With a PhD in economics, but an academic background in natural sciences (MSc in biology, post-graduate in ecology), Joachim SPANGENBERG is an interdisciplinary researcher by education and dedication.  

He works professionally as a macro economist for the Sustainable Europe Research Institute Germany and the Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research, Dept. of Community Ecology, and teaches at the Bochum University of Applied Sciences.

His work focusses on ecosystem services and their (often non-monetary) valuation, strong sustainable development strategies, sustainability ethics, monitoring and indicators, environmental conflicts and on sustainable consumption and economic (de)growth. His current projects are located in Vietnam, the Philippines and Europe, past project locations include Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China. Before joining the UFZ he worked for the Wuppertal Institute, the IEEP (Institute for European Environmental Policy) and as international expert for UNDP.

Joachim’s voluntary activities included working with the IPCC (at ar 4, SREX and in the AR 5 scenario development), membership in the EU Economists’ Expert Group on Resource Efficiency (2014) and the OECD Task Force on Green Growth and Sustainable Development (both until 2014). Currently he is member of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, Steering Committee member of the Ecosystem Services Partnership ESP, board member of the International Sustainable Development Society ISDRS and Collaborating Scientist of the World Academy of Arts and Science WAAS.