Pascal Renaud-Bernath

• Since 2022
  Researcher and PhD candidate, Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg
• 2016-2021
  Advisor on circular economy and marine litter prevention, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Eschborn (Germany) and Bangkok (Thailand)
• 2012-2015
  Advisor on economic policy, Swiss Green Party, Bern (Switzerland)
• 2011-2012
  Postgraduate Programme of the German Development Institute, Bonn (Germany)
• 2009-2011
  M.A. in International Relations and Sustainable Development, Sciences Po Paris (France)
• 2008-2009
  Intern, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
• 2005-2008
  Undergraduate studies in political science of Sciences Po Paris in Nancy (France) and Erasmus exchange year at the University of St Andrews (Scotland)

I am a political scientist specialising in policy process research, environmental policy issues and forest policy. My current research focuses on policy change and learning in policy subsystems at national and local level. Empirically, I concentrate on how policy actors learn to deal with climate-related disturbances in forests in Germany and other European countries. Methodologically, I use interviews, observation, focus group discussions, document analysis and surveys. They serve to assess the evolution of policy beliefs of individuals and organisations, to analyse associated collective learning processes, and to better understand how knowledge contributes to policy change and implementation.

• Sandström, A., Beland-Lindahl, K., Mielewczyk, M., Niedzialkowski, K., Nilsson, J., Malovrh, Š. P., Renaud-Bernath, P., Sotirov, M., Uhan, Z. (2025). Combating new challenges with old political solutions? Policy responses to climate change and climate- induced disturbances in European forests. Forest Policy and Economics, 178, 103561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103561