Ecologic Institute advises the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety on EU energy and climate policies after 2020. The Ecologic Institute develops options for European climate policy after 2020 and analyses the political, legal and economic implications of each option.Read more
As renewable energy sources are more widely used and corresponding support systems expanded, the economic significance of the sector is also growing. This, in turn, also leads to a growing potential for trade disputes involving renewable energy production. In this project on renewable energy law, the Ecologic Institute together with the Institute for Economic Law of the University Halle-Wittenberg provides scientific advice to the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety. The project focuses on the international legal framework relevant to supportRead more
The interdiscplinary research project "European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime" (EFFACE) assesses the impacts of environmental crime as well as effective and feasible policy options for combatting it, with a focus on the EU. The project is funded under the 7th Research Framework Programme of the EU (FP7). Ecologic coordinates the work of 11 European universities and think tanks involved in the project.
The killing of elephants for their tusks, the export of harmful waste in contravention of existing regulations, the deliberate discharge of noxious substances from vesselsRead more
In the course of the German “Energiewende”, Ecologic Institute supports the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) in the further development of existing instruments to promote renewable energies in both the electricity and heat sector (Renewable Energies Sources Act and Renewable Energies Heat Act), including the increasing system, grid and market integration of electricity from renewable sources, the production of biogas and its feeding into the natural gas grid, questions regarding the promotion of bioenergy and solar energy, legal questions regarding theRead more
Information on the environmental characteristics of products, such as on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused during their production or their energy efficiency, are essential in order to allow consumers to make informed choices about which products to buy. This project investigated different design options for product-related environmental information addressed at consumers. Ecologic Institute contributed, in particular, an analysis of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) requirements for legal rules on environmental labels. The study is available for download.
The projectRead more
In this Project, Ecologic Institute elaborates policy options for the development of a strategy to protect the Arctic environment for the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The project entails an analysis of the environmental situation and the legal framework for environmental protection and sustainable development in the Arctic as well as an identification of Germany’s interests regarding environmental protection in this region.Read more
In 2011 the Ecologic Institute analysed, within a consortium, the transposition of the Renewable Energy Directive in the national legislation of Germany and UK. As a follow-up, the consortium is now analysing the status of transposition in selected Member States. The Ecologic Institute is reviewing reports and working on technical notes related to Germany and UK.Read more
In this research project for the Federal Environment Agency, Ecologic Institute develops specific proposals for governance of geoengineering at the international level. Based on a comprehensive analysis of regulatory framework and its gaps, the study identifies general options and specific recommended actions for the effective governance of geoengineering. A key consideration is that the recommendations can be implemented in practice.Read more
In this project for the German Parliament, Ecologic Institute analyses the legal framework applicable to geoengineering, identifies regulatory gaps and develops governance criteria for decision-makers. The study focuses on international law. Based on the legal analysis, the study explores the design of appropriate governance structures and the relevant actors for its implementation.Read more
In the run-up to the Rio+20 summit, the Ecologic Institute investigated the current system for financing international environmental governance (IEG). The study was commissioned by the German Federal Agency for the Environment and is available for download.
In June 2012, the international community will meet in Rio de Janeiro. 20 years after the first Rio summit states will try to give new momentum to the global sustainable development agenda. Two topics are of particular relevance – the green economy in the context of the fight against poverty on the one hand, and the institutionalRead more
In 2010, the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. The Protocol sets forth rules on access to genetic resources. Among other purposes, research is a main driver of demand for genetic resources. Moreover, the protocol contains an obligation for Parties to ensure that the countries where the genetic resources are found and relevant indigenous communities in these countries are compensated for the use of genetic resources and related knowledge. Ecologic Institute is contributing to a studyRead more
Developing countries are the main providers of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Conversely, most intellectual property rights (IPRs) on seeds and medicines are concentrated in developed countries. This has some disadvantages for developing countries. Thus, patents on seed or pharmaceutical products sometimes make the access to such products for the poor more difficult and expensive; there are hardly any positive effects of IPRsRead more
The international negotiations on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol have been shaped by the negotiations over a future climate regime. This includes the design of the regime beyond the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period in the year 2012. Ecologic Legal provides expert advice to the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, especially on the development and assessment of German and EU positions. The project builds on the work of the earlier project "Legal and institutional aspects of theRead more
On behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency Ecologic Institute conducted a study on the impacts of individual tourism in Antarctica. The report "A Sustainable Tourism Concept for Antarctica" sheds light on possible approaches to tourism management and develops a set of recommendations for a sustainable tourism concept in Antarctica.Read more
Ecologic Institute is assisting the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) in analysing implementation and enforcement deficits as well as in identifying gaps in multilateral environmental agreements. For the BMU, the Ecologic Institute will prepare legal expert opinions, develop policy recommendations and suggestions, evaluate the suggestions of other treaty parties and monitor relevant international negotiations from the perspective of international law. This project is built upon its predecessor project "Implementation andRead more
This project is about assisting the UBA with understanding the political, strategic and practical issues relating to the negotiations around emerging or "more advanced" developing economies taking on new market mechanisms in a post 2012 climate regime. The three main tasks were: 1) understanding the incentives and barriers to the transition from the CDM to new mechanisms; 2) identifying the most promising countries, sectors and/or regions for taking on new market mechanisms; and 3) interim solutions for this transition. Ecologic Institute was the project leader.
A number ofRead more
The Ecologic Institute conducts a study on gaps in the international regulatory framework on geoengineering for the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The study is mandated by Decision X/33 of the CBD COP10, which adopted a so-called "moratorium" on geoengineering. Ecologic Institute analyses from a legal and governance perspective which existing international legal rules are applicable to geoengineering. The study develops criteria for assessing gaps in the regulatory framework and for an appropriate governance of geoengineering.Read more
The EU set ambitious targets: The share of energy from renewable sources must rise to 20% by 2020. The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive is the main instrument to reach this target. On behalf of the European Commission, Ecologic Institute is assessing the state of the implementation of this directive in the UK and Germany.Read more
The goal of this project was to support the implementation of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Ecologic Institute has produced a study reviewing international practice examples of Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs). It analyzes their applicability to the MSFD along with the Directive’s requirement for initial assessment. The study concludes by proposing a series of key requirements for IEAs. The final report is available for download.Read more
Ecologic Institute supports to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in implementing the so-called fast start finance of international climate finance. The project also provides legal expertise in support of the international climate negotiations and developing a global climate finance mechanism.Read more