What are the most promising options for result-based carbon farming schemes and what mechanisms can we apply to scale up these schemes in Europe? More than 75 stakeholders explored these questions at a Roundtable on 9 October 2019 in Brussels. A video recording of the event is available.

On 7 October 2019, Eurostat published its most recent flagship publication "Smarter, greener, more inclusive?". The report assesses the EU's progress in implementing the Europe 2020 strategy. Commissioned by Eurostat, Katharina Umpfenbach and Amely Gundlach of Ecologic Institute edited the chapter on climate change and energy. It discusses progress towards the so-called 20-20-20 targets which aim at cutting EU greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energy supply, and improving energy efficiency. The publication is available for download.

Naumann, Stephan, Ulf Stein and Hannes Schritt 2019: Forum Fischschutz und Fischabstieg – Ergebnisse und Diskussion. In: WasserWirtschaft 2019, 10, 36-39.

Many interests come together when considering rivers. For restoration projects, new compromises must be reached and conflicts of use must be resolved through planning processes. Early, open and regular communication between all stakeholders increases the satisfaction with the restoration result.

Over 90% of German rivers and streams are straightened, constricted, piped or interrupted by structures such as weirs or barrages. Restoration can improve the ecological status and attractiveness of water bodies. This interactive infographic lists and visualizes restoration measures for four different starting situations.

Infrastructure systems are undergoing a process of profound transformation. They are under great pressure to change in order to contribute to changing social objectives. Expectations and challenges with regard to climate adaptation and climate protection, the circular economy, energy system transformation including the phasing out of nuclear power, coal, mobility, decarbonisation, as well as the long-term processes of urbanisation and demographic change are setting new goals, which also affect the development of infrastructures. The new technical possibilities of information and communication technologies in the wake of the digital transformation, including the increasing familiarity of the users in their application, together with the new objectives lead to a great dynamic of change towards more efficiency, comfort and partly completely new services.

Without a thorough transformation in the transport sector, the energy transition will not succeed. On the one hand, emissions caused by mobility must be significantly reduced. On the other hand, the two sectors of transport and energy need to be linked. Lower Saxony, where the dominance of car traffic is more pronounced than in other German regions, has initiated many sustainable mobility projects in recent years. Now it is a matter of spreading the word on new mobility concepts. To contribute to this broader goal, the WenaMoNi project carries out a comprehensive cross-sectoral analysis in the field of sustainable mobility in Lower Saxony and then identifies opportunities and obstacles.

The project schedule for river restoration projects can vary greatly. This flow chart shows the most important project steps. Natural river development is a complex undertaking. A well-structured planning management creates the prerequisites for a balanced solution and an efficient and successful implementation of measures.

River restoration costs money, but there are many funding instruments and grants that can be combined. In addition, compensatory measures and overlapping interests with other departments and stakeholders (e.g. flood protection, nature conservation) can be utilised. The infographics give examples of concrete support programmes and instruments for the financing of river restoration by the German Federal States, the German Federal Government, the European Union, local authorities and others.

This report analyses two specific activities within the REFRESH project: First, the dissemination of the Framework for Action ("Blueprint") that helps national governments to build Voluntary Agreements with the relevant stakeholders in the sector to reduce food loss and waste and second, work with Standardisation Bodies, specifically barcode standards used by retailers.

In September 2019, the European Commission organized the 'European Research & Innovation Days' to shape the EU's future research and innovation policy. Holger Gerdes, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, had been invited to take part in a panel discussion, which focused on the challenges and potentials of bio-based products and innovations. The video recordings from the session can be watched online.

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, including science. On the occasion of European Climate Diplomacy Week 2019, the German Federal Foreign Office, the British Embassy in Germany and the French Embassy in Germany would like to discuss the conceivable potentials and synergies. Ecologic Institute's Matthias Duwe moderates the discussion.

The discussion paper presents the rationale for a new treaty on tackling plastic waste and highlights its possible added value. The objective would be to reduce marine plastic litter through a comprehensive approach that also includes land-based sources, a life cycle approach to plastic and is open to future developments. The purpose would not be to prohibit plastics as such.