Transregional Just Transition Governance
With the EU committing €12 billion to Central Asia under its Global Gateway strategy in April 2025— €365 million in investments for sustainable transport, water infrastructure, and climate resilience—and already accounting for over 40% of total FDI in the region, the challenge now lies in ensuring this funding fosters balanced development rather than reproducing dependency-driven models.
Examining the vital China-Europe land corridor through the lens of Trans-regional Just Transition Governance, this research delves into the complex political and economic inter-dependencies at play. Central Asia’s position offers significant potential for trade and development, benefiting the region and its economic partners in Europe, including Germany. This study focuses on the manner in which international trade patterns and investment strategies can navigate the normative tensions between economic imperatives, climate considerations (implicit in sustainable development and infrastructure choices), and social justice.
The analysis examines how factors such as industry organization, infrastructure development, institutional quality, and value chain integration influence outcomes in this critical trans-regional space. The fundamental inquiries posed in this study center on the manner in which developmental processes can catalyze convergence and equity, thereby ensuring political stability and resilience. The application of politico-economic perspectives, encompassing theories of development poles, gravity models, and cluster analysis, is intended to facilitate the formulation of strategies that promote sustainable, stable, and equitable transitions. This approach is designed to mitigate potential risks and ensure that the benefits of connectivity are distributed equitably.
Aktuelle Forschungstätigkeiten beinhalten:
Fair Investment in Central Asia: Analyzing what constitutes a fair level of foreign investment in the Central Asia corridor using regional economic interaction theory—a income differences remain within a range of plus or minus 20% is identified as a threshold for regional stability.
Post-COVID FDI Strategies: Evaluating how Central Asian countries have adjusted their foreign direct investment policies after COVID-19 and the war to attract international capital while preserving national independence.
Strategic Framework Proposal: Developing a comprehensive Central Asia Trading Strategy centered on Transition, Development, and Resilience, with practical recommendations for international trade policy.
