Jana Stöver Joins KCG with a Research Project on the Role of Technology Diffusion for Sustainable Development

Dr. Jana Stöver joins the KCG to collaborate with the research group of Professors Katrin Rehdanz and Aiofe Hanley in a research project on environmental regulation and technology diffusion. She receives funding from the DAAD’s P.R.I.M.E. program to investigate the topic in Kiel and at MINES ParisTech using firm-level data from Germany and France.

The project’s focus lies in the process of technology diffusion, which can be observed, for example, by modifications of production processes or investments in green technologies, and is an important driver to improve firms’ resource efficiency. In her research, Dr. Stöver aims to empirically investigate two aspects in particular: Firstly, she will investigate how firms’ responses to environmental regulations differ by institutional environment and/or firm-level characteristics. Distinguishing these two channels of influence can be important for policy design: Some regulations may need to only target firms with certain characteristics, while others may better aim to change aspects of the institutional environment and apply equally to all firms. Determining when one or the other is best suited to foster sustainable development is one of the project’s goals. Secondly, she will analyze what the results imply for international technology transfers in the context of climate change mitigation and firm-level adaptation.