Expecting Limits and Limiting Expectations – Economic Expertise, Environmental Policy and Consumption, 1970-2000

Research project
Project-Leader: PD Dr. Rüdiger Graf

Laura Kaiser, PhD Project 1: Economic Expertise and Environmental Regulation in West German since the 1970s
Thomas Lettang, PhD Project 2: Regulating energy consumption in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1970-2000

Within the DFG Priority Program on “Experience and Expectation: Historical Foundations of Economic Behavior,” the project analyzes the importance of economic expertise for environmental policy-making. It focuses on the Federal Republic of Germany but also reflects the inter- and transnational entanglements of environmental policy. Focusing on regulatory strategies, the project will ask how the relationship between economic instruments, laws and sanctions, educational measures and behavioral strategies, which have recently been labelled as “nudges”, changed in the last third of the twentieth century. Two sub-projects will examine the work of the expert councils on the environment and the strategies to influence environmental behavior, especially energy consumption.

Forschung

Projekte

Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhart Baum (3rd from the left) awards the first "Blauer Engel" eco-labels in 1979; a. for low-noise and energy-saving lawnmowers (Photo: Globus-Press GmbH & CO. KG / Archiv RAL gGmbH)

Regulating energy consumption in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1970-2000

Thomas Lettang

PhD Project

The project examines the regulation of the energy consumption of private households from the 1970s to 1990s. Methodically, it focuses on the regulatory instruments, which were supposed to influence citizens’ behaviour in ecologically friendly ways. Based on a decentred understanding of regulation, the project investigates both governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Coal-fired power plant in Herne, Photo: Ra Boe, Flug Rom Düsseldorf Hamburg 2013, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Economic Expertise and Environmental Regulation in West German since the 1970s

Laura Kaiser

PhD Project

The project examines the growing importance of economic regulation in West German environmental policy in the last third of the 20th century. In particular, it focuses on the proliferation of economic expertise in advisory boards such as the Council of Experts on Environmental Issues (founded in 1971).

Expecting Limits and Limiting Expectations – Economic Expertise, Environmental Policy and Consumption, 1970-2000

Research project
Project-Leader: PD Dr. Rüdiger Graf

Laura Kaiser, PhD Project 1: Economic Expertise and Environmental Regulation in West German since the 1970s
Thomas Lettang, PhD Project 2: Regulating energy consumption in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1970-2000

Within the DFG Priority Program on “Experience and Expectation: Historical Foundations of Economic Behavior,” the project analyzes the importance of economic expertise for environmental policy-making. It focuses on the Federal Republic of Germany but also reflects the inter- and transnational entanglements of environmental policy. Focusing on regulatory strategies, the project will ask how the relationship between economic instruments, laws and sanctions, educational measures and behavioral strategies, which have recently been labelled as “nudges”, changed in the last third of the twentieth century. Two sub-projects will examine the work of the expert councils on the environment and the strategies to influence environmental behavior, especially energy consumption.

Forschung

Projekte

Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhart Baum (3rd from the left) awards the first "Blauer Engel" eco-labels in 1979; a. for low-noise and energy-saving lawnmowers (Photo: Globus-Press GmbH & CO. KG / Archiv RAL gGmbH)

Regulating energy consumption in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1970-2000

Thomas Lettang

PhD Project

The project examines the regulation of the energy consumption of private households from the 1970s to 1990s. Methodically, it focuses on the regulatory instruments, which were supposed to influence citizens’ behaviour in ecologically friendly ways. Based on a decentred understanding of regulation, the project investigates both governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Coal-fired power plant in Herne, Photo: Ra Boe, Flug Rom Düsseldorf Hamburg 2013, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Economic Expertise and Environmental Regulation in West German since the 1970s

Laura Kaiser

PhD Project

The project examines the growing importance of economic regulation in West German environmental policy in the last third of the 20th century. In particular, it focuses on the proliferation of economic expertise in advisory boards such as the Council of Experts on Environmental Issues (founded in 1971).