What did you research?

The economic future of developing and transitioning economies and the future of combating climate change are closely intertwined.

As developing countries and the BRIC nations become increasingly important in the globalised economies, they also start to have a higher impact on climate change as well as on the way global supply chains and businesses are shaped.

My research at McGill in Canada concentrated on the challenges and specifics of the management of developing countries and their economic upgrading.

I further studied the specifics and challenges of the mining industry to broaden my understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this sector which is so closely tied to the supply side of carbon based energy resources (such as oil, oil sands, gas, etc), as well as potentially very environmentally sensitive practices that mining involves.

Why do you think it is important to understand what drives growth in these countries and industries?

Combating climate change is not only about reducing carbon emissions, it’s also about conserving the natural diversity of the world to preserve the natural sinks we have which are absolutely indispensable in absorbing human based emissions.

Environmentally friendly, socially responsible and poverty alleviating approaches are key factors to ensure that these new players in the world economy become climate advocates instead of being a further burden to the planet.

Business models, institutions and regulatory frameworks in these countries determine whether their economic growth is achieved at the cost of their biodiversity and environment or whether alternative, less exploitative pathways can be followed. Understanding these factors is key to finding solutions which ensures the second, climate friendlier alternative.

What did you find out in Canada?

This one is hard to summarise but I got the impression that climate change is somewhat less of an issue than it is in Europe. However, in other ways new managerial activities that support the notion of sustainability and change in practices seem to be more easily adapted and incorporated.

I found many new business model approaches to address the different dimensions of sustainability. I found further examples of how climate change is connected with many different aspects of businesses and society and how we need to incorporate these aspects.

I learned how regulation, industry standards, public pressure, corporate governance values, entrepreneurship and education are all closely intertwined. They affect each other in many ways and build an interconnected net that determines the outcome of measures that are designed to change current practices.

You have travelled a lot and done research in Adelaide, Madrid and Berlin. Why did Montreal appeal to you in terms of climate-change mitigation and adaptation?

Mining is particularly interesting because the impression you get is that there’s common consensus that all the extractable oil in the oil sands will be extracted. Therefore the focus is more concerned with adaptation methods. Think of it as reducing the impact of the industry within the boundaries of not limiting the supply side.

Outside of university I was interested in a lot of volunteering activity which was concerned with climate-change mitigation. Green days, local food movements, guides on how to reduce your own ecological footprint etc., seemed to be as vibrant as they are in Berlin.

Was there any added value you gained by using your mobility fund rather than desk based research at home?

There are two major things which I really like about studying at McGill. First is its competitiveness. While I don’t know if I would have wanted to study in such an environment for my whole curriculum, it was definitely a very rewarding experience. Being constantly challenged by your classes as well as your classmates pushed me to new frontiers and made me efficient and effective in a way I could not work before.

The second thing I really liked about the courses at McGill - and at McGill itself - was the many speaker series we had. In my courses and outside of my courses I got to hear talks from top leaders in different industries and often had the opportunity to interact with them in discussions. This enriched the concepts we learned and connected the university life with the real world.

Overall it gave more depth to my learning experience and gave me the opportunity to have a look into the current challenges and trends of the respective industries. And of course it was also an excellent networking opportunity.

How did Climate-KIC’s mobility fund benefit your research?

Climate-KIC’s mobility fund made my semester at McGill so much easier, more enjoyable and enabled me to get so much more out of my time at McGill and Canada.

Thanks to the mobility fund, I was able to actually go there and engage in (industry) talks, student groups and excursions. This intensified my learning experience immensely and enabled me to go far beyond the course materials of my classes.

Being able to witness how the other students and teachers at McGill think, approach problems, what techniques they use and how they make life-choices greatly enriched my own life as well as my academic skill sets, especially with regard to innovation activities it is important to always open up to new solutions and approaches.

Being exposed to new and different mind-sets of a top-notch Canadian university proved to be a very interesting and a hopefully transforming experience. Climate-KIC made this exchange possible and I will always be thankful for that!

Is there any advice would you give students interested in this?

Apply now, there is no reason good enough not to.

www.climate-kic.org 

Our mobility programme provides funds for Master students to undertake research across the world for climate-related thesis.