Yasemin Atalay (BSc International Relations, MSc Middle East Studies) is currently a PhD researcher at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her research interests focus on the renewable energy policies of Middle Eastern countries, with a special emphasis on Gulf Cooperation Council member states. Her PhD research will underline the comparative analysis of renewable energy policy mechanisms of Middle Eastern states and will aim to answer the question of whether a common regional policy scheme can be established for these states in order to further facilitate theirempty transition from oil paradigm to a more sustainable one. Before joining IVM on September 2011, Yasemin was a research assistant at the Department of International Relations at Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Her MSc studies focused on the prospects for the consolidation of renewable energy policies in rentier states, with the subject matter being the United Arab Emirates. Her general research interests are renewable energy policy, rentier state theory, Gulf studies, Middle Eastern politics, and environmental policy. Education 2011: Middle East Studies, MSc, Middle East Technical University. 2009: International Relations, BSc, Middle East Technical University.

Environmental Policy Analysis