Dr Oliver Bens, Head of ‘Operational Management’ at the GFZ, is a member of the newly founded, twelve-member Brandenburg Scientific Climate Council for three years. RIFS scientist Prof Dr Sophia Becker, leader of the interdisciplinary Junior Research Group "The Transport Transition as a Socio-ecological Real-World-Experiment" (EXPERI), was also appointed. Brandenburg's Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection, Axel Vogel, presented the certificates of appointment at the constituent meeting on 15 July 2024.

The Climate Advisory Council advises the state of Brandenburg on achieving its climate targets, in particular on greenhouse gas emissions and on measures under the Brandenburg Climate Plan adopted in March 2024. In addition, the Climate Advisory Council accompanies the updating of the climate plan and can thus define fields of action and priorities. The maxim of social, economic and ecological sustainability should apply to all considerations.

The twelve members of the Scientific Climate Council were initially appointed for three years until 31 July 2027 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK) on the recommendation of the relevant ministries. With their expertise, they cover all relevant sectors and fields of action of the climate plan.

About the person

Dr Oliver Bens is Head of Operational Management at the GFZ and Co-Director of the Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences CAIAG. He holds a doctorate in geosciences and is an experienced science manager. During his career, he has held various positions in universities, industry and interdisciplinary working groups of science academies and is a member of various policy advisory bodies. He has been working at the GFZ since 2007.

His scientific interests include the areas of ‘The course and consequences of global change and the sustainable use of georesources’. In the state of Brandenburg, Oliver Bens is a member of the Foundation Council of the Nature Conservation Fund of the State of Brandenburg and of the Nature Conservation Advisory Board of the State of Brandenburg at the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection.
 

You can read more in the detailed press release (German only) from the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK) of the State of Brandenburg, from which parts of the above text are taken.