This project explores micro heating networks as a small-scale solution for a climate-neutral heat supply in the building sector. Its findings aim to support local stakeholders in planning and implementing such networks as part of the heat transition.

Water can store and transport significant amounts of thermal energy. This project examines how drinking water infrastructure—despite its relatively low temperatures—can be harnessed for sustainable heat generation and thus contribute to Germany’s heat transition.

Germany’s energy transition is driven to a considerable extent by citizens—for example, through energy cooperatives and community wind projects. BiNe gathers and disseminates knowledge to support the establishment and operation of such civic energy initiatives.

Investments in renewable energy and grid infrastructure are transforming island economies across the Baltic region—often without direct benefits for local residents. This transnational project investigates how the energy transition can also deliver positive impacts at the local level.

In her recent study, Josefine Lyda examines the legal challenges associated with developing ammonia infrastructure for the energy transition. While the existing regulatory framework is primarily geared towards fossil fuels and hydrogen, ammonia—despite its considerable potential as an energy carrier—remains largely unregulated. The study identifies key barriers and proposes a structured roadmap to address regulatory gaps and facilitate the integration of ammonia technologies into the energy system.

A successful energy transition depends on the active involvement of all stakeholders. This policy brief, with contributions by Julie Hertel and Annika Weber, builds on the findings of the PlanTieFEn project and outlines practical recommendations for inclusive and cooperative planning processes. It emphasises the importance of recognising diverse needs, fostering engagement, and ensuring a fair distribution of both opportunities and burdens across different regions and communities.

Reactivating rail yards and sidings has the potential to strengthen both the resilience and capacity of the rail network. However, financing such measures is legally complex. In their article, Matthias Hartwig and Yannick Würkert analyse the available funding mechanisms within the current legal framework—particularly in the context of the Federal Rail Infrastructure Expansion Act (BSWAG)—and assess how these instruments can be effectively utilised.

Equal access to public charging infrastructure is essential for a fair transition to electric mobility. A recent publication by Dr Alexandra Appel, Zeno Pfeiffer and Annika Weber, developed within the FAMOUS project, introduces a comprehensive assessment matrix for identifying potential discrimination risks. The framework is applied to both public charging in Germany and cross-organisational sharing models.

Dr Michael Kalis explores the growing significance of constitutional climate litigation within the broader concept of the “futurisation of law”. Drawing on the Federal Constitutional Court’s landmark climate ruling of 2021 and ongoing “future-oriented” complaints, the article highlights how courts are increasingly called upon not only to adjudicate past actions but also to safeguard future freedoms.

In their article, Johannes Graetschel and Franziska Stamme analyse the tensions between climate protection measures and nature conservation law. They examine whether and to what extent climate-related policies may override environmental protections and discuss emerging trends in recent legislative initiatives

Leonie Durschang reviews Anna-Julia Saiger’s 2022 monograph, which examines the role of national courts in the development and enforcement of international climate law under the Paris Agreement. The review highlights key arguments and situates the work within current academic and legal debates.

IKEM’s Equal Opportunity Plan sets out strategic objectives and concrete measures to promote equality and diversity. The plan applies both internally and across the institute’s research projects, underlining IKEM’s commitment to inclusive and equitable practices in climate research.

The MobiRural project has been featured on the European Union’s Rural Pact Community platform as an example of best practice in rural mobility and local innovation. The publication highlights the project’s contribution to strengthening local capacities, engaging stakeholders, and developing innovative approaches to sustainable mobility in rural areas across Europe.

31 August – 4 September 2026
“Climate Spark – Igniting Multi-Level Action to Achieve the Global Energy Transition”

This year’s IKEM Academy focuses on how to sustain momentum in climate action, even in challenging political and economic contexts. The programme brings together international participants for a week of interdisciplinary exchange, combining expert lectures, interactive workshops and site visits.

17–18 September 2026 | Helsinki, Finland

The European Association of Climate Law (EACL) will host its second annual conference, examining the state of climate law a decade after the Paris Agreement. The event will bring together leading scholars and practitioners to discuss key developments and future challenges.

7 May 2026

The latest edition of the Berlin Energy Roundtable focused on the question: “Energy Transition Update – What does the EEG reform deliver?” Philine Wedell and Jana Eschweiler opened the event with insights into current developments in energy legislation, followed by a lively discussion with participants.

Also on 7 May, the PREVENT project was officially launched in Valencia. The project aims to develop Europe’s first comprehensive cybersecurity framework for the e-mobility ecosystem. IKEM experts Divy Gupte and Matthias Hartwig represented the institute on site.

13 May 2026

As part of the Women of Ukraine empOWered (WOW) project, researchers, innovators and practitioners from Ukraine gathered in Warsaw to exchange experiences and develop concrete equality plans for their organisations.

At this year’s Transport Research Arena (TRA), Maximilian Huppertz and Zeno Pfeiffer presented two research contributions from the FAMOUS project. The work explored platform-based sharing models for charging infrastructure, including both economic analysis and a comprehensive value network assessment.

20 May 2026

At the ZVEI eSummit, Philine Wedell took part in a panel discussion on the evolving role of buildings in the energy system. Key topics included flexible energy consumption, neighbourhood-based solutions and energy sharing.

27 May 2026

Markus Lehnshack provided insights into the legal framework governing the construction and operation of charging infrastructure in residential neighbourhoods, as part of a specialist event on sector coupling and electromobility.

28 May 2026

The latest Forum Wärmewende addressed the challenges of the heat transition in urban centres. Together with representatives from government, industry and civil society, IKEM Managing Director Philine Wedell and Advisory Board member Manfred Greis discussed the next steps for Berlin’s heat transition and the implications of the Building Modernisation Act.

Contributions include:

• Gunnar Wobig: Rethinking Participation – A Law that Builds Trust

• Dr Michael Kalis: The Future Before the Courts – Judicial Standards of Review in the “Futurisation of Law”, Using Constitutional Climate Litigation as an Example

• Johannes Graetschel / Franziska Stamme: Consistently Integrating Nature Conservation and Climate Protection

• Leonie Durschang: Book Review: National Courts in International Climate Law

News

• European Association of Climate Law invites participants to Helsinki
• 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue: Setting the course for COP31 in Antalya
• Santa Marta Conference: First steps towards a roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels

Case Law

• Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG), 26 Jan 2026 – 1 BvR 2664/25: Constitutional complaint against the “Pension Package 2025” inadmissible (with commentary by Dr Simon Diethelm Meyer)
• Federal Court of Justice (BGH), 23 Mar 2026 – VI ZR 334/23: No entitlement to an early phase-out of internal combustion engines (Part I)
• Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG), 29 Jan 2026 – 7 C 6.24: Supplementation of the 2023 Climate Protection Programme required

Are you researching legal aspects of climate change and interested in publishing your work? Contact the editorial team: klimr@ikem.de.

Join the IKEM team! We are currently recruiting:

• Doctoral candidates (m/f/d)
• Legal trainees
• Interns

We also offer positions for doctoral researchers.

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