Coastal + Marine | Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

Pages

Publication

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

No More Plastics in the Ocean

Gaps in Global Plastic Governance and Options for a Legally Binding Agreement to Eliminate Marine Plastic Pollution

Marine plastic pollution is a fast growing problem and it is not yet possible to estimate how severe the impacts currently are. Between 4.8 and 12.7 Mt of plastics ends up in the ocean each year, adding to the uncontrolled plastic waste already floating around the world’s seas. Despite many good initiatives and action plans, the world is about to lose the overall battle. There is an urgent need to vibrantly address the plastic pollution crisis of the oceans on a global level. This report by adelphi and Ecologic Institute provides suggestions in this regard. The report is available for download.Read more

Event

Workshop

Cultural Ecology

Coastal + Marine

Social Sciences and Humanities in Marine and Coastal Research

TimeLoc

3 December 2018 to 4 December 2018

Berlin

Germany

Speaker

Dr. Grit Martinez

R. Andreas Kraemer

Marine science is often still understood narrowly as a specialization of the natural sciences, to the exclusion of social sciences and humanities. Yet contributions from social sciences and humanities in marine research are necessary to explain what happens in the ocean and on the coasts. In order to help broaden perspectives on marine research, Ecologic Institute hosted a Strategy Group meeting to take stock of social sciences and humanities in marine research, and explore research needs, theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches.Read more

Presentation

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

The Governance of Plastics

TimeLoc

30 November 2018

Ecologic Institute, Berlin

Germany

Linda Mederake

On 30 November 2018, Linda Mederake, Junior Researcher at Ecologic Institute, presented the Institute's activities in the field of plastics governance to a group of students from the International Degree Program Political Management (B.A.) at Hochschule Bremen, City University of Applied Sciences. The presentation took place in the context of an excursion of the study programme, during which the students got to know the "political Berlin" and exchanged views on several selected topics with various actors from research, politics, business and civil society.Read more

Publication

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Sustainability

Water

Dem Plastik auf der Spur

Plastic in the environment is a global problem that is particularly visible in a growing volume of plastic waste in the sea. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has set up a major research focus to investigate the extent of the problem in more detail and to develop approaches to reducing it. Until 2021, a total of 18 joint projects with more than 100 institutions from science, industry, and practice will be funded with 35 million euros in one of the world's largest research programmes on plastics to date. In addition to the main areas of work, the authors of the Ecologic Institute examines the research projects in more detail.Read more

Presentation

Nature-based Solutions and Ecosystem-based Aquatic Biodiversity Management for a Successful Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Strategy

TimeLoc

13 November 2018 to 29 November 2018

Sharm el Sheikh

Egypt

Sandra Naumann

Hugh McDonald

At the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference, Ecologic Institute's Hugh McDonald and Sandra Naumann presented and discussed Ecologic work on nature-based solutions and managing aquatic biodiversity. The UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 14) took place from 13 to 29 November 2018 in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt). Approximately 3,800 representatives from government, NGOs, indigenous groups, academia, business and civil society came together to discuss the theme "Investing in biodiversity for people and planet".Read more

Project

Coastal + Marine

Governance

International Development

Oceans as a Global Commons: International Governance and the Role of Germany

October 2018 to January 2019

The aim of the project was to develop a study "Ocean as a Global Commons: International Governance and the Role of Germany" at the request of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) as part of the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (Wissenschaftsplattform Nachhaltigkeit 2030). The study provides an overview of the different governance mechanisms in regard to the Global Commons "Oceans" area.Read more

Event

Ecosystem-Based Management for the Protection of Aquatic Biodiversity – AQUACROSS Final Conference

TimeLoc

10 October 2018 to 11 October 2018

Brussels

Belgium

On 10 and 11 October 2018, the AQUACROSS Final Conference on "Ecosystem-Based Management for the Protection of Aquatic Biodiversity – Practice and Lessons Learnt" took place in Brussels. AQUACROSS project team members presented different tools and results regarding aquatic biodiversity protection developed during the project. Conference participants from 21 countries received the eight AQUACROSS Case Studies and the Case Study Gallery with posters, photos and information material with particular interest. The presentations held during the conference are now available on the AQUACROSS project conference website.Read more

Presentation

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Sustainability

Water

"Dangerous" Research that Supports Societal Change – Ecologic Institute participates in agenda-setting for social-ecological research

TimeLoc

19 September 2018 to 20 September 2018

Kassel

Germany

Dr. Camilla Bausch

Dr. Grit Martinez

Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Mandy Hinzmann

Ecologic Institute contributed to the Agenda Conference for Social-Ecological Research (SÖF) by leading on and supporting research theme clusters. The event took place in Kassel on 19 and 20 September. It ended with an outlook by Florian Frank from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), who called for "dangerous" research to solve pressing socio-ecological problems. Read more

Publication

Trade-Offs in Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management in the North Sea Aimed at Achieving Biodiversity Strategy Targets

AQUACROSS Case Study 1 Report

Over the past three years, the AQUACROSS Assessment Framework was developed, tested, and applied in eight case studies across Europe to solve local biodiversity challenges. Finally, results from each Case Study were published in a 30-page case study report and 3-page executive summary report. The case study is available for download. Read more

Publication

Management and Impact of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Lough Erne in Ireland

AQUACROSS Case Study 4 Report

Lough Erne sustains multiple competing activities, each with different demands from the system in terms of ecosystem services and physical resources. It is a heavily modified water body, containing a range of non-native Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are considered a threat to Lough Erne biodiversity and also negatively affect the society that surrounds it. In this report, we apply the AQUACROSS Assessment Framework to understand this challenge and identify and assess ecosystem-based management solutions to the challenge of the IAS Nutall’s pond weed. The case study is available for download.Read more