Climate

Climate

To avert the climate crisis, global greenhouse gas emissions must reach "net zero" within the space of a few decades. Ecologic Institute combines political, economic, and legal analysis to propose effective policy solutions for this challenge at all levels.

At the international level, our legal experts monitor and contribute to negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At EU, national, regional, and local levels, our research projects produce recommendations for concrete policy instruments as well as appropriate governance and institutions for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The climate team covers most aspects of climate policy, especially at the European level. Our team has a particularly strong track record in a number of specific policy areas, such as carbon pricing (with a focus on the EU Emissions Trading System), climate laws, long-term planning, and evaluating policy effectiveness. Our team also includes experts in the fields of energy, transport, agriculture, and the circular economy.

We engage with and work for a broad range of academic organizations and stakeholders from governments, business, and civil society, co-producing solutions to manage the climate crisis. Communicating results and insights in a targeted fashion is one of the team's priorities. We strive for innovation in fostering an ongoing dialogue among key public and private actors – both online and in person – to support effective and forward-thinking climate action.

The climate team also engages in teaching, in cooperation with a number of universities. Moreover, we design our own training courses, enhancing capacity and understanding of climate change and possible solutions to audiences that include journalists and UNFCCC negotiators. We also present on a regular basis to visitor groups from around the world, explaining our understanding of EU and German policy processes. Furthermore, we have been continuously teaching courses on emissions trading for over a decade.

Contact

Related Topics

Environmental Law – Ecologic Legal

Land Use

Climate

Plastics

Arctic

Trade

Dr. Ralph Bodle, LLM
Senior Fellow

Energy

Trade

Climate

Evaluation

Finance

Education

Benjamin Görlach
Head, Economics and Policy Assessment
Senior Fellow

Cities

International Development

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

Climate

Ewa Iwaszuk
Fellow

Cities

Plastics

International Development

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

Climate

Evaluation

Indicators

Education

Doris Knoblauch
Coordinator Urban & Spatial Governance
Senior Fellow

Cities

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

Climate

Education

Plastics

Linda Mederake
Researcher

Governance

Environmental Law – Ecologic Legal

Trade

Climate

Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf
Head, International and European Governance
Senior Fellow

Environmental Law – Ecologic Legal

Arctic

Coastal + Marine

Climate

Education

Arne Riedel, LLM
Coordinator Ecologic Legal
Coordinator Arctic
Senior Fellow

Environmental Law – Ecologic Legal

Energy

Climate

Digitalization

Education

Plastics

Dr. Stephan Sina
Senior Fellow
Coordinating In-house Counsel

Climate

Plastics

Land Use

Environmental Law – Ecologic Legal

International Development

Dr. Heidi Stockhaus
Coordinator International Development
Fellow
Selected Projects for Climate
ProjectIntra-EU Exchange to Raise Awareness and Build Capacity on Long-term Climate Strategies (Climate Recon 2050)
 
Long-term climate strategies are an important instrument to help policy-makers and relevant stakeholders to establish a direction towards a climate-friendly future. The Paris Agreement asks all countries to establish such strategies – and EU Member States will soon be... Read more

Intra-EU Exchange to Raise Awareness and Build Capacity on Long-term Climate Strategies (Climate Recon 2050)

Duration
Nov 2017 - Oct 2019
Funding
ProjectCollection and Assessment of Information on Climate Policies in the Context of the European Semester
 
©JaroslavMachacek|Fotolia.com
The objective of this project is to support DG Climate Action (European Commission) in its assessment of Member States’ key challenges to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and related policies recently put into place. The information should also help DG CLIMA... Read more

Collection and Assessment of Information on Climate Policies in the Context of the European Semester

Duration
Dec 2018 - Feb 2020
Funding
ProjectThe EU Long-term Strategy – the implications of striving for net-zero emissions
 
| Fotolia © bluedesign
A Climate Neutral Europe by 2050 – a possible vision for the future? On 28 November 2018, the European Commission published analysis to underpin a new long-term strategy (LTS) on climate policy for the EU, laying out a vision of how to decarbonize the European... Read more

The EU Long-term Strategy – the implications of striving for net-zero emissions

Duration
Sep 2018 - Jul 2020
Funding
ProjectSupporting the Climate Negotiations on Questions under the Paris Agreement
 
| ©Arne Riedel|CC BY-NC SA
Ecologic Legal is supporting the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in the international climate negotiations, particularly on the identification and analysis of German, EU and international negotiation positions. This project... Read more

Supporting the Climate Negotiations on Questions under the Paris Agreement

Duration
May 2019 - Dec 2022
Funding
ProjectETS Summer Universities for Emerging Economies and Developing Countries
 
| fotolia © Kob
Ecologic Institute leads a multi-year project for the European Commission to design and implement outreach and capacity building activities on emissions trading for developing countries. Activities include ten Summer Universities and training courses carried out on... Read more

ETS Summer Universities for Emerging Economies and Developing Countries

Duration
Jun 2012 - Mar 2018
Funding
ProjectFuture of the EU: What Role for Climate and Energy Policies?
 
| Fotolia©bluedesign
The EU has been going through a series of crises – from the Eurozone crisis and Brexit to controversies about the rule of law, democracy and migration. In response to Brexit, the EU has embarked on a process of reflection and possibly reform. As a contribution to this... Read more

Future of the EU: What Role for Climate and Energy Policies?

Duration
Jan 2018 - Jun 2019
Funding
All projects on Climate
Selected Publications for Climate
PublicationPolicy BriefPlanning for Net-zero: Assessing the Draft National Energy and Climate Plans
 
A report by Ecologic Institute and Climact shows that the draft National Energy and Climate Plans presented by governments at the start of 2019 are in acute need of improvement. They suffer from inadequate targets and insufficient details on the policies and financing... Read more

Duwe, Matthias; Eike Karola Velten, Nick Evans, Mona Freundt, Julien Pestiaux, Benoît Martin, Pascal Vermeulen (2019): Planning for net-zero: Assessing the Draft National Energy and Climate Plans. Berlin, Louvain-la-Neuve, Bruessels.

PublicationBook SectionThe Transformative Potential of Local Climate Change Strategies
 
With both the impact of climate change on cities and the role cities play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions becoming increasingly apparent, many cities around the world are adopting long-term climate policy strategies or vision documents outlining how they... Read more

Iwaszuk, Ewa; Mederake, Linda; Knoblauch, Doris (2019): The Transformative Potential of Local Climate Change Strategies. In: Zevi, Tobia (Ed.) The Century of Global Cities. How Urbanisation is Changing the World and Shaping our Future. Milan: Italian Institute for International Political Studies.

PublicationReportClimate Laws in Europe
 
No two climate laws are the same, but an analysis of nine existing laws in Europe finds that most draw on a set of common design elements to streamline action, align policy goals, establish expert and public review mechanisms and monitor progress towards national... Read more

Duwe, Matthias and Evans, Nicholas (2020): Climate Laws in Europe: Good Practices in Net-Zero Management. Berlin, Den Haag:

PublicationReportA European Climate Law – What Should It Look Like?
 
Ursula von der Leyen, the new President of the European Commission, took office today, on 1 December 2019. As one of her first proposals, she promised to propose a European Climate Law in the first 100 days of her term in office. This 'Law' is a critical step to... Read more

Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2019: A European Climate Law – What Should It Look Like?. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

PublicationCase StudyLong-term Climate Strategies in Europe: Experience from National and EU-wide 2050 Climate Planning
 
This case study, prepared by Ecologic Institute and published by World Resources Institute (WRI) describes the status quo and relevant recent developments at the EU and national levels on long-term climate strategies, detailing relevant insights on legal obligations,... Read more

Matthias Duwe and Ewa Iwaszuk, Ecologic Institute. 2019. "LTS in Europe: Experience from National and EUwide 2050 Climate Planning."

PublicationReportThe Innovation Fund: How can it support low-carbon industry in Europe?
 
| iStock_© TommL_M
The long-term transformation to a low-carbon economy requires innovation in technology and existing practices in all sectors of the economy. The Innovation Fund under the EU Emissions Trading System is meant to support such innovation projects in industry and energy.... Read more

Duwe, Matthias; Ostwald, Robert (2017): The Innovation Fund: how can it support low-carbon industry in Europe: Design recommendations for the successor instrument to the NER 300 in Phase 4 of the EU ETS. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

PublicationDocumentResult Oriented Spending for the Climate
 
There are many promising ways in which the next EU budget could help EU Member States achieve their climate and energy targets. Explicitly targeting EU public spending towards climate could send a signal to other investors, creating a shift in financial flows. Existing... Read more

Duwe, Matthias 2018: Result Oriented Spending for the Climate: Creating strong connections between the EU budget and National Energy and Climate Plans. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.

PublicationConference PaperThe Paris Agreement: Analysis, Assessment and Outlook
 
Ecologic Institute's new research paper provides a comprehensive overview and assessment of the Paris Agreement, including the agreed next steps, an outlook on implementation and key political messages. It is now available for download. Key messages are: The... Read more

Bodle, Ralph, Lena Donat and Matthias Duwe (2016). The Paris Agreement: Analysis, Assessment and Outlook. German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) Research Paper. Dessau-Roßlau: Umweltbundesamt.

PublicationReportCarbon Leakage Risks in the Post-Paris World
 
Climate Change 43|2019
With the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the world of climate policy has changed, with important implications for the debate on carbon leakage. This report looks at how the risk of carbon leakage changes for different constellations of climate policy targets, how the... Read more

Görlach, Benjamin and Elizabeth Zelljadt (2019): Carbon Leakage Risks in the Post-Paris World. UBA Climate Change 43/2019. Dessau-Roßlau: Umweltbundesamt

PublicationDocumentThe Future of the EU – the Role of Climate and Energy Policies – Recommendations
 
In response to Brexit, the EU embarked on a process of reflection and possibly reform, the so-called Bratislava Process or the Process on the Future of Europe. At its meeting on 9 May 2019, the European Council was expected to draw first conclusions. As a contribution... Read more

Ecologic Institute, the Istituto Affari Internazionali, the Institute of European Environment Policies, the Climate Strategy Institute 2050 2019: The Future of the EU – the Role of Climate and Energy Policies. Conclusions.

All publications on Climate
Selected Events for Climate
EventWebinarThe EU Climate Law: Holding the EU Accountable for Delivering on the Paris Agreement
 
The Ecologic Institute and the European Climate Foundation (ECF) hold an online conference on the forthcoming EU Climate Law. The European Commission's proposal for a European climate law was discussed  with insight from experts and policy-makers and followed up by... Read more

Webinar:The EU Climate Law: Holding the EU Accountable for Delivering on the Paris Agreement

Date
19 March 2020
Location
online
EventConferenceBusiness Mitigates Climate Change – Final Event of the Dialogue Forum
 
Bundesumweltministerin Svenja Schulze | Foto: Stefan Röhl
The final event of the dialogue forum "Wirtschaft macht Klimaschutz" took place on 11 March 2020 at the Turbinenhalle in Berlin. Over the past two years, representatives from more than 100 companies have jointly developed ideas, projects and concrete steps to... Read more

Conference:Business Mitigates Climate Change – Final Event of the Dialogue Forum

Date
11 March 2020
Location
Berlin, Germany
EventConferencePlanning for 2050 – Conference
 
The conference "Planning for 2050", organised by Ecologic Institute, will take place on 23 May 2019 in Brussels. It takes stock of the experience with long-term climate strategies gained in Europe and presents lessons learnt as well as challenges encountered in... Read more

Conference:Planning for 2050 – Conference

Date
23 May 2019
Location
Brussels, Belgium
All events on Climate
Selected Presentations for Climate
PresentationSpeechWhat Does the European Green Deal Mean for Cities and Metropolitan Areas?
 
The Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) and the Àerea Metropolitanade Barcelona (AMB) invited Doris Knoblauch from Ecologic Institute to speak at the workshop "Metropolitan Challenges in the post 2020 European Union" in Barcelona (Spain), on 10 March 2020... Read more

Speech:What Does the European Green Deal Mean for Cities and Metropolitan Areas?

Date
10 March 2020
Location
Barcelona, Spain
PresentationPanel discussionClimate Change on the Agenda at the European Think Tank Summit in Madrid
 
The 2019 European Think Tank Summit in Madrid brought together think tank leaders from all over Europe – and some guests from Asia and America – to discuss pressing political issues, including the changing face of Europe, artificial intelligence, migration,... Read more

Panel discussion:Climate Change on the Agenda at the European Think Tank Summit in Madrid

Date
10 - 12 April 2019
Location
Madrid, Spain
PresentationChairingThink 2030: Science-policy solutions for a more sustainable Europe
 
Think 2030 conference. Photo: © Harvey Jones (IEEP)
Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, Think 2030 conference has launched a new sustainability platform, which aims to inform a science-based agenda for European environmental policy beyond 2020 and propose solutions to Europe's most pressing sustainability... Read more

Chairing:Think 2030: Science-policy solutions for a more sustainable Europe

Date
17 - 18 October 2018
Location
Brussels, Belgium
PresentationPanel discussionSolving our Climate Crisis: Dr. Bausch at Senator Bernie Sanders’ National Town Hall Meeting in Washington DC
 
Senator Bernie Sanders invited some of the most prominent voices in America to the US Congress to discuss how to handle the increasing threat of climate change. Dr. Camilla Bausch of Ecologic Institute reflected on global trends in the field of energy, climate policy,... Read more

Panel discussion:Solving our Climate Crisis: Dr. Bausch at Senator Bernie Sanders’ National Town Hall Meeting in Washington DC

Date
3 December 2018
Location
Washington, DC, United States
PresentationSpeechFrom Knowledge to Action: Global climate protection and local action
 
Dr. Camilla Bausch | © Martin Stollberg/Zukunft Altbau
How is the Paris Agreement relevant for people active in the building sector? What can and should architects, energy consultants, or installers contribute to achieving the goals of this international climate agreement? Dr. Camilla Bausch of Ecologic Institute tried to... Read more

Speech:From Knowledge to Action: Global climate protection and local action

Date
21 November 2018
Location
Stuttgart, Germany
PresentationChairingClimate Protection and Artificial Intelligence – How can AI help us reach the Paris Agreement?
 
Climate change and artificial intelligence (AI) are two intensely debated topics, but mostly treated by separate communities. While climate change is one of the most urgent and pressing challenges the world is facing, AI is creating new opportunities for all sectors,... Read more

Chairing:Climate Protection and Artificial Intelligence – How can AI help us reach the Paris Agreement?

Date
25 September 2019
Location
Berlin, Germany
PresentationPanel discussionKey Outcomes of COP24 and Preparations for COP25
 
Arne Riedel und Dr. Ahmed Badr, Executive Director of RCREEE (© 2019 Cairo Climate Talks (CCT))
On 19 March 2019, Cairo Climate Talks brought together experts from all disciplines to discuss the results of COP24 and the needed action for COP25. Climate negotiators, climate science experts, and policy makers shared their valuable insights and discussed how the... Read more

Panel discussion:Key Outcomes of COP24 and Preparations for COP25

Date
19 March 2019
Location
Cairo, Egypt
PresentationPanel discussionPoetry Talk: World Climate Summit of Poetry
 
| Kendel Hippolyte, Arne Riedel und Daniela Seel © gezett
Instances of extreme temperatures and hurricanes are increasing in number and frequency. Polar ice masses are withdrawing further, rising sea levels are flooding first inhabited islands in the Pacific. Climate change is threatening mankind. What do two degrees Celsius... Read more

Panel discussion:Poetry Talk: World Climate Summit of Poetry

Date
26 May 2018
Location
Berlin, Germany
All presentations on Climate