Publication:Article

Recognizing the European Union's (EU) influential role in shaping NBS conceptualization, we undertook a qualitative content analysis of 38 EU policies to discern opportunities and limitations in implementing ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions (NBS). While our primary focus is on these aquatic habitats, their ubiquity and diverse benefits enable extrapolation to broader implications for NBS in the EU.

Opportunities and Limitations for Nature-Based Solutions in EU Policies

Assessed with a focus on ponds and pondscapes

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Plastics Treaty Text Must Center Ecosystems

Letter in Science

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Screenshot of titel and teaser of the online article

The German climate debate currently seems to be stuck. It needs a push. Brakes need to be released. Whether and how this could be possible is discussed by Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf in the Tagesspiegel.

Der Klimaruck

Article in the Tagesspiegel

Year 2023

Publication:Article

This article illustrates the communication strategies that were successfully applied in the citizen science program Plastic Pirates in Germany. The program engages schoolchildren, teachers and youth groups in plastic pollution research. A variety of communication strategies have been implemented and continuously revised and adapted since the start of the program in 2016.

Sharing Communication Insights of the Citizen Science Program Plastic Pirates

Best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Cover of the scientific Water journal, issue 2023, 15.

In this article, some of the several economic benefits entailed by digital solutions are estimated with a focus on leakage reduction in water distribution networks, reduction of combined sewer overflows and on the improvement of hydropower generation and operation. The benefits are calculated for each EU Member State and the UK, and then aggregated at the EU scale. Benefits were quantified in EUR 5.0, 0.14 and 1.7 billion per year (EUR 13.2 per person per year, on average), respectively, excluding environmental and social benefits, which may play a non-negligible role.

Digitalisation of the European Water Sector to Foster the Green and Digital Transitions

Year 2023

Publication:Article

screenshot of the online article's header

Politics needs polarization, but too much of it is problematic. The German climate debate has long been characterized by a healthy degree of polarization. At present, however, there is a danger of excessive polarization, writes Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf in the Tagesspiegel. His OpEd discusses solutions.

Polarisierung in der richtigen Dosis

Article in the Tagesspiegel

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Newly published research from SPRINT explores the extent to which public consultations likely contribute to democratic decision-making surrounding agricultural pesticide use. Through a critical discourse analysis of submissions to the public consultation concerning the European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy, the authors, among them Ecologic Institute's Dr. Ana Frelih-Larsen, examine the role of public consultations as a democratic process and the extent to which their non-deliberative nature advances solutions to contentious and complex challenges.

The Role of Public Consultations in Decision-making on Future Agricultural Pesticide Use

Insights from European Union's Farm to Fork Strategy public consultation

Year 2023

Publication:Article

The discussion on the certification of carbon removals seems technical, but it is one of the central debates in EU climate policy. It is primarily intended to pave the way for the integration of CO₂ removals into emissions trading. In doing so, the EU risks to build its most important climate policy instrument on sand, writes Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf of Ecologic Institute in the Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima. He makes suggestions how to mitigate this risk.

Emissionshandel droht mit Kohlenstoffzertifikaten auf Sand zu bauen

Article in the Tagesspiegel

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Hinzmann Mederake EU single use plastics directive article

This article, co-authored by Mandy Hinzmann and Linda Mederake from Ecologic Institute, assesses the potential of the EU "Single-Use Plastics Directive" (SUPD) to reduce litter pollution in the environment with three scenarios. The scenario analysis revealed that the success the current SUPD can be an important first step, yet further legislative actions are needed to effectively prevent plastic waste pollution - bans alone are not sufficient. The success of the Directive is therefore highly dependent on implementation and enforcement.

What Potential Does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive Have for Reducing Plastic Pollution at Coastlines and Riversides?

Year 2023

Publication:Article

First page of article Ernährungspolitische Strategien und Handlungsansätze zur Förderung pflanzenbasierter Ernährungsweisen in Deutschland by Julia Jägle

What role do policies play in driving plant-based solutions for more sustainable food systems? In this article, Julia Jägle from Ecologic Institute explores policy strategies and approaches to foster plant-based solutions in Germany and offers an international comparison. She shows that Germany has potential for improvement and introduces political instruments to further promote plant-based food systems and diets.

Ernährungspolitische Strategien und Handlungsansätze zur Förderung pflanzenbasierter Ernährungsweisen in Deutschland

Year 2023

Publication:Article

The German CAP Strategic Plan has the potential for an ambitious CAP 2023 to 2027. While the debate on the next CAP post-2027 is already starting, in this article Aaron Scheid and Sophie Ittner from Ecologic Institute argue that the German government needs to exploit all potential in the current CAP to increase the ambition towards more climate change mitigation and the protection and enhancement of natural resources and biodiversity. The coalition agreement gives them the mandate to do so.

The German CAP Strategic Plan

The ambition has yet to come

Year 2023

Publication:Article

This blog post shows why the EU Renovation Wave should link environmental and social issues. EU member states are currently facing three crises: the climate crisis, an energy security crisis and a social crisis. The EU Renovation Wave has a key role in responding to all three crises. However, it can only fulfill this key role if the implementation of the renovation wave is socially fair.

Kein Pfusch am Bau! Verteilungspolitische Effekte der EU-Renovierungswelle

Blog Post

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Carbon pricing is a policy instrument that is very popular with researchers and many policy makers as well. To be implemented effectively, it requires widespread acceptance by society. This paper presents an empirical study carried out in Germany directly before the implementation of its new carbon-pricing scheme for fuels in 2021.

Using the Revenues from Carbon Pricing

Insights into the acceptance and perceptions of particularly burdened groups

Year 2023

Publication:Article

This article reviews the role of ponds and pondscapes in delivering Nature's Contributions to People and provide an overview of the challenges and opportunities for their broader implementation as Nature-based Solutions. The authors, among them Manuel Lago (Ecologic Institute) propose a conceptual framework that can help the implementation of pond Nature-based Solutions, and that outlines future research needs.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Use of Ponds and Pondscapes as Nature-based Solutions

Year 2023

Publication:Article

Cover of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Volume 39, Issue 1, Spring 2023 New Frontiers of Trade

The European Commission has proposed a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to enable ambitious climate policies in EU member states and to incentivize emission reductions in other countries. This paper adopts a dynamic, multilevel, polycentric perspective to discuss how domestic as well as foreign interest groups would be affected by the policy.

The Political Economy of Carbon Border Adjustment in the EU

Year 2023

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