Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)

The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim is a non-profit and independent institute with the legal form of a limited liability company (GmbH). Founded in 1990 on the basis of a public-private initiative in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg in co-operation with the University of Mannheim, ZEW is one of Germany's leading economic research institutes, and enjoys a strong reputation throughout Europe. ZEW pursues four key objectives:

•    To conduct research of the highest quality
•    To provide scientifically grounded economic policy advising
•    To train up-and-coming economists, and
•    To inform the professional and lay public

The project will be carried out by the ZEW research department "Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Management" which investigates the proper function of markets and institutions with regard to environmental aspects and resource scarcity. A key focus is placed on energy and climate policy. The Research Department conducts economic assessments of policies that impact the environment such as transport, energy, technology, and economic policy. The research work includes analyses that identify conflicts between economic and environmental goals. Given the universal shortage of resources, a central criterion in the economic assessments is cost efficiency – the ability of a policy to achieve a defined goal at minimal cost.