Dr. rer. nat. Johannes Förster

MSc. in Global Change Ecology

Department of Environmental Politics
UFZ Science-Policy Expert Group

Helmholtz Centre
for Environmental Research − UFZ
Permoserstraße 15
D-04318 Leipzig

fon +49 (0)341 235 1932
fax +49 (0)341 235 45 1932

johannes.foerster@ufz.de

Johannes Förster

Areas of Expertise & Research

  • Ecosystem services and sustainable development
  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies
  • Science-policy processes (UNFCCC, CBD, IPBES)
  • The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)
  • Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+)

Curriculum Vitae

since 2022

BioNET – Multi-level Assessment of Bio-based Negative Emission Technologies. Financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

since 2021

Bio-Mo-D: Appreciating biodiversity − Modernising economic accounting in Germany (UFZ lead person). Financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

since 2017

Lecturer: Economics of Global Environmental Change, MSc Programme in Global Change Ecology, University of Bayreuth

2020 – 2021

Member of the Helmholtz-Climate-Initiative (HI-CAM); Assessing the feasibility of negative emission technologies

2019 − 2022

Project: Supporting decision making and building capacity to support IPBES through national ecosystem assessments. Project lead: UNEP WCMC. Financed by the BMUB International Climate Initiative (IKI).

2015 − 2018

Researcher (UFZ lead person). Project: Enabling Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Melanesia and Micronesia (Small Island States). Project lead: The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Financed by the BMUB International Climate Initiative (IKI).

2015 − 2016

Researcher (UFZ lead person). Project: Methodenkonvention 3.0 – Weiterentwicklung und Erweiterung der Methodenkonvention zur Schätzung von Umweltkosten. Sachstandsbericht AP 2: Schätzung der Umweltkosten infolge Schädigung oder Zerstörung von Ökosystemen und Biodiversitätsverlust. Project lead: INFRAS. Financed by the Umweltbundesamt (UBA).

2013 − 2018

Researcher. Project: ValuES − Methods for integrating ecosystem services into development practice. Project lead: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Financed by the BMUB International Climate Initiative (IKI).

2011 − 2018

PhD candidate. “Assessing ecosystem services for supporting decision making”. Project: Global assessment of land use dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem services (GLUES). Financed by the BMBF Sustainable Land Management Programme. Completed.

since 2009

Researcher. Project: scientific coordination of TEEB – The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Project lead: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Financed by European Union, Germany, Norway, and other donors. Continuous involvement including TEEB-follow up activities.

2007 − 2008

Junior Professional Associate, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Gland, Switzerland.

2004 − 2006

Research assistant at Abisko Scientific Research Station (ANS), Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden.

2003

Intern at Fundacion Curiquingue (rainforest conservation), Ecuador.

2000

Volunteer in nature conservation projects, Costa Rica.

Education

2006 − 2009

Global Change Ecology (MSc), University of Bayreuth, Germany. MSc thesis: "The Potential for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Western Ghana".

2004 − 2006

Physical Geography (MSc) and Biology (BSc), Umea University, Sweden

2001 − 2003

Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation (including Environmental Economics), Undergraduate/Vordiplom, University of Greifswald, Germany


Membership

  • Member of the Ecosystem Service Partnership (ESP)
  • Member of IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM)
  • Alumnus – Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation)
  • 2010 – 2011: Member of review panel providing guidance on ecosystem services assessment and valuation of wetlands to the Government of Alberta, Canada. Project: Ecosystem Services Approach Pilot on Wetlands. Operationalizing an Ecosystem Service Approach within the Government of Alberta

Projects


Publications and Conferences

2024 (1)

2023 (5)

2022 (10)

2021 (6)

2020 (3)

2019 (4)

2017 (1)

2015 (2)

  • Förster, J., Barkmann, J., Fricke, R., Hotes, S., Kleyer, M., Kobbe, S., Kübler, D., Rumbaur, C., Siegmund-Schultze, M., Seppelt, R., Settele, J., Spangenberg, J.H., Tekken, V., Václavík, T., Wittmer, H. (2015):
    Assessing ecosystem services for informing land-use decisions: a problem-oriented approach
    Ecol. Soc. 20 (3), art. 31
    full text (doi)
  • Vohland, K., Doyle, U., Albert, C., Bertram, C., Biber-Freudenberger, L., Bonn, A., Brenck, M., Burkhard, B., Förster, J., Fuchs, E., Galler, C., von Haaren, C., Ibisch, P.L., Kaphengst, T., Klassert, C., Klenke, R., Klotz, S., Kreft, S., Kühn, I., Marquard, E., Mehl, D., Meinke, I., Naumann, K., Reckermann, M., Rehdanz, K., Rüter, S., Saathoff, W., Sauermann, J., Scholz, M., Schröder, U., Seppelt, R., Thrän, D., Witing, F. (2015):
    Ökosystemleistungen, Biodiversität und Klimawandel: Grundlagen
    In: Hartje, V., Wüstemann, H., Bonn, A. (Hrsg.)
    Naturkapital Deutschland – TEEB DE: Naturkapital und Klimapolitik - Synergien und Konflikte
    Technische Universität Berlin ; Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung – UFZ, Berlin, Leipzig, S. 66 - 99
    full text (url)

2014 (2)

2013 (1)

2012 (3)

  • Wissel, S., Berghöfer, A., Jordan, R., Oldfield, S., Stellmacher, T., Förster, J. (2012):
    Certification and labelling
    In: Wittmer, H., Gundimeda, H. (eds.)
    The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity in local and regional policy and management
    Earthscan, London, p. 263 - 278
  • Wittmer, H., Berghöfer, A., Förster, J. (2012):
    Appendix: Practical advice, FAQs, tools and databases
    In: Wittmer, H., Gundimeda, H. (eds.)
    The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity in local and regional policy and management
    Earthscan, London, p. 301 - 313
  • Wittmer, H., Berghöfer, A., Keune, H., Martens, P., Förster, J., Almack, K. (2012):
    The value of nature for local development
    In: Wittmer, H., Gundimeda, H. (eds.)
    The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity in local and regional policy and management
    Earthscan, London, p. 7 - 32

2011 (1)