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Economic Aspects of Climate Change Adaptation

Rising sea levels, altered rainfall patterns, extreme weather events, and their socioeconomic consequences (economic crisis, migration, infrastructure loss, etc.) are only some of the effects of climate change that will hit hardest in developing and industrializing countries. Some of these countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are home to the most vulnerable populations in the face of climate change. At the same time, they offer many opportunities to link climate change adaptation to sustainable economic development. In this study, commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fürRead more

Publication

Report

Adaptation

Climate

Kosten und Nutzen von Anpassungsmaßnahmen an den Klimawandel

Analyse von 28 Anpassungsmaßnahmen in Deutschland

A new study about the costs and benefits of adaptation measures in Germany shows that many such measures can deliver results and are economically viable. Included here are green roofs that protect against heat waves in cities, the restoration of floodplains, and heat-resistant asphalt for street cover. Measures to increase awareness of adaptation opportunities were also found to have positive effects. Aside from the economic assessment, a broader set of criteria for assessing these measures was developed that can give political actors a better idea about which measures deliver positive co-...Read more

Presentation

Chairing

Biodiversity

Global Environment

International Environmental Law

Nature Conservation

Convention on Migratory Species: Manual Workshop

TimeLoc

1 to 2 November 2012

1 November 2012

Bonn

Germany

Doris Knoblauch

On 1 and 2 November 2012 the National Focal Points (NFPs) of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) met in Bonn in order to discuss a manual that Ecologic Institute drafted in order to help the NFPs implement the CMS. Furthermore, Ecologic Institute drafted a concept for an e-community platform that was tested by the NFPs at that meeting. The two-day workshop was moderated by Doris Knoblauch.

The focus of the workshop was to engender a conversation between the NFPs on the different parts of the handbook. To this end, participants were involved in in-depth, so-Read more

News

Climate

Energy

Development of Training Modules for Climate Protection and Adaption (Sino-German Climate Change Programme)

Participating in a series of three workshops on capacity building for climate change mitigation and adaptation organized in Beijing by the German Agency for International Co-operation (GIZ) jointly with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the People¹s Republic of China, Ecologic Institute contributed to the development of training modules on the design and implementation of emissions trading systems (ETS) in China. Serving as international expert, Michael Mehling of the Ecologic Institute in Washington DC joined two national experts, Prof.

Project

Climate

Development

Sino-German Climate Change Programme

Ecologic Institute provides advice on international practices and capacity building in emissions trading to the Sino-German Climate Change Programme implemented by the German Agency for International Co-operation (GIZ) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the People’s Republic of China.

The Sino-German Climate Change Programme addresses China’s needs for climate mitigation and adaption. The four-year programme consists of three different components:

Capacity building on climate mitigation and adaptation for Chinese decision makers and

Presentation

Speech

Climate

Policy Assessment

Aviation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Identifying a Transatlantic and Global Solution

TimeLoc

12 October 2012

Brussels

Belgium

Michael Mehling, LLM

Organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the off-the-record event featured decision makers from the European Commission and the United States Mission to the European Union as well as various affected stakeholder. Presenting an early draft of a policy paper commissioned by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Michael Mehling of Ecologic Institute in Washington DC kicked off a discussion focused on identifying ways to promote rapprochement across the Atlantic through stakeholders interested in constructive engagement and a cooperative outcome.Read more

Event

Oral History: The Beginning of Environmental Policy Consultancy in Germany

TimeLoc

18 October 2012

Berlin

Germany

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Martin Jänicke

Prof. Dr. Martin Jänicke was one of Willy Brandt’s helpers in his 1969 election campaign, was co-founder of the German Green Party, has founded—together the with Lutz Mez—the Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU) at the Free University of Berlin, and has thus taken part in creating the scientific infrastructure of environmental policy consultancy. Moreover, Prof. Dr. Martin Jänicke is co-founder...Read more

Event

Conference

Water

EU Water Blueprint Conference - live webcast

TimeLoc

26 November 2012 to 27 November 2012

Nicosia

Cyprus

EU water policy has successfully contributed to water protection over the past three decades. However the EU still faces many challenges. Additional efforts are needed to preserve and improve our waters. On 26 and 27 November 2012, the EU Water Blueprint Conference will bring together 250 participants representing stakeholders, Member States, and the European Commission to present the "Blueprint to...Read more

Publication

Ecologic Brief

Resources

Integrating Resource Efficiency, Greening of Industrial Production and Green Industries

Scoping of and Recommendations for Effective Indicators

Fostering sustainable industries and industrial development requires the use of effective indicators. Though a multitude of indicators exist, their applicability to sustainable industries remains largely unaddressed to date. In the RISI project, Ecologic Institute reviewed the available scientific knowledge in order to evaluate existing indicators and propose recommendations concerning their usability and the potential need for further indicator development. Ecologic Institute has now published a shorter version of the project results as a Ecologic Brief with forewords by Heinz Leuenberger...Read more

Publication

Report

Climate

Policy Assessment

Market-based Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Climate Change Regime

In the international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Parties are discussing new market mechanisms that expand the concept of crediting emission reduction efforts with tradable units beyond the existing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to include a broader group of mitigation opportunities that could involve entire economic sectors of advanced developing countries. This paper explores the potential transition to such a new market-based mechanism. It looks at diplomatic hurdles, design issues, implementation questions, and...Read more

Publication

Journal Article

Climate

Sustainability

Migration and Risk: Net Migration in Marginal Ecosystems and Hazardous Areas

The results of a research project undertaken by the Center for Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University to which Ecologic Institute Senior Fellow Tanja Srebotnjak contributed have been published in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters. The study produced geospatially explicit estimates of human net migration across ecosystems between 1970 and 2010. In the publication, the authors examined the particular effects of human migration patterns on sensitive ecosystems and regions at risk of adverse effects of climate change. The study is available for...Read more

Project

Resources

Sustainability

Water

Index to Measure Dependence of Human Populations on Marine Ecosystem Resources

Ecologic Institute in San Mateo, California, supports Conservation International in the development of a composite index measuring the degree of dependence of human populations on marine ecosystem resources. The index consists of a set of metrics that aim to capture nutritional and economic dependence as well as coastal protection needs.

Senior Fellow Tanja Srebotnjak provides services in the areas of data quality, transformations and robustness analysis to ensure that the index is built on solid statistical foundations.

A special characteristic of the composite index is itsRead more

Project

Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Stable and healthy ecosystems are essential for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This applies to many sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, tourism, urban planning and water resources management. Mitigation and adaptation measures using the ecosystem-based approach are becoming increasingly important as they offer a variety of benefits and are often considered to be more cost-effective solutions than purely technological approaches.

The goal of this project is to demonstrate that ecosystem-based approaches are not only conducive to nature conservation, but also can provideRead more

Event

Summer School

Business

Sustainability