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
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 2019
Project: Biodiver_CITY San José, Costa Rica – Green space for sustainable development and adaptation. Project lead: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Financed by the BMUB International Climate Initiative (IKI).
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).
Lecturer: Economics of Global Environmental Change, MSc Programme in Global Change Ecology, University of Bayreuth (since 2017)
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
Biodiver_CITY − Creating interurban bio-corridors in the region of San José, Costa Rica
Integrating multiple values of nature in environmental decisions and policy
Enabling Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Melanesia and Micronesia (Small Island States)
ValuES − Methods for integrating ecosystem services into development practice.
TEEB − The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
GLUES: Global assessment of land use dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem services
Publications and Conferences
2019 (4)
- Förster, J., Mcleod, E., Bruton-Adams, M.M., Wittmer, H., (2019):
Climate change impacts on small island states: ecosystem services risks and opportunities
In: Schröter, M., Bonn, A., Klotz, S., Seppelt, R., Baessler, C., (eds.)
Atlas of ecosystem services : drivers, risks, and societal responses
Springer International Publishing, Cham, p. 353 - 359
full text (doi) - Förster, J., Schmidt, S., Bartkowski, B., Lienhoop, N., Albert, C., Wittmer, H., (2019):
Incorporating environmental costs of ecosystem service loss in political decision making: A synthesis of monetary values for Germany
PLOS One 14 (2), e0211419
full text (doi) - Mcleod, E., Bruton-Adams, M., Förster, J., Franco, C., Gaines, G., Gorong, B., James, R., Posing-Kulwaum, G., Tara, M., Terk, E., (2019):
Lessons from the Pacific Islands – Adapting to climate change by supporting social and ecological resilience
Front. Mar. Sci. 6 , art. 289
full text (doi) - Schröter, M., Kuhlicke, C., Förster, J., Baessler, C., Bonn, A., (2019):
The risk to ecosystems and ecosystem services: a framework for the Atlas of ecosystem services
In: Schröter, M., Bonn, A., Klotz, S., Seppelt, R., Baessler, C., (eds.)
Atlas of ecosystem services : drivers, risks, and societal responses
Springer International Publishing, Cham, p. 3 - 6
full text (doi)
2017 (1)
- Cumming, T.L., Shackleton, R.T., Förster, J., Dini, J., Khan, A., Gumula, M., Kubiszewski, I., (2017):
Achieving the national development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through investment in ecological infrastructure: A case study of South Africa
Ecosyst. Serv. 27 (Part B), 253 - 260
full text (doi)
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)
- Berghöfer, A., Manns, F., Förster, J., Schmidt, S., (eds., 2014):
ValuES Methods Database. Finding suitable methods for assessing ecosystem services
full text (url) - Berghöfer, A., Wittmer, H., Emerton, L., van Zyl, H., Rode, J., Förster, J., (2014):
ValuES Methods Navigator. How to choose suitable assessment methods?
full text (url)
2013 (1)
- Russi, D., ten Brink, P., Farmer, A., Badura, T., Coates, D., Förster, J., Kumar, R., and Davidson, N., (2013):
The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity for water and wetlands
Institute for European Policy (IEEP), Brussels/London, 84 pp.
full text (url)
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)
- Förster, J., Wittmer, H., (2011):
Die TEEB-Studie - The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity
Nat. Landschaft 86 (4), 148 - 150