ursula Stark Urrestarazu (Hrsg.): "Früher, entschiedener und substanzieller"? Die neue Debatte über Deutschlands Außenpolitik (Zeitschrift für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik, 8(Suppl.1)), 379–94.

Messner, Dirk et al. (2015): 'Die Herausforderungen des Klimawandels bewältigen: Ein kurzfristig umsetzbares Aktionsprogramm zum Übergang in eine klimaverträgliche Weltwirtschaft', Zeitschrift für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik, 8 (1).

Messner, Dirk / Leggewie, Claus (2014): 'Standpunkt: Deutungshoheit für den Klimaschutz', in: Vereinte Nationen: Zeitschrift für die Vereinten Nationen und ihre Sonderorganisationen 62 (5): 207.

Messner, Dirk et al. (2014): 'The Great Transformation: Climate — Can We Beat the Heat?', in: Alexandra Hamann / Claudia Zea-Schmidt (eds.), Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (WBGU).

Messner, Dirk et al. (2014): Tackling the challenge of climate change: a near-term actionable mitigation agenda, Comissioned by the Republic of Nauru, chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

Messner, Dirk et al. (2014): Klimaschutz als Weltbürgerbewegung, Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (WBGU), Sondergutachten.

Messner, Dirk (2014): The role of science and technology in the dynamics of global change and the significance of international knowledge cooperation in the post-western world: an interview with Dirk Messner in: Maximilian Mayer / Mariana Carpes / Ruth Knoblich (eds.), The global politics of science and technology, Vol. 1, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 267–73

Messner, Dirk et al.(2014): Human progress within planetary guardrails: a contribution to the SDG debate, Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen (WBGU) (Politikpapier 8).

Messner, Dirk (2014): 'Wie kann globale Nachhaltigkeit gelingen? Eine Strategie für globale Entwicklung', published on Review 2014: Außenpolitik weiter denken.

Messner, Dirk et al. (2014): Reshaping global Development: will Europe lead? An argument and a call for action, Report of the Independent Vision Group

Messner, Dirk / Debiel, Tobias / Leggewie, Claus (2014): 'Homo Cooperativus: "Fusion" als Strategie zur Erforschung globaler Problemlösungen', in: Unikate / Universität Duisburg-Essen, 45/2014, 134–45

Research Interests

  • Globalisation
  • Global Governance
  • Global Development
  • Climate Change
  • Low Carbon Development
  • Asian Drivers of Global Change

Current Projects

  • 'Die große Transformation zur Nachhaltigkeit – Der globale Megatrend Urbanisierung' <The big transformation of sustainability - the global mega trend urbanisation>, together with German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) (2013–2016)
  • 'Zur politischen Ökonomie klimaverträglicher, kohlenstoffarmer Entwicklungspfade' <On the political economy of climate-compatible, low-carbon development paths>, together with Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) (2014–2015)
  • 'Behavioural Dimension of International Cooperation', together with Silke Weinlich (2013–2015)
  • 'Internationale Kooperation im Anthropozän' <International Cooperation in the Anthropocene> (2013–2015)

Teaching Responsibilities

  • University of Duisburg-Essen – Social Sciences
  • LMU Munich
  • Freie Universität Berlin
  • Universidad Nacional der Mexico
  • Universidad del Pacifico, Escuela de Postgrado, Lima
  • Comisíon Económica para América Latina (CEPAL), Santiago de Chile
  • Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO), Mexico
  • Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Peru
  • Universidad Autónoma de Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Expertise and Consulting Work

  • German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
  • Comisíon Económica para América Latina (CEPAL)
  • German Research Foundation / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
  • German Academic Exchange Service / Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
  • Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich / Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zürich)
  • Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
  • Hans Böckler Foundation
  • Heinrich Böll Foundation
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
  • Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
  • Volkswagen Foundation
  • German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
  • German Development Agencies (GIZ, kfw, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung etc.)
  • German Foreign Ministry (AA)
  • European Union
  • Comisíon Económica para América Latina (CEPAL) (Chile, Argentina, Méxco)
  • Inter-American Development Bank
  • United nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Vienna
  • World Bank
  • Ministry of Industry, Peru
  • Ministério de Economia de Chile
  • Institute of Development Studies, Sussex
  • Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO), Buenos Aires
  • Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO), Mexico
  • Korea Development Institute
  • Universidad Autónoma de México

Membership

  • Vice Chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) (since 2009)
  • Scientific Advisory Board on EU Development Policy (EU Commission; Commissioner Andris Piebalgs)
  • World Bank's ‘Knowledge Advisory Commission’
  • China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development
  • Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
  • International Academic Advisory Council of Conservation International, Washington
  • Chair of the International Advisory Council of the Research Programme "Causes of and solutions to social conflicts in contexts of weak public institutions or state fragility" (Swiss National Science Foundation, SNSF)
  • Scientific Advisory Council of the German Foundation for Peace Research
  • German Commission for UNESCO
  • Steering Commitee "Green Growth Strategies - Initiative" (Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Seoul)
  • Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Center for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), University of Giessen
  • International Review Panel of the "Development Progress Research Programme" (Overseas Development Institute / Gates Foundation)
  • Scientific Advisory Board of the Ibero-American Institute (IAI) Berlin, Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation
  • Global Agenda Councils, World Economic Forum
  • Executive Board of the Institute for Development and Peace, University of Duisburg-Essen
  • International Academic Council of the Bundeskanzler-Willy-Brandt-Foundation
  • Scientific Advisory Board of the Ökosoziales Forum Deutschland
  • Scientific Advisory Board of the Research Programme "Sustainable Mega-Cities" (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, University of Hyderabad, Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research)
  • Advisory Board of the Center for Chinese-Mexican Studies, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  • Scientific Advisory Council of Misereor
  • Editorial Board of the International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development
  • Scientific Advisory Council of "Friedens-Warte – Journal of International Peace and Organization"
  • Editorial Advisory Board of "Public Administration and Development"
  • Editorial Board of Journal of Advances in Climate Change Research
  • International Advisory Group "Solar Energy for Science", Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (DESY)
  • Scientific Advisory Board of the Research Programme "Climate Justice" (Potsdam Institut for Climate Impact Research, LMU München, Stiftung der Allianz Versicherung)