Curriculum Vitae
- I’m a political scientist by training with 10+ years of experience in carbon asset development. As a doctoral researcher, I study how individual behaviour, policy design, and governance shape the adoption of environment-friendly farming practices, particularly through payments for ecosystem services. My empirical work centres on Carbon Dioxide Removal options such as agroforestry, in the trinational Upper Rhine region, Brazil, and beyond, with a particular interest in Syntropic Agriculture.
Research
- Research Interests:
agri-environment-climate measures, agroforestry, payments for ecosystem services, policy evaluation, policy instruments, carbon markets, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), climate policy. - Agrarumwelt- und Klimamassnahmen, Agroforst, Honorierung von Ökosystemleistungen, Politikevaluierung, Politikinstrumente, Kohlenstoffmärkte, Kohlenstoffentnahme, Klimapolitik.
- Project:
- The CDR-PoEt project (Carbon Dioxide Removal Options: Policies and Ethics) is a principle-based, stakeholder-led, transparent approach to researching possible political instruments and fairness implications for carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Concrete policy options for scaling agroforestry practice are identified and evaluated on the basis of guiding principles that will allow examining its economic, socio-cultural and institutional feasibility.
- The doctorate researchers will work in two case study regions: the Brazilian Amazon and the trinational Upper Rhine.
- Duration: Nov. 2021 – Oct. 2024
Teaching
- Agroforestry systems, Seminar at Master’s Level, 2024, University of Freiburg. (Contribution)
- Ecosystem Management, Seminar at Master’s Level, 2023, University of Freiburg. (TA)
- Energy Economics, Seminar at Master’s Level,2012, Sciences Po Paris (TA)
- Decarbonisation Pathways and Renewable Energies, Seminar at Master’s Level, 2012, Sciences Po Paris (TA)
- Network Energies, Seminar at Master’s Level, 2012, Sciences Po Paris (TA)
Publications
- Peer-reviewed journal publications:
- Mayr, S., Pokorny, B., Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E., Reinecke, S. (2025): Scaling agroforestry through Payments for Ecosystem Services: A scoping review. Climate Policy. Special Issue.
- https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2025.2490205
- Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E., Reinecke, S., Mayr, S., De Jong, W. (2025): Agroforestry as land-based carbon dioxide removal in central Europe: tensions between institutions, interests, and ideas hindering scaling up. Climate Policy. Special Issue.
- https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2025.2478286
- Benichou, L. & Mayr, S. (2014): Rogeaulito: a world energy scenario modeling tool for transparent energy system thinking. Frontiers in Energy Research 1, 13
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2013.00013
- Erdmenger, C., Lehmann, H., Müschen, K ., Tambke, J., Mayr, S., Kuhnhenn, K. (2009): A climate protection strategy for Germany—40% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020 compared to 1990. Energy Policy 37 (1), 158-165
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.07.031
- Other publications:
- Mayr, S., Reinecke, S., Jiménez-Martínez, M., Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E. (2025): CDR-PoEt Policy Brief: Policy steps to unlock Agroforestry’s Carbon Dioxide Removal potential.
- https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15696968
- Mayr, S., Reinecke, S., Jiménez-Martínez, M., Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E. (2025): CDR-PoEt Policy Brief: Politische Schritte zur Erschließung des CO2-Entnahmepotenzials der Agroforstwirtschaft.
- https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15667027
- Galt, H., Brescia, D., Mayr, S. (2017): Linking the Clean Development Mechanism with the Green Climate Fund: Insights from Practitioners and Decision Makers in Africa.
- Michaelowa, A., Greiner, S., Hoch,S., Le Saché, F., Brescia, D., Galt, H., Mayr, S. (2016): The Paris Agreement: The future relevance of UNFCCC-backed carbon markets for Africa. Policy Brief.
- Mayr, S. (2014): Book Review: Europeanization of Environmental Policy in the New Europe by Mats Braun. LSE Review of Books.
- Mayr, S. (2014): Book Review: The Greenest Nation ? by Frank Uekötter, LSE Review of Books.
- Mayr, S. (2009): CDM Projekte im Süden: Ein langer Weg bis zur Genehmigung, in: Berne Declaration: E-Mission Impossible: Das globale Feilschen um die Reduktion der Treibhausgase,14-16
- Möller, K., Mayr, S. (2008): Klimaschutzprojekte in der Schweiz, Vollzugsweisung zur Durchführung von Kompensationsmassnahmen.
- Mayr, S., Michaelowa A. (2008): Empirical analysis of performance of CDM projects from registration to CER issuance. Climate Strategies.
- Erdmenger, C., Kuhnhenn, K., Maue, G., Mayr, S. (2008): Progress of German climate change policies until 2020. Report of the German Government for the assessment of projected progress in accordance with the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol-reporting in compliance to article 3 (2) EU Directive 280/2004. Final report; Wirksamkeit des Klimaschutzes in Deutschland bis 2020. Bericht der Bundesregierung zur Bewertung des voraussichtlichen Fortschritts der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 2007 gemaess Umsetzung des Kyoto-Protokolls-Berichterstattung nach Artikel 3 Absatz 2 der EU-Richtlinie 280/2004. Endfassung.
- Presentations:
- Mayr, S. (2025): Politische Schritte zur Erschließung des Potenzials der Agroforstwirtschaft. Presentation as part of event „Relevanz von Agroforst für die Agrar- und Umweltpolitik Baden-Württembergs.“ LAZBW Aulendorf. 21.11.2025
- Mayr, S. (2025): Der CRCF als Instrument zur Erschließung des CO2-Entnahmepotenzials der Agroforstwirtschaft.
- 10. Agroforestry Forum, 17./18.09.2025, University of Gießen (Germany).
- Mayr, S., Pokorny, B., Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E., Reinecke, S. (2024): Scaling agroforestry through Payments for Ecosystem Services: A scoping review. Poster presentation at the 3rd international conference on Negative CO2 emissions. 18-21 June 2024. Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.
- Mayr, S. (2024): Effectiveness of Payments for Ecosystem Services in support of Agroforestry in the trinational Upper Rhine. In: Lojka, B. and Hoffmannová, S. (2024): EURAF 2024. Abstract book. Agroforestry – regenerating landscapes and diversifying production in Europe. 28.–31. 5. 2024. Brno. (p. 399). Poster presentation.
- https://doi.org/10.11118/978-80-7509-982-2
- Mayr, S., Pokorny, B., Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E., Reinecke, S. (2024): Scaling agroforestry through Payments for Ecosystem Services: A scoping review. In: Lojka, B. and Hoffmannová, S. (2024): EURAF 2024. Abstract book. Agroforestry – regenerating landscapes and diversifying production in Europe. 28.–31. 5. 2024. Brno. (p. 402). Oral presentation.
- https://doi.org/10.11118/978-80-7509-982-2
- Hajdukovic, I., Coello, J., Armengot, L., Dibari, C., Jimenez-de-Santiago, D., Jiménez Martinez, M., Kasargodu Anebagilu, P., Mayr, S., Niether, W. (2024): Carbon farming: an emerging opportunity to promote agroforestry. In: Lojka, B. and Hoffmannová, S. (2024): EURAF 2024. Abstract book. Agroforestry – regenerating landscapes and diversifying production in Europe. 28.–31. 5. 2024. Brno. (p. 395-396). Poster presentation.
- https://doi.org/10.11118/978-80-7509-982-2
- Montero-de-Oliveira, F.-E., Mayr, S., Reinecke, S. (2024): CDR PoEt – Chancen und Herausforderungen für neue
- Agroforstsysteme in Deutschland und darüber hinaus. In: Agrarforschung zum Klimawandel Konferenz der Deutschen Agrarforschungsallianz, 11.-14.03.2024, Potsdam. (p.34, p.39). Oral poster presentation.
- https://doi.org/10.3220/DAFA1713767287000
- Bellon, S., Werner, S., Amato, F., Ortiz, D., Savin, C. Mayr, S., Warlop, F., Cornie, S.K., Falquet, M., Rousselou, E. (2022): Applying the Principles of Syntropic Agriculture to Mediterranean Situations. 6th European Agroforestry Conference, EURAF2022, Nuoro, Italy on May 16-20, 2022. Oral poster presentation.
- Mayr, S. (2007): Market Survey: Analysts and Market Participants Forecasts for 2008-2012. Summary of the Major Carbon Market Studies. International Emissions Trading Conference 2007, Prague Congress Centre, May 15, 2007.
The 2 most recent publication(s) are displayed
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Montero de Oliveira, F. E., Reinecke, S., Mayr, S., & Jong, W. de. (2026). Agroforestry as land-based carbon dioxide removal in central Europe: tensions between institutions, interests, and ideas hindering scaling up. Climate Policy, 26(6), 907–925. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2025.2478286
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Mayr, S., Pokorny, B., Montero de Oliveira, F. E., & Reinecke, S. (2026). Scaling agroforestry through payments for ecosystem services: a scoping review. Climate Policy, 26(6), 887–906. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2025.2490205
- …
Honours and awards
- Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft Freiburg: Travel Award (2026)
- DAAD: scholarship (2002)
- Erasmus+: scholarship (2002)
Positions, Offices, and Memberships
- Manuscript Peer Reviewer for following Journals: Climatic Change; Energy Policy; Frontiers in Environmental Science; Frontiers in Forests and Global Change – Tropical Forests; Frontiers in Energy Research;
- Deutscher Fachverband für Agroforstwirtschaft (DeFAF) e.V. – Regionalgruppe Baden-Württemberg;
In the Media
- 30/03/2026: German agroforestry sector urges more climate support. Argus News & Analysis.