This discussion paper examines how international developments shaped the early years of German environmental policy and environmental policy advice. Key influences included the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm and debates surrounding the Limits to Growth. The United States and Japan, in particular, influenced Germany’s first environmental legislation.

In this discussion paper Timo Kaphengst from Ecologic Institute approaches the question of how sustainable land use can be defined at a global scale. The paper thereby contributes to the concept of sustainable land use governance currently developed in the GLOBALANDS project. The discussion paper is available for download.

This paper aimed at stimulating discussion around what is needed for progress. The main challenge for the sustainable development community is around how to form the political coalitions that favour the adoption of pro-environmental changes to policy in difficult political times. That challenge appears feasible.

Action research is the collaborative production of scientifically and socially relevant knowledge through a participatory process. Real-life problems are addressed and new theoretical insights gained. This research brief introduces the concepts of action research, sustainability transitions, and transition management. It presents key issues for conducting action research and how these have been dealt with in the practice of the research teams in the three communities of the InContext project. Furthermore it reflects on the role of the action researcher. The research brief is available for download.

The "Teacher Training Renewable Energy" project aimed to improve the capacities of future teachers in regards to their knowledge about renewable energies and also to identify methodologies that may help teachers share this knowledge in schools. During three years of project work, Ecologic Institute, Solare Zukunft, and the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU) developed a rich and comprehensive pool of (German) training materials. All teaching materials are also available beyond the project's duration and can be downloaded for free.

Does international law allow implementing climate policies of different speeds? Can countries form pioneer alliances for ambitious climate protection or are the UN Framework Convention and the Kyoto Protocol a straight jacket? A new Ecologic paper answers these questions. It discusses whether and in what form legally binding measures outside the Convention are lawful and meaningful. The paper is available for download.

Ecologic Institut und Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie (2012): Klimaschutz strategisch fördern. Diskussionsanstöße für mögliche Schwerpunkte einer gezielten Stiftungsförderung zivilgesellschaftlicher Akteure in Deutschland für mehr Klimaschutz, Berlin.

Ecologic Institute and Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) prepared a paper that gives an overview of selected sustainable development commitments, their shortcomings, and possible remedies, as discussed and agreed by relevant political fora. The paper and the summary of an expert workshop are available for download.

In this document Ecologic Institute presents a concept for the online presentation and dissemination of DG Environment's planned Composite Index on Environmental Pressures (CIEP).

The EU-funded research project "Climate Change, Hydro-conflicts and Human Security" (CLICO) investigates how climate change influences water, human security, and conflicts in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and the Sahel region. Ecologic Institute recently published a working paper written by Elizabeth Tedsen that examines current initiatives of the European Union and United Nations relating to these themes of climate, water, human security, and conflict.