Henry Hempel, M.A.
Thematic Area Environment and Society
Department of Environmental Politics
Helmholtz Centre
for Environmental Research − UFZ
Permoserstr. 15
04318 Leipzig, Germany
henry.hempel@ufz.de
Research Expertise & Interests
Chemical Industry & Policy
REACH & CLP
European Green Deal
Discourse and Narrative Analysis
Stakeholder Interactions
Curriculum Vitae
Professional experience
Since 08/2023
Doctoral Researcher, Department of Environmental Politics, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig
04/2021 – 06/2023
Research Assistant, Chair for Politics in the European Multilevel System & EU Vista Project, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main
06/2018 – 12/2020
Management Consultant, CPC Unternehmensmanagement AG, Berlin & Stuttgart
Education
10/2020 – 07/2023
Master in Economic Sociology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main
02/2022 – 07/2022
Participant in Erasmus Student Exchange Programme, Sociology Marmara University, Istanbul
10/2013 – 03/2017
Bachelor in Business and Economics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena
Publications
Hempel, H., Luo, A., Escher, B. I., & Leipold, S. (2025). Discursive Strategies and Paths Forward for EU Chemical Legislation: Bridging German Stakeholder Narratives on Pollution and Competitiveness for the Announced REACH Revision [Paper]. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2025.2542789
Hempel, H. (2025). Wie wir über die Umwelt sprechen [Podcast]. Forschungsquartett | Narrative in der Umweltpolitik. https://detektor.fm/wissen/forschungsquartett-narrative-in-der-umweltpolitik
Hempel, H. (2025). Balancing EU chemical policies: pollution control and competitiveness [Blog Post]. ECPR's Political Science Blog - The Loop. https://theloop.ecpr.eu/balancing-eu-chemical-policies-pollution-control-and-competitiveness/
Hempel, H., Einhäupl, P., Escher, B. I., Heidenreich, M., Leipold, S., Schweizer, P.-J., Sielemann, K., & Srebny, V. (2025). Accelerated Testing of More Substances - Towards Better Chemicals Regulation [Policy Brief]. SynCom, Helmholtz Earth & Environment, 4 (Berlin). https://doi.org/10.48440/syncom.2025.001
Hempel, H., Einhäupl, P., Escher, B. I., Heidenreich, M., Leipold, S., Schweizer, P.-J., Sielemann, K., & Srebny, V. (2024). Mehr Stoffe schneller testen - Potenziale für eine bessere Chemikalienregulierung [Policy Brief]. SynCom, Helmholtz Erde & Umwelt, 4 (Berlin). https://doi.org/10.48440/syncom.2024.003
Current Projects
Conferences
2025. July 1 – 4. Chiang Mai, Thailand
Paper Presenter at the 7th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP7): "Discursive Strategies and Paths Forward for EU Chemical Legislation: Bridging Stakeholder Narratives on Pollution and Competitiveness" at the Panels "Policy Cases and Polarization | Environmental Policy and Polarisation: Pathways, Futures and Strategies" and "Framing the Futures: How Discourses Shape Public Policy Agendas"
2025. May 2 [online]. Vienna, Austria
Paper Presenter at the European Geosciences Union (EGU): "Aligning Sustainability and Competitiveness: A Science-Policy Exploration of the REACH Revision Debate" at the Panel "Strengthening Policy Through Science: Insights from the Interface".
2024. June 19 – 21. Lisbon, Portugal
Paper Presenter at the European Consortium for Political Research (Standing Group on the European Union): "Discursive Battles over EU Chemical Hazard Assessments: Pollution, Competitiveness, New Approach Methodologies" at the Panel "New methods in the study of EU actors".
2023. April 25 – 28. Toulouse, France
Paper Presenter at the European Consortium for Political Research: “Framing the environmental risks of plastics in times of crisis. The role of industry in the EU’s Circular Economy policy” at the Panel “Towards a New Era of Environmental Risk Regulation in the EU? Analysing the EU Regulatory Approach in a Comparative Perspective”.