Metodi Sotirov

Dr. Metodi Sotirov is Senior Researcher and Lecturer at the Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg, Germany. He is also a Faculty Associate with the Governance, Environment and Markets Initiative, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University USA. Dr. Sotirov has an excellent experience in scientific research, policy consultancy, and project management. Dr. has served as consultant and expert to European forest sustainability reports for FOREST EUROPE/FAO/UNECE, delivered expert inputs and policy advice to the EU Standing Forestry Committee, DG Environment and DG Agriculture of the European Commission, and attended EU-level expert groups on EUTR/FLEGT, Natura 2000 and forests, forest protection and monitoring in Europe.

Academic and professional positions held

04/2016-ongoing: Senior Researcher and Lecturer, Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg, Germany

02/2015-03/2016: Senior Consultant and Team Leader Forest Policy and Governance, UNIQUE forestry & land use, Germany

04-2015/07-2015: Guest Lecturer, EU biodiversity policy/Natura 2000, University of Freiburg, Germany

Since 03/2013: Faculty Associate Governance, Environment and Markets, Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven, USA

07/2012-10/2012: Laboratory Associate/Visiting Fellow Forest Biodiversity Governance, Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven, USA

03/2009-01/2015: Senior Researcher, Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg, Germany

10/2005-02/2009: PhD Researcher, Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg, Germany

01/2002 – 09/2005: Senior Expert International Cooperation and Protected Areas, National Forest Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Sofia, Bulgaria

• Main interests and expertise in scientific research, teaching and policy consultancy:

Analysis of policy change, policy learning and policy integration,

Institutional analysis, policy implementation research, discourse analysis,

Actor behavior, coalitional politics, stakeholder analysis, change management,

Multi-level environmental governance,

Trans- and inter-disciplinary sustainability analysis,

Foresight research: STEEP analysis, scenario development, policy back-casting, forest management modelling,

Policy-Science-Practice interface, stakeholder engagement,

Qualitative and quantitative methods of empirical social science research: interviews, content analysis of documents, surveys, focus groups, foresight.

• Main substantive topics in scientific research, teaching and policy consultancy:

Sustainable use and conservation of natural resources; sustainable forest management,

Trade-offs between forest ecosystem goods and services

Forest sector institutional reforms, capacity building,

EU policy and law tackling illegal timber harvesting and trade (EU Timber Regulation; EU FLEGT Regulation),

EU nature protection policy and law (EU Habitats and Birds Directives, Natura 2000), EU Biodiversity Strategy,

EU Forest Strategy, EU Rural development policy, EU Bioeconomy Strategy,

EU Bio-energy policy (EU-RES)

EU Land Use, Land Use Changes and Forestry Policy (LULUCF)

Non-state market driven governance through forest certification (FSC, PEFC).

Selected research projects (including own role):

2015-2019: Large scale collaborative research project DIABOLO “Distributed, integrated and harmonised forest information for bioeconomy outlooks" (EU Commission, DG Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020): Senior Researcher and Work Package Manager “Policy analysis of demands for and provision of forest data” (including policy analysis of forest biodiversity monitoring).

2011-2015: Large scale collaborative research project INTEGRAL “Future-oriented and integrated management of European forest landscapes” (EU Commission, DG Research and Innovation, FP-7): Scientific Coordinator, Project Manager, Science-Policy-Interface Team Leader, Work Package Leader “Policy Analysis and Foresight for Sustainable Forest Management”.

2013-2015: COST Action FP1207 ORCHESTRA “Orchestrating forest-related policy analysis in Europe” (COST Office): Member of the Management Committee.

2014-2015: Collaborative research project between Germany and Spain on “Understanding the governance of natural commodity markets” (German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD): Project Manager and Senior Researcher on the EU Timber Regulation development and implementation.

2010-2013: Medium scale collaborative research project BeFoFu “European Beech Forests for the Future - Ecological, Economic, and Policy Analysis of Beech Forest Conservation under the Natura 2000 Network” (ERA-NET BIODIVERSA, EU FP-7; German Federal Ministry for Research and Education): Project Manager and Senior Researcher on Natura 2000 policy development and implementation.

Selected policy support / policy consultancy projects

2016: Policy support and consultancy to the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL): final evaluation of the FAO project on “Strengthening criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in policy and practice”.

2015-2016: Policy support and consultancy to the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL): evaluation of the EFI/EFICENT Integrate und Integrate+ projects on integration of nature conservation in managed forests in Europe including case studies in Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland.

2015: EU science-policy-practice conference on “Sustainable and multifunctional forest management in Europe: achievements, challenges and future policy options”, including a Working group panel on EU nature conservation policy (Natura 2000) and forestry. Brussels, 24-25 June 2015. Main conference organizer, key note speaker, moderator and speaker for Natura 2000 and forestry working group. http://www.integral-project.eu/project-events/final-conference.html

2014-2015: Policy support to FAO/FOREST EUROPE report “State of Europe’s Forests 2015”: Senior policy consultant and Lead author of chapters “Overall policies, institutions and instruments for sustainable forest management” and “Criterion 4: Maintenance, Conservation and Appropriate Enhancement of Biological Diversity in Forest Ecosystems”.

2014: Policy support to the German Development Agency (GIZ): Senior Policy Consultant and Lead Author of a report on “Policy and institutional analysis of forest sector reforms in Central and Eastern Europe”

2013-2015: Policy science support to the European Commission, DG Environment and DG Agriculture: active member of the ad hoc Working Group on the elaboration and discussion of a new Guidance Document on Natura 2000 and Forests. 

2013: EU expert workshop on Natura 2000 and forests: policy and management perspectives. European Forestry House, 03-13-2013, Brussels. Workshop co-organizer and speaker. 

2010-2011: Policy support to the FAO/UNECE/FOREST EUROPE report “State of Europe’s Forests 2011”: Lead author of chapter “Criterion 4: Maintenance, Conservation and Appropriate Enhancement of Biological Diversity in Forest Ecosystems”.

2009-2010: Policy support to the European Commission on the EU Green Paper on forest protection and forest information including EU forest monitoring: Policy research consultancy including workshop and expert inputs.

2008-2009: Policy support to the European Commission, DG Environment. Policy researcher and co-author of a final report on “EU policy options for the protection of European forests against harmful impacts”

2002-2004: Policy support to expert exchange missions between Bulgaria and Germany under the EU TAIEX program on topics including Natura 2000 in forests, forest ecosystem monitoring, fight against atmospheric pollution.

Selected publications (peer reviewed articles, book chapters, reports, policy briefs):

2016

Sotirov, M., Winkel, G. (2016): Towards a cognitive theory of shifting alliances and policy change: linking the advocacy coalition framework and cultural theory. Policy Sciences 49 (2): 125-154.

Winkel, G., Sotirov, M. (2016): Whose integration is this? European forest policy between the gospel of coordination, institutional competition, and a new spirit of integration. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 34 (3): 496-514. (first published on September 4, 2015 doi:10.1068/c1356j)

Leipold, S., Sotirov, M., Frei, T. Winkel, G. (2016): Protecting “First world” markets and “Third world” nature: The politics of illegal logging in Australia, the European Union and the United States. Global Environment Change 39 (2016): 294-304.

2015

Gavrilut I., Halalisan A-F., Giurca A., Sotirov M. (2015) The Interaction between FSC certification and the implementation of the EU Timber Regulation in Romania. Forests 7(1), 3: 1-13.

Sotirov, M., Lovric, M., Winkel, G. (2015): Environmental governance between Europeanization and domestic politics: Analyzing the implementation of EU biodiversity conservation policy in Bulgaria and Croatia. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 33 (5): 986-1004.

Borrass, L., Sotirov, M., Winkel, G. (2015): Europeanization and Policy Change. Implementation of the European Union’s Habitats Directive in Germany and the UK. Environmental Politics 24 (5): 788-809.

Sotirov, M., Hoogstra-Klein, M., Trubins, R., Schüll, E., Riemer, A., Orazio, C., Cordero, R., Salnäss, O., Eriksson, O. (2015): Shaping the future of sustainable forest management. EFI News 23 (1) November 2015: 10-11.

Sotirov, M., McDermott, C., Dieguez, L., Selter, A. Storch, S. (2015): Integrating footprint thinking into EU forest-related policy - Highlights from research on the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan as a strategy to address the external impacts of EU consumption. INTEGRAL Fourth Policy Brief: www.integral-project.eu

Sotirov, M., Winkel, G. (2015): Qualitative Indicator B6 Biodiversity. Criterion 4: Maintenance, Conservation and Appropriate Enhancement of Biological Diversity in Forest Ecosystems. Part II: European Forests: Status, Trends and Policy Responses. In FOREST EUROPE, 2015: State of Europe’s Forests 2015.

Rametsteiner, E., Sotirov, M. (2015): Overall Policies, Institutions and Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management. In FOREST EUROPE, 2015: State of Europe’s Forests 2015.

2014

Schwer, S., Sotirov, M. (2014): Handel sieht Vor- und Nachteile in EUTR. Europäische Holzhandelsverordnung: Segen oder Fluch für die deutsche und europäische Forst- und Holzwirtschaft? Holz-Zentralblatt 11/2014: 247.

Winkel. G., Sotirov, M. (2014): The European Forest Policy (Dis)Integration Paradox. EFI News 22 (1) March 2014: 6-7.

De Koning, J., Turnhout, E., Winkel, G, Blondet, M. Borras, L., Ferranti, F., Geitzenauer, M., Sotirov, M., Jump, A. (2014): Managing climate change in conservation practice: an exploration of the science–management interface in beech forest management. Biodiversity Conservation 23 (14): 3657-3671

De Koning, J.; Winkel, G., Sotirov, M.; Blondet, M.; Borras, L.; Ferranti, F.; Geitzenauer, M. (2014): Natura 2000 and climate change - polarization, uncertainty and pragmatism in discourses on forest conservation and management in Europe.Environmental Science and Policy 39 (2014): 129-138.

2013

Winkel, G., Aggestam, F.; Sotirov, M.; Weiss, G. (2013): Forest Policy in the European Union. In: Pülzl, H.; Hogl, K. Arts, B.; Kleinschmit, D.; Winkel, G.; Wydra, D. (editors): European Forest Governance: Issues at Stake and the Way Forward. EFI Series: What Science can tell us, pp. 52-63.

2012

Sotirov, M., Memmler, M. (2012): The Advocacy Coalition Framework in Natural Resource Policy Studies – Recent Experiences and Further Prospects. Forest Policy and Economics (16): 51-64.

2011

Sotirov, M., Borrass, L., Winkel, G. (2011): Dem Wandel auf der Spur - Theoretische Ansätze zur Analyse von Politikwandel und -stabilität mit Fokus auf das Beispiel waldbezogener EU-Naturschutzpolitik. Allgemeine Forst- und Jagdzeitung 182 (11/12): 215-230.

Winkel, G., Gleißner, J., Pistorius, T., Sotirov, M., Storch, S. (2011): The sustainably managed forest heats up: discursive struggles over forest management and climate change in Germany. Critical Policy Studies 5 (4): 361-390.

Winkel, G., Sotirov, M. (2011): An obituary for National Forest Programmes? Analysing and learning from the strategic use of “new modes of governance“ in Bulgaria and Germany. Forest Policy and Economics 13 (2): 143-154.

Requardt, A., Baycheva, T., Pelli, P., Dominguez, G., Sotirov, M., Winkel, G., (2011): B: Policies, Institutions and Instruments by Policy Area. In FOREST EUROPE, UNECE and FAO 2011: State of Europe’s Forests 2011. Status and Trends in Sustainable Forest Management in Europe, pp. 167-195

2010

Sotirov, M. (2010): Changing forest policy: policy analysis into the Bulgaria’s transformation process. Verlag Kessel: Remagen-Oberwinter.

2009

Angelova, E., Irimie, D., Sotirov, M., Winkel, G. (2009): Bulgaria and Romania in the European Union – challenges for forest policy. Swiss Forestry Journal 160 (1): 15-22.

Winkel, G., Kaphengst, T., Herbert, S., Robaey, Z.; Rosenkranz, L., Sotirov, M. (2009): EU policy options for the protection of European forests against harmful impacts. Final report to the tender: ENV.B.1/ETU/2008/0049: OJ 2008/S 112 - 149606.