Research Institute for
Sustainability | at GFZ

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Prof. Clara Garcia

Senior Fellow

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E-Mail

clara [dot] garcia [at] rifs-potsdam [dot] de

Professor of Political Economy and Applied Economics at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and Senior Researcher at the Complutense Institute for International Studies (ICEI), she specializes in energy transitions, productive development, and industrial policy. Her research often employs a political economy approach, focusing on empirical work primarily in East Asia (especially China) and the Spanish economy.

She regularly teaches courses on East Asian economies in the Official Master's Program in International Economics and Development at UCM and on Global Political Economy in the UCM Bachelor's Degree in Economics.

Additionally, she co-directs the LAST research group (Labor and Structural Transformations in Spain and the EU) and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of World Economy (Revista de Economía Mundial).

Currently, she acts as an independent director at Enagás, S.A. and is a member of the Productivity Board of Spain (Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Business).

  • Since June 2019 - Professor, Department of Applied and Structural Economics & History, UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID, Spain. Teaching an MA course on East Asian economy and a BA course (in English) on global political economy, among others.
  • Since Dec 2005 - Associate Professor (since Feb 2008) and Assistant Professor (Dec 2005-Jan 2008), Department of International and Development Economics, UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID, Spain. Teaching an MA course on East Asian economy and a BA course (in English) on global political economy, among others.
  • Since 2000 - Guest Lecturer, VARIOUS ACADEMIC CENTERS (IE University and Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, among others). Teaching MA and PhD courses on Chinese and East Asian economy (political economy and energy systems), and on energy value chains.
  • Dec 2002-Sep 2005 - Assistant Professor, Department of General Economics and Statistics, UNIVERSIDAD DE HUELVA, Spain. Taught a BA course on global political economy, among others.
  • Sep 1996-Mar 2002 - Teaching and Research Assistant, Various Departments, School of Economics and Business, UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID, Spain.

  • Energy transitions with a current emphasis on green hydrogen.
  • Productive development and industrial policies.
  • Sustainable finance and development banking.
  • All of the above focusing on China and/or the EU (primarily Spain).
  • Political economy and qualitative socio-economic methods.

Publications prior to joining the RIFS

  • Sabbatella, I., García, C., Bertoni, R., Fernández, R., Dicósimo, E., and Rojo, G. (forthcoming in 2025): 'Geopolitics in Times of Transition: What is New in Green Hydrogen for Latin America?', in Benites, L. and Guerrero, A.L.: Geopolitics of Energy Transition and Regional Integration: Latin America's Path in a Changing Global Energy Landscape, Springer.
  • García, C., Fernández, R., and Díaz-Fuentes, D. (2024): 'Can National Development Banks Translate the EU's New Goals? Lessons from the Spanish Case', Journal of Economic Policy Reform. https://doi.org/10.1080/17487870.2024.2387567.
  • Clifton, J., Díaz-Fuentes, D., García, C. and Gómez, A.L. (2021): 'Is a European "Hidden Investment State" Emerging in Spain? The Role of Instituto de Crédito Oficial', in Mertens, D., Thiemann, M. y Volberding, P. (coords.): The Reinvention of Development Banking in the EU, Oxford University Press.
  • Liboreiro, P.R., Fernández, R. and García, C. (2021): 'The Drivers of Deindutrialization in Advanced Economies: A Hierarchical Structural Decomposition Analysis', Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 58:C, 138-152.
  • Cristian, O. and García, C. (2020): 'An Institutionalist Approach to Finance and an Illustrative Application to Investment Banking in the United States (1981-2008)', Revista de economía mundial, 54, 153-182.
  • García, C. (2019): '"Old" Chinese Debates on Economic Development: Not only Chinese and not so "Old"', en Trincado, E. Lazzarini, A. y Melnik, D. (coords.): Ideas in the History of Economic Development: the Case of Peripheral Countries, Routledge, London and New York.
  • Fernández, R. and García, C. (2018): 'Wheels within Wheels within Wheels: The Importance of Capital Inflows in the Origin of the Spanish Financial Crisis', Cambridge Journal of Economics, 42:2, 331-353.
  • García, C. and Palazuelos, E. (2014): 'The Development of Refining and Petrochemical Industries in East Asia: An Interpretation Based on the Flying Geese Paradigm', Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 55:1.
  • García, C. (2013): 'Policies and Institutions for Grid-Connected Renewable Energy: Best Practice and the Case of China', Governance, 26:1, 119-146.
  • García, C. and Palazuelos, E. (2012): 'An Interpretation of the Development of Refining and Petrochemistry in East Asia: Productive Capacities, Structural Change, and External Relations', Revista de Historia Industrial, 54. (IN SPANISH)
  • García, C. (2011): 'Grid-Connected Renewable Energy in China: Policies and Institutions under Gradualism, Developmentalism, and Socialism', Energy Policy, 39:12.

  • García, C. (2024): 'The Return of Industrial Policy: Challenges for Spain in a New Europe?'. XXXIX Jornadas de Alicante sobre Economía Española, ALdE, Alicante (Spain).
  • Sabbatella, I., García, C., Bertoni, R., Fernández, R., Dicósimo, E., and Rojo, G. (2024): 'Latin America as a Green Hydrogen Supplier for the European Union: Scenarios and Challenges'. Conference on Latina America-Europe Relations in the Global Reordering, FLACSO Argentina and Jean Monnet EU-RENEW, Buenos Aires (Argentina).
  • García, C., Fernández, R., and Díaz-Fuentes, D. (2024): 'Between the Market and the State: The Role of the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO) in Pursuing New EU Goals'. Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics Annual Conference, Limerick (Ireland). A similar paper presented at the 2024 Reunión de Economía Mundial, Sevilla (Spain).
  • García, C., and Casalegno, F. (2024): 'Institutional Obstacles to Sustainable Finance? Preliminary Evidence on Spanish Banks'. Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics Annual Conference, Limerick (Ireland). A similar paper presented in 2023 in workshops in Santander and Madrid (Spain), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and San José (Costa Rica).
  • Sabbatella, I., García, C., Bertoni, R., Fernández, R., Dicósimo, E., and Rojo, G. (2024): 'Geopolitics in Times of Transition: What is New in Green Hydrogen for Latin America?'. Seminar of the Program on Economic and Social History, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay).