Plastic pollution in the environment is a global problem with unforeseeable ecological consequences. Despite numerous activities and approaches, there are only a few reliable findings on the input and distribution pathways and the effects on humans and animals. In order to close these knowledge gaps, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research established the major research focus "Plastics in the Environment - Sources - Sinks - Solutions" in summer 2017 and funded 20 innovative collaborative projects. The aim of the research was to obtain an overall picture of the environmental impact of plastics along their entire life cycle, from production and use to disposal. The aim is also to identify opportunities for improvement as well as options for action, thus creating the scientific basis for holistic strategies and measures. This conference proceedings present the research of the joint projects and work results in the cross-sectional topics.

The conference proceedings for the status conference of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions", presenting the joint research projects and cross-cutting topics, are available for download.

With its comprehensive research programme, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding 20 research projects which have the overall aim to noticeably decrease the amount of plastics in the environment. This conference reader, published by Ecologic Institute, presents the aims of the overall research programme as well as the 20 research projects spanning a wide range of research areas such as Green Economy, Consumption, Recycling, Freshwater Systems as well as Seas and Oceans, and the accompanying research of PlastikNet. The PlastikNet conference reader is available for download.

The MinFuture workshop "Enhancing data robustness on global level" served to present and test the MinFuture approach of placing statistical data in a system context so that global information flows on mineral raw material become less fragmented and provide a more complete, comprehensive and realistic picture. The MinFuture Workshop Synthesis Brief is available for download.

The goal of MinFuture is to develop a common methodology to mineral raw material flows at global level, which can be agreed and used at international level. The goal is not to collect data but to support data collectors. Hence this methodology workshop served to discuss how MinFuture could support data collectors, providers and users. The MinFuture Workshop Synthesis Brief is available for download.

Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2018: Reforming the EU: What Role for Climate and Energy Policies in a Reformed EU? Discussion Paper for the Working Group Meeting on 24 April 2018. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

Simulation models play an important role for assessing the potential effects of policy instrument. This publication documents the presentations and discussions held during the two-day expert workshop "Simulation of resource use and resource policy", which discussed the reasons and conditions under which different simulation models yield similar or different results. The reader is available for download.

Pederson, R., A. Frelih-Larsen, Z. Lukacova A., Crook, N., S. Naumann, C. Bowyer, C. Keenleyside, S. Nanni (2016). 'Soil Stakeholders Conference, 5 December 2016 – Conference Report.' Annex 2 to the report Updated Inventory and Assessment of Soil Protection Policy Instruments in EU Member States. Final Report to DG Environment. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.

The EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking adopted by the European Commission on 26 February 2016 is the most recent EU initiative to tackle wildlife crime. On 8 September 2016, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the European Parliament (ENVI) held a workshop in Brussels on ‘Delivering and enforcing the EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking’. With support from the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), Ecologic Institute organized the workshop and compiled the proceedings for this publication. The proceedings summarize the presentations and discussions.

High-impact storm events have demonstrated the vulnerability of coastal zones in Europe and beyond. These impacts are likely to increase due to predicted climate change and ongoing coastal development. In order to reduce impacts, disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures need to be taken, which prevent or mitigate the effects of storm events.This paper gives an overview of the products and results obtained in the FP7-funded project RISC-KIT, which aims to develop and apply a set of tools with which highly-vulnerable coastal areas (so-called "hotspots") can be identified. The paper is available for download.

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.

The input paper for the expert workshop held from 11 to 12 June 2014, in Berlin synthesizes findings from the review of indicator calculation methodologies and expert interviews. The present report is part of an ongoing project of UBA Germany to further develop material use indicators. The report is reviewing current state of the art with respect to the methodologies for calculating more comprehensive indicators than those currently in use. The input paper is available for download.

On 30 April 2014, Ecologic Institute hosted an expert workshop on the significance of the European Commission's proposed new energy governance, focusing on options and implications for electricity infrastructure measures. Twenty-one participants including policy makers as well as representatives of civil society, academia and business discussed possible requirements of, approaches to, and effects of such new measures through a set of structured questions and impromptu presentations. The summary is available for download.

Frelih-Larsen, Ana; Sandra Naumann and Elizabeth Dooley 2013: Soil Management for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. Framing and Integrating the Issue in the Evolving Policy Environment. 11th European IFSA Symposium – Farming Systems Facing Global Challenges: Capacities and Strategies. Heike Schobert et al. Berlin: IFSA Europe, Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. <br />

Fritsche et al. 2014: Global Governance for Sustainable Land Use – Status and opportunities. Washington DC.