Contents:

1. Key Questions of German Resource Policy in the Next Legislative Period – PolRess Policy Paper 3
2. Decoupling Economic Growth from Resource Use and Environmental Impacts – Presentation
3. Investigating the Use of Environmental Benefits in the Policy Decision Process – Publication
4. Adapting to Climate Change: From Research to Practice – Discussion
5. Communicating Science: An Introduction to the Principles of Knowledge Transfer and Knowledge Brokerage – Lecture
6. Multilateral Governance in the Arctic via the Arctic Council and its Observers – An Arctic Community? – Presentation
7. The Energy Transition in Germany – Visitor Program
8. The German Energy Transition in a European Context – Riverside Chat

1. Key Questions of German Resource Policy in the Next Legislative Period – PolRess Policy Paper 3

   The German Resource Efficiency Program (ProgRess) must be considered a milestone in national resource policy. However, scientific findings point to a need to further develop ProgRess in the next legislative period in order to enhance its effectiveness. The main focus of further development should be to agree on ambitious and feasible targets and to identify effective policy instruments to foster innovation and internalization of external costs. Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers was co-author of a brief scientific perspective on this issue. The third PolRess Policy Paper is available for download.
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2. Decoupling Economic Growth from Resource Use and Environmental Impacts – Presentation

   In the long term, existing economic activities and consumption patterns will inevitably surpass planetary boundaries. The concept of absolute decoupling offers the potential to reduce the resource inputs and environmental impacts associated with economic growth. Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers discussed whether absolute decoupling will be one solution and which challenges would be faced in the implementation of this concept with the participants of the FFU Berlin Sustainability Talk. The presentation slides are available for download.
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3. Investigating the Use of Environmental Benefits in the Policy Decision Process – Publication

   European Union (EU) legislation, such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), as well as international, national, and regional environmental policies and strategies explicitly acknowledge the importance of environmental costs and benefits and the need to integrate them into the policy-making process. However, the application of valuation studies to policy often involves a trade-off between the accuracy of the required analysis and the necessity to include all costs and benefits associated with the different policy options. Thus, there is no accepted EU-wide approach on how to deal with environmental benefits in the policy process. Given the need for accurate information to design and implement policies in light of widely recognized challenges, Ecologic Institute's Benjamin Boteler and Manuel Lago, along with their co-authors, investigated the use of environmental benefits in the policy-making processes of nine European countries.
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4. Adapting to Climate Change: From Research to Practice – Discussion

   Which impacts of climate change can we expect on the Baltic Sea coast? How can coastal protections prepare for these changes? And what effect will this have on tourism? Those are three essential questions which will be addressed on 9 September 2013 at the discussion event "Adapting to Climate Change: From Research to Practice" in Wieck auf dem Darß. The agenda includes a look at research findings and will present examples of adaptation strategies in practice, which are being compiled by the research project "Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast" (RADOST). Registration is available until 27 August 2013.
   https://klimzug-radost.de/en/events/von-der-klimaforschung-zur-anpassungspraxis

5. Communicating Science: An Introduction to the Principles of Knowledge Transfer and Knowledge Brokerage – Lecture

   Sustainable river basin planning and management are not "business-as-usual" approaches, creating exceptional challenges for water managers across Europe. To address these challenges, additional knowledge and know-how in designing dissemination activities and management approaches are needed. Ulf Stein from Ecologic Institute and Beatriz Medina from Amphos21 held a lecture on "Communicating Science" as part of the second WaterDiss2.0 Summer School on "Increasing Sustainability in River Basin Planning and Management." This introduction to the principles of knowledge transfer and knowledge brokerage focused on the question of how to enhance the connectivity between applied European water research and policy making. The presentation slides are available for download.
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6. Multilateral Governance in the Arctic via the Arctic Council and its Observers – An Arctic Community? – Presentation

   Arne Riedel, Researcher at Ecologic Institute, presented the institutional framework for the Arctic and its changes as well as the possible influence of Arctic Council observers. Taking the expansion of regional interests into account, the presentation also examined the role of Arctic Council observer states in the possible concept of an "Arctic Community." He outlined the possibilities for observer states to influence the policies of Arctic states within and outside of the Arctic Council and concluded such observer states have been (and will likely remain) demanding actors in Arctic governance. The presentation slides are available for download.
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7. The Energy Transition in Germany – Visitor Program

   From 17 until 22 June 2013, Ecologic Institute implemented a program on the German Energy Transition for 20 international experts and journalists. Participants were able to speak with representatives from ministries, parliament, think tanks, and NGOs in Berlin and Hamburg. Both national policies and examples of local and regional implementation of the German energy policy were highlighted during the tour.
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8. The German Energy Transition in a European Context – Riverside Chat

   On 19 June 2013, Ecologic Institute hosted a Riverside Chat on the implications of Germany's "Energiewende" in a European context. The moderated discussion featured Dr. Christian Hey, General Secretary of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU). Susanne Langsdorf of Ecologic Institute moderated the discussion, which took place during a visitors program for 20 decision makers and journalists from Europe, G20, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Arab countries. The event was sponsored by the German Federal Foreign Office.
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