Johanna Wietschel is a climate economist specializing in climate protection in the transportation sector. She currently works for Agora Verkehrswende in Berlin. As an expert in transportation economics, she collaborates with key stakeholders in the fields of politics, business, academia, and civil society to decarbonize the transportation system. Her focus is on analyzing the costs and distributional effects of policy measures, developing proposals for a socially just transformation of mobility, and exploring financing options for innovation and exnovation in the transportation sector.
Before joining Agora Verkehrswende, Johanna was involved in establishing sustainable structures in financial markets. Her research focused on how banks can align their portfolios and how companies can align their business models with the Paris climate goals, including in the energy and automotive sectors. During her studies, Johanna worked as a researcher in the field of climate policy at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW). She received her MSc in Economics from Freie Universität Berlin.
Socially Just Climate Protection Measures in Turkey's Transportation Sector
Transitioning to a sustainable and climate-neutral transportation system requires a comprehensive reform of political instruments. As recent research shows, these instruments must consider social justice to gain public acceptance. New policy measures must ensure the mobility of people and goods within a climate-neutral transportation system. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen environmentally friendly modes of transportation and transition to emissions-free technologies across all income groups.
This project aims to analyze the decarbonization pathways for Turkey's transportation sector and assess their impacts on society. By modeling the distributional effects of key fiscal instruments in Turkey, including taxes, fees, and subsidies, the project identifies how a strong steering effect toward lower greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector can be designed in a socially just manner. This project aims to produce evidence-based policy recommendations that address the needs of both the climate and civil society.
The Cost of Mobility: Addressing Social Equity in Turkey's Road Transport Transformation
IPC-Mercator Policy Brief ''The Cost of Mobility: Addressing Social Equity in Turkey's Road Transport Transformation'' by 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Fellow Johanna Wietschel was published.
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The Transport Transformation in Germany in Times of Green Backlash
IPC-Mercator Policy Brief ''The Transport Transformation in Germany in Times of Green Backlash'' by 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Fellow Johanna Wietschel was published.
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German Elections: Implications for German Politics, Climate Policy, Foreign Policy, and Germany's Relations with the EU and Turkey
IPC-Mercator Analysis ''German Elections: Implications for German Politics, Climate Policy, Foreign Policy, and Germany's Relations with the EU and Turkey'' by 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Senior Fellow Heinrich Kreft, IKV Secretary General Çiğdem Nas, Associate Professor at the Turkish-German University Ebru Turhan and 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Fellow Johanna Wietschel was published.
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Final Evalution Meeting
The Initiative held the Final Evalution Meeting with our 2024/2025 Mercator-IPC Fellows on September 26 at IPC Karaköy. The event featured presentations of reseearch project results by fellows. The presentations were followed by the fellows' evaluations of the program in terms of its objectives, impact, and future direction. A farewell dinner marked the conclusion of the 2024/25 fellowship cohort.
Turkish-German Dialogue on a Socially Just Transport Transportation
Initiative organized an event entitled "Turkish-German Dialogue on a Socially Just Transport Transportation" convened by 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Fellow Johanna Wietschel with the participation of Murat Şenzeybek, Matthias Runkel, and Gürkan Günay on September 25 at IPC Karaköy.
German Elections: The Day After
Istanbul Policy Center-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator held a panel discussion "German Elections: The Day After" on February 24, 2025, at IPC Karaköy, Istanbul. The event featured 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Senior Fellow Heinrich Kreft, Secretary General of IKV Çiğdem Nas, Turkish-German University Faculty Member Ebru Turhan, and 2024/25 Mercator-IPC Fellow Johanna Wietschel as speakers, with IPC Director Senem Aydın-Düzgit as moderator.