Sandholz, Simone
Academic Officer, Head of Urban Futures and Sustainability Transformation (FAST) Programme
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- INSTITUTE:
- UNU-EHS
- OFFICE:
- Urban Futures and Sustainability Transformation (FAST)
- E-MAIL:
- sandholz@ehs.unu.edu
- PHONE:
- +49-228-815-0266
- NATIONALITY:
- Germany
Research Interests
- Disaster risk management
- Green and grey infrastructure
- Sustainable urban and regional development
- Urban climate action
Education
- Dr. rer.nat., Faculty of Geo- and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Austria
- M.Eng. ‚Technology in the Tropics‘, Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Germany
- Postgraduate studies in ‘Conservation and Preservation of Historic Monuments and Sites’, Faculty of Architecture, Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Germany
- Diploma in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Siegen, Germany
Appointments
- 2021 to Present: Head of Urban Futures & Sustainability Transformation Programme
- 2020 to Present: Focal point of Europe and North America PEDRR Network
- 2019: Co-Chair a.i. of the VARMAP Section at UNU-EHS
- 2018 to Present: Co-Chair of the Eco-Disaster Risk Reduction Thematic Group within IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM)
- 2018 to Present: Member of the Editorial Board of the “Indonesian Journal of Geography”
- 2018 to Present: Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal “Urban Planning”
- 2018 to present: Representative of UNU-EHS in the Evaluation Commission of the Joint Master’s Programme “Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security”
- 2016 to Present: Member of the Working Group on Natural Hazards and Risks within the German Geographical Association
- 2015 to Present: Member of Innsbrucker Geographische Gesellschaft, Austria
- 2013 to Present: Member of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM)
- 2012 to Present: Member of the Working Group on Latin America within the German Geographical Association
- 2009 to Present: Member of the Working Group on Urban Research in Developing Contexts within the German Geographical Association
Biographical Statement
Simone Sandholz leads the Urban Futures & Sustainability Transformation Programme at UNU-EHS. She holds a PhD in Geography, a Master’s degree in natural resources management and a Diploma in architecture and urban planning.
In her research, Dr. Sandholz focuses on different aspects of future-oriented vulnerability and risk reduction with a focus on urban areas. Her two particular fields of expertise are resilient urban and regional development with an emphasis on critical infrastructures and nature-based solutions for risk reduction and climate change adaptation, closely linked to the second research area on sociocultural aspects of sustainable development, namely place attachment, adaptive social protection, good governance and sustainable livelihood approaches, based on empirical social research methods.
Dr. Sandholz has (co-)authored numerous research articles, books and book chapters, as well as policy and outreach publications. Besides being manager and lead researcher in different transdisciplinary research projects, including on Transformative Urban Coalitions in Latin American cities, her tasks include securing third-party funding, as well as supervising team members, visiting scientists and master’s students.
On top of her teaching activities at UNU-EHS and UNU-MERIT (Maastricht, NL), Dr. Sandholz has vast teaching experience in different German and international universities, including Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and Nepal. She is representative of UNU-EHS in the Evaluation Commission of the Joint Master’s Programme ‘Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security’ with the University of Bonn as well as deputy member of the Academic Board. Furthermore she is co-developer of an open-source Masters Elective Course and a MOOC on ‘Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate’ led by UN Environment, where she was responsible for the units on urban and spatial planning and acted as co-author of the related source book.
Dr. Sandholz has previously worked as assistant professor at the Department of Geography, University of Innsbruck (Austria). As part of the working groups on Development Studies and Natural Hazards Research, she researched on urban resilience in Latin America and Asia. At TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, Germany, she acted as scientific coordinator of the Center for Natural Resources and Development, a global university network involving researchers in 15 Asian, Latin American and African countries under the ‘Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation’ Programme of the German Academic Exchange Service and the Federal Ministry for Development and Cooperation (BMZ). She was responsible for setting up a German-Mexican Master’s programme and coordinated a research project on the values of open spaces in emerging Brazilian Megacities. She won scholarships for her MSc and PhD fieldwork projects, received awards for her theses and was awarded with the teaching prize of TH Köln.
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Articles
- Nehren, Udo, Arce-Mojica, Teresa, Cara Barrett, Alejandra, Cueto, Jorge, Doswald, Nathalie, Janzen, Sally, Lange, Wolfram, Ortiz-Vargas, Andrea, Pirazan-Palomar, Laura, Renaud, Fabrice G., Sandholz, Simone, Sebesvari, Zita, Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen and Walz, Yvonne (2023). Towards a typology of nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction. Nature-Based Solutions, 3(100057), 1-17
- Nick, Florence, Saenger, Nathalie, Van der Heijden, Sophie and Sandholz, Simone (2023). Collaboration is key: Exploring the 2021 flood response for critical infrastructures in Germany. International Journal for Disaster Risk Reduction, 91, 1-16
- Puntub, Wiriya, Schnittfinke, Tanja, Fleischhauer, Mark, Birkmann, Joern, Garschagen, Matthias, Sandholz, Simone and Wannewitz, Mia (2022). Linking science and practice in participatory future-oriented assessment and planning of human heat stress vulnerability in Bonn, Germany. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 1-20
- van der Heijden, Sophie, Cassivi, Alexandra, Mayer, Aljoscha and Sandholz, Simone (2022). Water supply emergency preparedness and response in health care facilities: A systematic review on international evidence. Frontiers in Public Health, 1-17
- Sandholz, Simone, Sett, Dominic, Greco, Angelica, Wannewitz, Mia and Garschagen, Matthias (2021). Rethinking urban heat stress: Assessing risk and adaptation options across socioeconomic groups in Bonn, Germany. Urban Climate, 37, 1-19
- Moure, Mar, Sandholz, Simone, Wannewitz, Mia and Garschagen, Matthias (2021). No easy fixes: Government workers perception of policy (in)coherence in the implementation of the Post-2015 Agenda in Mexico. Climate Risk Management, 31, 1-17
- Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen, Arce-Mojica, Teresa, Boehmer, Hans Juergen, Doswald, Nathalie, Emerton, Lucy, Friess, Dan A., Galvin, Stephen, Hagenlocher, Michael, James, Harrhy, Laban, Peter, Lacambra, Carmen, Lange, Wolfram, McAdoo, Brian G., Moos, Christiane, Mysiak, Jaroslav, Narvaez, Liliana, Nehren, Udo, Peduzzi, Pascal, Renaud, Fabrice G., Sandholz, Simone, Schreyers, Louise, Sebesvari, Zita, Tom, Twinkle, Tryanti, Annisa, van Eijk, Pieter, van Staveren, Martjin, Vicarelli, Marta and Walz, Yvonne (2021). Scientific evidence for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction. Nature Sustainability, 1-8
- Fekete, Alexander and Sandholz, Simone (2021). Here Comes the Flood, but Not Failure? Lessons to Learn after the Heavy Rain and Pluvial Floods in Germany 2021. Water, 13, 1-21
- Sänger, Nathalie, Heinzel, Christine and Sandholz, Simone (2021). Advancing Resilience of Critical Health Infrastructures to Cascading Impacts of Water Supply Outages—Insights from a Systematic Literature Review. Infrastructures, 1-19
- Fekete, Alexander, Birkmann, Joern, Dierich, Axel, Garschagen, Matthias, Hetkaemper, Christian, Klein, Kevin, Lauwe, Peter, Neisser, Florian, Sandholz, Simone, Schiller, Julia, Setiadi, Neysa, Stock, Eva, Tzavella, Katerina, Wannewitz, Mia, Wienand, Ina and Wurbs, Sven (2020). Kooperation im Risiko- und Krisenmanagement. Aspekte der Resilienz und Mindestversorgung. Informationen zur Raumentwicklung (IzR), 46(4), 127-137
- Birkmann, Joern, Sauter, Holger, Jamshed, Ali, Sorg, Linda, Fleischhauer, Mark, Sandholz, Simone, Wannewitz, Mia, Greiving, Stefan, Bueter, Bjoern, Schneider, Melanie and Garschagen, Matthias (2020). Strengthening risk-informed decision-making: scenarios for human vulnerability and exposure to extreme events. Disaster Prevention and Management, 1-17
- Sandholz, Simone and Sett, Dominic (2019). Gesellschaftlicher Umgang mit Wetterextremen: Risiko, Management und Anpassung. Aus Politik und Zeitgeschehen (APuZ), 2019(52), 30-37
- Aliperti, Giuseppe, Sandholz, Simone, Hagenlocher, Michael, Rizzi, Francesco, Frey, Marco and Garschagen, Matthias (2019). Tourism, Crisis, Disaster: An interdisciplinary Approach. Annals of Tourism Research, 79(102808), n/a-n/a
- Sandholz, Simone and Wannewitz, Mia (2019). Access to critical infrastructures – driver of resilient development. TRIALOG Journal for Planning and Building in a Global Context, 03/2018(134), 45-50
- Bross, Lisa, Krause, Steffen, Wannewtiz, Mia, Stock, Eva, Sandholz, Simone and Wienand, Ina (2019). Insecure Security: Emergency Water Supply and Minimum Standards in Countries with a High Supply Reliability. Water, 11(4)(732), 1-16
- Sebesvari, Zita, Woelki, Jacob, Walz, Yvonne, Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen, Sandholz, Simone, Tol, Susanna, Ruíz García, Verónica, Blackwood, Katherine and Renaud, Fabrice G. (2019). Opportunities for considering green infrastructure and ecosystems in the Sendai Framework Monitor. Progress in Disaster Science, 2, 1-5
- Garschagen, Matthias and Sandholz, Simone (2018). The role of minimum supply and social vulnerability assessment for governing critical infrastructure failure: current gaps and future agenda. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 18, 1233-1246
- Sandholz, Simone, Lange, Wolfram and Nehren, Udo (2018). Governing green change: Ecosystem-based measures for reducing landslide risk in Rio de Janeiro. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (32), 75-86
- Lange, Wolfram, Sandholz, Simone and Nehren, Udo (2018). Strengthening urban resilience through nature: The potential of ecosystem-based measures for reduction of landslide risk in Rio de Janeiro. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Working Paper WP18WL1(32), 113-124
- Coy, Martin, Sandholz, Simone, Topfer, Tobias and Zirkl, Frank (2018). Metropolitan Regions: Challenges for Sustainability and Governance of Periurban Areas in Brazil. Confins – revista franco-brasilieira de geografia, 38, n/a-n/a
- Hinzpeter, Kilian and Sandholz, Simone (2018). Squaring the circle? Integrating environment, infrastructure and risk reduction in Post Disaster Needs Assessments. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, n/a-n/a
- Zirkl, Frank, Topfer, Tobias, Sandholz, Simone and Coy, Martin (2017). Von Leuchttürmen und Hinterhöfen. Brasilianische Metropolen zwischen Konsolidierung und neuen Herausforderungen. Geographische Rundschau, 4/2017, 16-21
- Obermayr, Christian and Sandholz, Simone (2017). Participatory Resettlements in Surakarta, Indonesia – Changing Livelihoods for the Better or the Worse?. TRIALOG Journal for Planning and Building in a Global Context, 3-4/2016(126-127), 43-50
Books
- Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen, Nehren, Udo, Sandholz, Simone and Doswald, Nathalie, Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate – Source Book (Geneva: United Nations Environment Programme, 2019).
Book Chapters
- Fekete, Alexander, Asadzadeh, Asad, Contreras, Diana, Hamhaber, Johannes, Sandholz, Simone and Sett, Dominic, “Urban and rural interdependencies: infrastructure services” in Routledge Handbook of Environmental Hazards and Society, ed. McGee, Tara K. and Penning-Rowsell, Edmund C. (Oxon & New York: Routledge, 2022), 214-229.
- Shrestha, Rupesh, Fekete, Alexander and Sandholz, Simone, “Post-earthquake Recovery in Nepal” in Smart and Sustainable Cities and Buildings, ed. Roggema, Rob and Roggema, Anouk (Cham: Springer, 2020), 51-70.
- Sandholz, Simone, “Eine Zukunft für die Vergangenheit?” in Quartiersentwicklung im globalen Süden. Jahrbuch Stadterneuerung, ed. Altrock, Uwe, Kurth, Detlef, Kunze, Ronald, Schmidt, Holger and Schmitt, Gisela (Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 2019), 1-31.
- Lange, Wolfram, Sandholz, Simone, Viezzer, Jennifer, Becher, Martin and Nehren, Udo, “Ecosystem-Based Approaches for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Rio de Janeiro State” in Strategies and Tools for a Sustainable Rural Rio de Janeiro, ed. Nehren, Udo, Schlueter, Sabine, Raedig, Claudia, Sattler, Dietmar and Hissa, Helga (Cham: Springer, 2018), 345-359.
- Sandholz, Simone, “Shaken Cityscapes: Tangible and Intangible Urban Heritage in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Yogyakarta, Indonesia” in Going Beyond Perceptions of Sustainability in Heritage Studies No. 2, ed. Albert, Marie-Theres, Bandarin, Francesco and Pereira Roders, Ana (Cham: Springer, 2017), 161-173.
Reports
- Hagenlocher, Michael, Okamoto, Sanae, Nagabhatla, Nidhi, Diedrich, Stefan, Hassel, Jonathan, Van der Heijden, Sophie, Kreft, Soenke, De Lombaerde, Philippe, Nick, Florence, Oakes, Robert, Rackelmann, Fabian, Rimmert, Marlene, Sandholz, Simone, Sebesvari, Zita, Shen, Xiaomeng, Skripka, Tatiana, Stojanovic, Teodora, Szarzynski, Joerg, Van de Walle, Bartel and Werners, Saskia E. (2023). Building Climate Resilience: Lessons from the 2021 Floods in Western Europe. UNU-EHS, UNU-CRIS, UNU-MERIT.
- Sett, Dominic, Waldschmidt, Florian, Rojas-Ferreira, Alvaro, Sagala, Saut, Arce Mojica, Teresa d.J., Koirala, Preeti, Sanady, Patrick, Widjaja, Christina N., Kreft, Soenke, Souvignet, Maxime and Sandholz, Simone (2022). Climate and disaster risk analytics tool for adaptive social protection. United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
- Kreft, Soenke, Sandholz, Simone, Bulut, Samet S., Mirwald, Magdalena and Kohler, Dirk (2022). Klimarisikoversicherung: Potenziale als strategisches Instrument zur Klimaanpassung in Deutschland. Climate Change. Umweltbundesamt.
- Turmena, Lucas, Lusieux, Aline, Sandholz, Simone, Guerra, Flávia and Roll, Michael (2022). TUC City Profile: Recife, Brazil. Transformative Urban Coalitions City Profiles. UNU-EHS.
- Sett, Dominic, Widjaja, Christina N., Sanady, Patrick, Greco, Angelica, Setiadi, Neysa, Sagala, Saut, Rozanna, Cut Sri and Sandholz, Simone (2022). Hazards, Exposure and Vulnerability in Indonesia: A risk assessment across regions and provinces to inform the development of an Adaptive Social Protection Road Map. United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
- Stock, Eva, Sandholz, Simone, Luelf, Michael, Fekete, Alexander and Dierich, Axel (2020). Mindestversorgung zur Überbrückung von Ausfällen Kritischer Infrastrukturen- Wo wollen wir hin?. Fachtagung Katastrophenvorsorge. Deutsches Rotes Kreuz e. V.
- Sandholz, Simone, Sett, Dominic and Saenger, Nathalie (2020). Ausfälle von Kritischen Infrastrukturen: Wie resilient ist die Bevölkerung?. Bevölkerungsschutzmagazin. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK).
- Sandholz, Simone, Wannewitz, Mia, Moure, Mar and Garschagen, Matthias (2020). Costs and benefits of (in)coherence: Disaster Risk Reduction in the Post-2015-Agendas. United Nations University- Institute for Environment and Human Security.
- Lauwe, Peter, Stock, Eva, Wienand, Ina, Esser, Alexander, John-Koch, Monika, Fekete, Alexander, Neisser, Florian, Sandholz, Simone, Wannewitz, Mia, Garschagen, Matthias, Schiller, Julia, Rogge, Michael, Durst, Dirk, Becker, Uwe, Weis, Udo and Dierich, Axel (2019). Integriertes Risikomanagement für den Schutz der Bevölkerung. DIN SPEC. Beuth publishing DIN.
- Sandholz, Simone and Sett, Dominic (2019). Erfahrungen und Bedarfe von Akteuren der Stadtplanung im Hinblick auf Vulnerabilität gegenüber Hitzestress: Ergebnisse einer Haushalts-Umfrage zum Hitzeempfinden in Bonn. Zures Working Paper. United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).
- Birkmann, Joern, Sorg, Linda, Jamshed, Ali, Sauter, Holger, Fleischhauer, Mark, Greiving, Stefan, Garschagen, Matthias, Sandholz, Simone, Wannewitz, Mia, Bueter, Bjoern, Burmeister, Cornelia and Schneider, Melanie (2019). Strengthening Risk-Informed Decision-Making: Scenarios for Human Vulnerability and Exposure to Extreme Events. Contributing Paper to GAR 2019. UNDRR.
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Articles
- Coy, M., and S. Sandholz (2014): Brasilien: Entwicklungsland oder neue Führungsmacht? Ein regionaler Überblick. Praxis Geographie No. 03/14, 4 – 10.
- Nehren, U., J. Subedi, I. Yanakieva, S. Sandholz, et.al (2013): Community perception on climate change and climate-related disaster preparedness in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Journal of Natural Resources and Development, 04, 35 – 57. DOI 10.5027/jnrd.v3i0.04
- Khalifa, M., S. Sandholz (2012): Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges through Networks: An Innovative Educational Approach for Sustainability. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education 7/2, 343 – 360.
Books
- Sandholz, S. (2017): Urban Centres in Asia and Latin America – Heritage and Identities in Changing Urban Landscapes. Springer, Urban Book Series. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43735-4
- Nehren, U., K. Sudmeier-Rieux. S. Sandholz, M. Estrella, M. Lomarda, and T. Guillén (2014): The Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction Case Study and Exercise Source Book. CNRD und UNEP, ISBN 978-3-00-045844-6.
- Gaese, H., U. Nehren, S. Sandholz (Eds.) (2010): Kulturlandschaften im globalen Klimawandel (Cultural Landscapes under Global Climate Change). Initiativen zum Umweltschutz, Band 79, Berlin, Erich Schmidt, ISBN 978-3-503-12616-3, 192p.
Book Chapters
- Coy, M., S. Sandholz, T. Töpfer, and F. Zirkl (2017): Brazilian suburbs: Places of marginality, informality, and exclusivity. In: A. Berger, Alan, J. Kotkin, Joel, and C. Balderas Guzmán (Eds.): Infinite Suburbia. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
- Sandholz, S. (2016): Ecosystem potentials for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the urban landscape of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. In: F. Renaud, K. Sudmeier-Rieux, M. Estrella, and U. Nehren (Eds.): Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation in Practice. Springer, Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, 335-360. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43633-3_15
- Montelongo, M., S. Sandholz, J. Hamhaber (2012): Sustainability through social capital in collective housing: the case of vecindades in Mexico, D.F. In: Sandner Le Gall, V., R. Wehrhahn (Eds.): Geographies of Inequality in Latin America. Kiel: Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel (Kieler Geographische Schriften, 123), ISBN 978-3-923887-65-1, 329 – 355.
Reports
- Lange, W., S. Sandholz, and U. Nehren (2018): Strengthening urban resilience through nature: The potential of ecosystem-based measures for reduction of landslide risk in Rio de Janeiro. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Working Paper WP18WL1, 1-56. Online: https://www.lincolninst.edu/sites/default/files/pubfiles/lange_wp18wl1.pdf
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- Future-oriented Vulnerability and Risk Analysis as Instrument to Support Urban Infrastructure Resilience (ZURES)
- Critical Infrastructures Resilience as a Minimum Supply Concept (KIRMIN)
- Costs of incoherence and benefits of coherence: Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Paris Climate Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals and New Urban Agenda (COHERE)
- MAIN Germany: Economy of Climate Change – new MAnagement INstruments to mitigate the risks of climate change in state and economy (Germany)
- Adaptive Social Protection (ASP)
- Transformative Urban Coalitions: Catalysing Urban Partnerships to Drive Systemic Transformation Towards Sustainability (TUC)
- Emergency preparedness planning for water supply and sanitation in health care facilities – organisational and technical solution strategies to increase resilience (NOWATER)
- CRM-NbS: Nature-based solutions for Comprehensive Disaster and Climate Risk Management