Julia Bläsius to lead Agora Industry Germany

Julia Bläsius is reshaping Agora’s work in Germany for the next phase on the path to climate neutrality, taking over the leadership of Agora Industry’s Germany-focused work on the industrial transformation. The move comes at a time when cross-sectoral issues are increasingly taking centre stage in German climate policy. These include, for example, expanding infrastructure to meet rising electricity demand from transport, buildings and industry; scaling up renewable heat supply for households and businesses; securing reliable financing for climate investments; and ensuring a fair distribution of the costs of the energy transition. 

“With this alignment, we aim to integrate energy, distributional and economic competitiveness issues even more closely within German climate policy and address them together,” says Julia Bläsius, Director of Agora Energiewende Germany and Agora Industry Germany. “Germany faces the crucial task of modernising its infrastructure, buildings and industrial sites. When climate action and investment in economic modernisation go hand in hand, it creates real added value: sustainable industrial sites and opportunities in emerging markets, greater independence from fossil fuel imports, and affordable energy for households and businesses – and, last but not least, a decisive contribution to achieving climate targets in Germany and Europe.” Germany is the EU’s largest industrial nation, the world’s third-largest economy and one of the world’s ten largest greenhouse gas emitters. It therefore has a crucial role to play in reducing Europe’s dependence on fossil fuel imports and in building up clean technology production in the EU.

Going forward, Agora will continue to provide evidence-based analysis, contribute to public debate and engage in dialogue with stakeholders. The organisation not only exchanges views with those working directly on transformation issues, but also actively seeks perspectives that consider factors such as affordability, competitiveness and resilience beyond the traditional scope of climate policy. On issues at the intersection of energy, agriculture and transport, Agora Energiewende and Agora Industry will work closely with their sister organisations Agora Agriculture and Agora Verkehrswende: “By thinking beyond sectoral boundaries, we can identify potential trade-offs and synergies at an early stage and develop solutions that combine cost-effectiveness, competitiveness and resilience.” 

Agora’s international arm is also undergoing a restructuring as it joins forces with the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). Agora’s teams in Bangkok, Beijing, Brussels, and the international team in Berlin, will in future work together with RAP under a new name. Agora Energiewende Germany and Agora Industry Germany will collaborate with the new organisation on European and international issues relating to the transition.

“The work of Agora Energiewende and Agora Industry is indispensable for advancing Germany’s journey to net zero,” says Katherine Dixon, Chief Executive Officer of the combined organisation. “I am delighted to have Agora as a strong local partner for our new organisation, with whom we will engage on global issues related to the modernisation of energy frameworks. Germany can learn from successful models in other regions of the world and vice versa – in this way, the expertise of both organisations can accelerate the transition to clean, resilient energy systems.”

The teams at Agora Energiewende Germany and Agora Industry Germany, led by Julia Bläsius, comprise 20 staff members. Their work covers electricity, buildings and industry, as well as strategic issues relating to climate finance and climate governance. Until the new organisation officially commences its work, all global teams from Agora Energiewende and Agora Industry will continue to publish their content on their established websites and other communication channels.