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Staff Profile

Professor Katharine Rietig

Professor of Sustainability and International Politics

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7742
  • Address: School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
    Henry Daysh Building
    Newcastle University,
    Newcastle upon Tyne,
    NE1 7RU
Background

Professor Katharine Rietig is Professor of Sustainability and International Politics and co-director of the Newcastle University Centre for Research Excellence on Energy with a focus on renewable energies.


She is Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and teaches as well as supervises student projects on a broad range of sustainability and public policy themes, especially on climate change, international organisations, public policy/administration and sustainable economic development in the areas of energy, transport, agriculture/forestry and industry.


She published a monograph on innovative social sciences teaching focused on developing and advancing career and employment-related skills in an ever-changing professional environment facing major changes from AI and globalisation.


Her research examines how the effectiveness of climate change policies can be improved. Her particular focus is on the role of learning, non-state actors and multilevel governance dynamics between countries and the United Nations, and how these dynamics facilitate policy change for more effective sustainability governance.


She was awarded a British Academy/Wolfson Fellowship as Principal Investigator on ‘Climate Smart Cities: Responsible Policies for governing Artificial Intelligence in Transitions to Low Carbon Societies and was Principal Investigator of a British Academy-funded project on Just Transitions in the forestry sector. Her research and impact activities have been funded by the UK Research and Innovation Council/ Economic and Social Research Council, the British Academy, the Wolfson Foundation and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.


She has been participating regularly as academic observer in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations since November 2009 and conducted various research projects on the UNFCCC negotiations focusing on the influence of non-national actors, negotiation strategies and the role of leadership by governments and non-national actors. She is co-founder and co-convenor of the Better Climate Governance Network, and academic co-lead for Climate Action with Insights North East (INE).


She holds a PhD in Environmental Policy and Development as well as a MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an M.A. in Political Science, International Law and Economics from the Ludwig Maximilian University Munich.


Her work appeared in leading peer-reviewed journals including Environmental Policy and Governance, Environmental Politics, Global Governance, International Affairs, International Environmental Agreements, the Journal of European Public Policy, Policy Studies Journal, Policy and Society, Policy Sciences and Public Administration.


Her research monograph on Learning in Governance has been published in September 2021 by MIT Press.


Twitter/X: @KatharineRietig

Google Scholar: Click here



Qualifications

 

PhD, London School of Economics and Political Science (2014)

Magister Artium in Political Science, Economics and International Law (distinction equivalent), Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (2011)

MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation (with distinction), London School of Economics and Political Science (2010)



Teaching Qualifications 


Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (full), London School of Economics and Political Science 

Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy 

Certificate in Research Supervision, De Montfort University 



Institutional Responsibilities and External Activities



Academic Co-Director of the Newcastle University Centre for Research Excellence on Energy (9/2023-)

Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the LKY School of Public Policy, National University Singapore (2023-)

Research Impact Co-Director for Politics, School of GPS, Newcastle University (9/2023-9/2024)

Co-Chair & Co-Founder of the Better Climate Governance Network

Convener of the Environment Working Group of the British International Studies Association (2021-2024) 

Member, COP-27 Steering Committee, Newcastle University (2022-)

Mentor, Newcastle Educational Practice Scheme, Newcastle University (2021-)

Co-convenor of the Environmental Humanities Initiative of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Newcastle University (2020-2022)

Convenor of the Environment and Sustainability Politics Research Group, Newcastle University (2020-22, 2023-)

Co-Chair/Organiser of the Better Climate Governance Matters! conference 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024



Research Environment Coordinator for Politics, School of GPS, Newcastle University (2021-22)

Chair of Outreach Committee, International Studies Association - Environmental Studies Section (2018-20)

International Exchange and Erasmus Coordinator, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University (2016-19)

Widening Participation Coordinator for Politics, School of GPS, Newcastle University (2016/17)


Peer-reviewer for leading international journals, including e.g. Public Administration, International Affairs, Review of International Organization, International Studies Review, International Environmental Agreements, the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Environmental Politics, West European Politics, Politics, Routledge, Palgrave Macmillan, MIT Press and Oxford University Press

Member of International Studies Association, International Public Policy Association, International Political Science Association and British International Studies Association

Senior Research Fellow at the Earth System Governance Network (Research Fellow 2011-2021)

Co-Chair/Organiser of LSE Interdisciplinary Research Conference

Reviewer and Evaluator, FIBAA, German Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance Agency



Previous Positions

 

Newcastle University:

Reader in International Politics (2022-2023)

Senior Lecturer in International Politics (2020-2022)

Lecturer in International Politics (2015-2020)


Before joining Newcastle University, I was Lecturer in Politics and Research Methods at the Politics and Public Policy Department at De Montfort University Leicester (2014/15) and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Governance of Sustainable Pathways at the University of Leeds (2013/14). I taught Environmental Governance, Environmental Management and Research Methods at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and contributed to research projects on Sustainable Development in the European Union (LSE Government Department) as well as on climate change legislation and diplomacy at the LSE Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment/ Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy.

My non-academic work experience includes the European Commission (Directorate General for Climate Action), the German Foreign Office and the World Bank's Development Gateway Foundation.

 

 

 

Research

Research Interests



My research sits at the intersection of International Relations/Global Governance and European Public Policy. It evolves around the governance of socio-technical transitions to low/net-zero carbon economies, with a special focus on new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, in energy and transport that allow us to address climate change as a key challenge of the 21st century.

My work focuses on the following factors that can facilitate such sustainable transitions:

- Evaluating the influence of non-state actors, including cities, scientists, NGOs and business networks as well as the use of scientific knowledge in policymaking on the city/local, national, EU and global governance levels

- Examine the role of learning and leadership in achieving breakthroughs in international negotiations and public policy making


I am interested in supervising PhD/ research projects related to international organizations (EU, UN), non-state actors, public policy-making, environmental and climate change governance.


Current PhD candidates:

Mr Wegit Triantoro

Ms Murni Dewi

Ms Siyuan Wang




Engagement Activities


Since 2009, I have been regularly participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations (e.g. in Copenhagen 2009, Paris 2015, Marrakech 2016, Bonn 2017 and several inter-sessional meetings in Bonn). I participated in the Roundtable on Green Growth discussions, meetings of the Research and Independent Non Governmental Organizations, presented my research findings on improving the effectiveness of non-state actor participation in international climate change negotiations and co-organised a number of panel discussions (side events).

In 2012, I participated in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO 20) in Rio de Janeiro/ Brazil.

I co-founded and co-convene the Better Climate Governance Network together with Christine Peringer (Mediators Beyond Borders International).



Funding Awards

(selection; over 650,000 GBP since joining Newcastle University in 2015 and over 450,000 GBP as Principal Investigator)


British Academy 2025/26 Global Innovation Fellowship with the German Council on Foreign Relations (£149,950)


British Academy/ Wolfson Fellowship 2020-24 (Principal Investigator) on Climate Smart Cities: Responsible Policies for governing Artificial Intelligence in Transitions to Low Carbon Societies (£129,985) 


Newcastle University Policy Support Fund 2022/23 (Principal Investigator) with Christine Peringer/Mediators Beyond Borders International (Co-I) on Improving the effectiveness of global climate negotiations: the Global Stocktake (£9,935)


British Academy 2021/22 (Principal Investigator) with Graham Long, Benjamin Cashore, Iben Nathan, Emily Clough and Christine Peringer on The 'net' in net-zero greenhouse gas emissions: achieving just transitions in the forestry sector through Climate Policy Integration and learning (£99,304) 


UKRI Higher Education Innovation Fund 2021/22 (Principal Investigator) with Christine Peringer/Mediators Beyond Borders International on Capacity building for better climate governance - growing a transnational stakeholder network for sharing lessons learned in addressing climate change (£7,803)


Newcastle University Policy Support Fund 2021/22 (Principal Investigator) with Christine Peringer/Mediators Beyond Borders International on Increasing the Influence of Global South Countries in the UNFCCC Negotiations: Capacity Building with Ghana (£16,628)


ESRC Impact Acceleration Account 2019-22 (Principal Investigator) with Christine Peringer (Co-I) on Improving the Effectiveness of Climate Change Negotiations (£22,031)


British Academy Small Research Grant 2017-19 (Principal Investigator) on non-state actor leadership in transitioning to a low carbon economy (£9,800)

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs project 2018/19 (Co-I with Graham Long and Emily Clough) on Evaluating Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals 


ESRC Impact Acceleration Account 2016-19 (Principal Investigator) on improving the effectiveness of non-state actor participation in international climate change negotiations (£16,150/ 3 separate projects)


Newcastle University, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Small Research Grants (2015-2025)






Teaching



 

 

Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.

[Chinese Proverb]

 

 

Inspiring students to learn and stimulating their fascination is at the heart of my teaching philosophy. I achieve this through my own enthusiasm for teaching and student-centred learning activities in classes and lectures. I thoroughly enjoy encouraging students to develop critical thinking abilities and training their analytical skills, thus transferring my passion for the discipline to my students. My objective is to create an active learning environment for students. This active learning environment allows them to engage with the course material in a way that facilitates the development of skills relevant to their later careers and furthers deep-level learning.


Teaching-related research outputs:


Rietig K. (2024). Innovative Social Sciences Teaching and Learning: Facilitating Students' Personal Growth and Career Success. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Rietig, K. (2021). Learning theory and the Personal Growth Mindset Framework in Higher Education: the power of yet and dreaming big. SSRN.

Rietig, K. (2021). Artificial Intelligence changes the world of work: How a growth mindset can help social sciences and humanities graduates succeed. SSRN.

Rietig, K. (2020). Experience-based Learning in International Relations: Integrating UN and EU Simulations into online learning. UACES Annual Conference, September 2020.



I am currently on research leave (2025)



Current Teaching (2024/25):

POL2015: International Institutions

HSS8004: Qualitative Methodology in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (PhD/ PGR)

Newcastle Educational Practice Scheme (NEPS), Mentor


Previous Teaching: 

2023-24: POL2310: International Organizations and Diplomacy (module leader)

2021-22: POL2110: Security Studies

2018-19:   POL3118: Environmental Governance and Policy (module leader)

2016-19:   POL3110: International Organization and Diplomacy (module leader)

2015-19:   POL3046: UG Dissertation (supervisor, lectures)

2015-17:   POL8098: PGR MA Dissertation (module leader)

2015-17:   POL8099: PGT MA Dissertation (supervisor, module leader) 

2015/16:   POL3063: European Union Decision Making Simulation (UG, Newcastle)

2014/15:   Introduction to Politics (UG, DMU Leicester, module leader)

2014/15:   Political Analysis (UG, DMU Leicester)

2014/15:   Managing the Environment (UG, DMU Leicester, module leader)

2013/14:   Environmental Governance and Sustainability (PG, Leeds)

2011-13:   Environmental Governance (UG, London School of Economics)

2010/11:   Environmental Management (UG, London School of Economics)

2010/11:   European Environmental and Climate Change Policy (UG, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich)

2008-11:   Model United Nations preparation programme for Harvard WorldMUN and NMUN (UG, LMU Munich)


Publications