mimadeo / Adobe Stock
Paths to climate neutrality in 2045
Making the energy transition cost-efficient
The new federal government is still in the process of forming, but one thing appears certain: the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2045 remains in place. Researchers from the Kopernikus project Ariadne have calculated the costs of achieving this goal. According to their findings, the required investments will largely be offset by reduced expenditure on fossil fuels.
Adobe Stock / Radmila Merkulova
Climate-damaging subsidies in transport undermine CO2 pricing
A reward of several hundred euros for a ton of CO2
The Ariadne calculations emphasise that Germany’s current tax system in the transport sector is still dominated by the use of fossil fuels, making it more difficult to achieve the country’s climate targets.
Denis Yevtekhov / Adobe Stock
Mapping variation in institutions for climate policymaking
Effective climate governance through strong climate institutions
In a report, Ariadne researchers offer reform options for German climate institutions in the context of the Klimaschutznovelle.
Antoine Schibler / Unsplash
Political consensus for EU emissions trading for heat and transport
Fair design and economically efficient price
In two recent publications, Ariadne experts have analysed various design options, specifically looking at the carbon pricing and relief options, and identified the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Kopernikus project Ariadne
The red thread through the energy transition
Research strategies and politicy instruments for effective climate protection
Näher dran an der Energiewende

Our News

Transport transition, Distributive justice, Hydrogen, Europe & Green Deal, Governance & Institutions, Scenarios, Tax reform, Industrial transition, Heating transition, Electricity Transition

New Ariadne paper highlights EU climate policy from 2030 onwards

The EU is in the midst of a debate on new climate targets for 2040 and how the competitiveness of industry can be linked to decarbonization. In a new background paper, Ariadne researchers analyze the historically evolved energy and …

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Hydrogen, Europe & Green Deal, Governance & Institutions, Scenarios, Tax reform, Industrial transition, Heating transition, Electricity Transition, Transport transition

Working together toward climate neutrality

In a new short video, the Kopernikus project Ariadne shows why research into climate policy measures is so important for achieving climate neutrality.

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Hydrogen, Europe & Green Deal, Industrial transition

Europe must provide even better incentives for renewable hydrogen

Ariadne researchers have analysed the EU framework for the ramp-up of hydrogen. This energy carrier, produced with electricity from renewable sources, is intended to decarbonise sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as the chemical and steel industries.

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Europe & Green Deal

Staying the course in turbulent times: A dialogue with the Ariadne Project on future EU energy and climate policy

The Ariadne project provides the results of the three-day event on EU climate and energy policy (9-11.12.2024) in Brussels.

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Governance & Institutions

Under scrutiny: How EU diplomacy handled the design and launch of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The European Union’s outreach to third countries during the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism was rigid and uncoordinated, new Ariadne analysis has found. Researchers investigated how the EU organized its diplomacy to counter trade concerns during the …

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Our topics

Wege zur Klimaneutralität

Paths to climate neutrality

Making climate policy work: From individual sectors to a perspective on systems, Ariadne explores options by uniquely combing systemic consistency and sectoral detail.
Gabriele Tirelli / Unsplash
Mobility of the future

Transport transition

Ariadne researches technologies and policy options for the transport transition in Germany, involving citizens from the outset.
Heliberto Arias / Unsplash
Clean and affordable energy supply

Electricity transition

Ariadne develops policy instruments and technologies for the electricity transition, taking citizens’ perspectives and goals into account.
Federico-Beccari / Unsplash
Driving forward the transformation of the heating sector

Heating transition

Ariadne investigates barriers to transforming the buildings heating sector and which economic, regulatory and informational instruments can be used to overcome them.
Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash
Transformation of production processes

Industrial transition

In dialogue with stakeholders, scenario analyses and concrete options for action are developed for a climate-friendly and competitive industry in Germany.
Maxim Tolchinskiy on Unsplash
An energy carrier of the future

Hydrogen

From supply potential to costs, from fields of application to uncertainties and risks, from imports to infrastructure, Ariadne provides an overview of the possible role of hydrogen for the energy transition.
Wasserstoff-MolekülPeter Schreiber / Shutterstock
From energy tax to environmental tax

Tax reform

Stabilising the economy while directing investments toward climate protection, Ariadne explores short-term energy tax reforms and long-term restructuring of the tax system for equitable burden-sharing.
StellrWeb on Unsplash
Coordinated and effective policy management

Governance

The energy transition needs institutions for effective governance. Ariadne explores climate policy planning and coordination between the political institutions, actors and levels involved.
Moritz Lüdtke / Unsplash
Integration of the German energy transition

Europa & Green Deal

Ariadne informs policy-makers on which instruments should be reviewed and which reforms should be initiated to ensure effective carbon pricing across the EU.
Flagge Europäische UnionChristian Lue / Unsplash
Paths to climate neutrality
Transport transition
Electricity transition
Heating transition
Industrial transition
Wasserstoff-Molekül
Hydrogen
Tax reform
Governance
Flagge Europäische Union
Europa & Green Deal

Publications

Report: A cost-efficient energy transition: Scenarios for climate neutrality 2045 – Summary

Summary Climate change is not slowing down. In 2024, two significant records were set: for the first time, the global mean temperature exceeded +1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels (Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024), and global CO2 emissions reached a new …

Background: Staying the course in turbulent times – Insights on the current state and ways forward for the EU’s climate, energy and finance policy architecture

With the Fit for 55-package, the EU increased the ambition level of its energy and climate targets for 2030. The targets reflect the EU’s commitment towards an energy system transformation – or, in fact, the transformation of the entire …

Ariadne-Analysis: Hydrogen in the Reformed EU ETS – Implications for Competitiveness and Emissions Reductions

The use of renewable hydrogen is considered an important element for the decarbonization of sectors that are hard to electrify, such as the steel and chemical industry or aviation (European Commission 2020, Ferrario et al. 2022). However, the volume …

Analysis: Selling CBAM – Diplomacy for the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The analysis addresses the question of how the EU’s key institutions understood their diplomatic role with regard to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Which EU institutions communicated with third coun-tries? What channels did they use? Who was taking the …

Analysis: Low carbon hydrogen in the European Union – A coherent regulatory framework

Renewable hydrogen is necessary for the decarbonization of sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as industry and aviation, and as a storage medium for surplus electricity from renewable sources. In this context, the following analysis of the EU …

We are Ariadne

Adelphi
uni-stuttgart
zew

The people behind Ariadne

Philipp Hiemann

RWI – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung

Dr. Marian Feist

Hertie School

Marie Zeller

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung

Dr. Christian Oberst

Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft

Dr. Patrick Plötz

Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung

Prof. Dr. Matthias Kalkuhl

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung

Ann-Katrin Schenk

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung

Lukas Jansen

Fraunhofer-Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Energiesystemtechnik