Possibilities and limitations of the evaluation of government research and innovation measures with regard to their contribution to climate neutrality
Publiceringsdatum: 19 maj 2025 | Språk: DE
The transformation towards a climate-neutral society is one of the central challenges of our time. Public funding for research and innovation (R&I) plays a key role in this context: it lays the foundation for new technological and societal approaches to reduce greenhouse greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) and establish sustainable structures. However, to ensure that such funding measures are designed effectively and can be developed further in a targeted manner, sound impact assessment is essential.
This report explores the extent to which the impact of public R&I funding on the path to climate neutrality can be captured and evaluated. It highlights both the potential and the limitations of various evaluation approaches and considers the specific characteristics of R&I processes – such as the long time lag between funding and effect, as well as the multitude of indirect and often hard-to-quantify impacts. In addition to the direct reductions of GHG emissions, the report also considers other possible contributions of R&I measures to climate neutrality, such as cost reductions and systemic changes.
The report makes clear that while systematic evaluation is fundamentally possible, quantitative methods in particular often encounter significant limitations. As a result, qualitative and indicator-based approaches are becoming increasingly important. The aim of this report is to provide a realistic picture of the possibilities for evaluation and to offer impetus for the further development of appropriate analytical tools.
