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Ecologic Institute Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

 
Cover of a WWF publication titled “Handbook of Agricultural Measures for Enhancing Water Retention, Water Quality and Biodiversity in Germany.” The image shows an aerial view of a vibrant landscape: a yellow agricultural field adjacent to a dense green forest strip, with a winding river separating forested areas. The WWF logo with a panda is in the upper left corner.

© WWF, 2025

Handbook of Agricultural Measures for Enhancing Water Retention, Water Quality and Biodiversity in Germany

Publication
Book
Germany is under increasing water stress, despite rising precipitation and extreme weather. The core issue lies not in rainfall quantity, but in the inability of our anthropogenically modified landscape to retain water. The Handbook of Agricultural Measures for Enhancing Water Retention, Water Quality and Biodiversity addresses this challenge head-on. Developed with farmers and advisors in mind, it presents field-tested and scientifically evaluated nature-based solutions for agricultural water management. These measures do not compete with productivity—they ensure long-term agricultural viability in a changing climate.
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People discussing Europe's future at Horizon Scan.

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© Ecologic Institute, 2025

Is Europe Strong Enough for the Future?

Horizon Scan

Event
Discussion
Date
Location
Berlin, Germany
The inaugural Horizon Scan was a success. In a small group, our researchers discussed Europe's capacity for innovation and long-term resilience with representatives from politics, public authorities, and civil society. For the keynote speech, we were fortunate to have Ulrich Wilhelm, a lawyer, journalist, and former government spokesman and former Director of Bayerischer Rundfunk.
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The image shows a webpage from the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) on 'Naturbasierte Klimaanpassung in Kommunen' (Nature-based Climate Adaptation in Municipalities). The page features a header with a photo of a serene river landscape with trees, accompanied by an overview of nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. It includes navigation links and sections such as 'Einbettung in die kommunale Praxis' (Integration into local practice) and 'Finanzierung und Förderung' (Funding and Support).

© Umweltbundesamt, 2025

Naturbasierte Klimaanpassung in Kommunen

UBA topic page

Publication
Website
Nature-based solutions, such as green spaces or river restoration, can make a valuable contribution to municipal climate adaptation. The new topic page 'Nature-based climate adaptation' on the Federal Environment Agency's website highlights different aspects of such approaches and offers municipalities targeted support in their planning and implementation. In addition to information on the legal framework and funding issues, it also contains practical examples and helpful publications. Ecologic Institute designed and implemented the content of the website on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency.
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Plastic Pirates 2025

The Plastic Pirates' New Sampling Period is Dedicated to Plastic Waste Pollution on the Coasts and in the Elbe and Danube Catchment Areas

– 1 May until 30 June 2025 –

News
Date
Location
Berlin, Germany
This spring, the German Plastic Pirates are once again setting off to explore plastic pollution in our waters. From 1 May to 30 June 2025, school classes and youth groups are invited to take part in the sampling period. The investigation will focus on the German coasts and the river systems of the Elbe and Danube, including their tributaries.
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Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

Ecologic Institute conducts inter- and transdisciplinary environmental research and has offices in Berlin and Brussels. In its role as a private, independent organization, Ecologic Institute is dedicated to the preparation of relevant sociopolitical aspects of sustainability research and contributing new knowledge to environmental policy. Innovative research methods, an orientation on practice and a transdisciplinary approach ensure scientific excellent and social relevance. The work done at Ecologic Institute covers the spectrum of environmental topics and includes the integration of environment-related issues into other political spheres.

Ecologic Institute was founded in 1995 and collaborates closely with other European and international bodies, including active participation as a member of the Ecological Research Network (Ecornet). Today, the more than 100 individuals at Ecologic Institute work in a variety of international and interdisciplinary project teams.

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Ecologic Institute is a partner in Ecornet, the network of leading non-university, non-profit German research institutes focusing on environmental and sustainability research.