The Arctic Summer College 2018 virtual campus was open to participating Arctic experts, specialists and students in July and August 2018. It provided information on a wide range of topics, including the regional impact of climate change on the Arctic, local challenges such as land use, energy production and distribution and food security, as well as activities in the Arctic Council and the need for a vision for the Arctic.

The Arctic Summer College brings together Arctic experts, professionals, and students for a transdisciplinary exchange on key Arctic issues. The webinar series, which was conceived by Ecologic Institute in 2011, covered in 2018 four thematic modules: (1) Environmental Sciences, (2) Energy and Resources, (3) International Governance, and (4) Social Sciences. The webinar series is available online.

On 11 July 2018, the latest edition of the Climate Talk series discuss whether a "green" revolution is underway on the financial market, and how the EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan can benefit Climate Protection. Close to 40 participants contributed to the lively discussion. Sabine Pex (ISS-Oekom), Eva Kracht (BMU) and Karsten Löffler (Frankfurt School of Finance & Management) introduced the topic and sketched their expectations for the future.

One of the key elements of the Research Network in Climate, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials (RECREATE) project has been the development of the RECREATE Green Horizons Scoreboard. In order to show the potential user the possibilities provided by the Scoreboard, RECREATE and Ecologic Institute produced an instructional video that takes the user through a number of exemplary analyses.

The European Union is currently pursuing two important processes that can mutually support one another: implementing its 2030 climate and energy targets and defining the EU budget for the years 2021-2027. An Ecologic Institute analysis points out several ways to effectively connect EU funding with climate action and identifies hooks in the proposed legislation. The analysis is available for download.

In July 2018, Sandra Naumann from the Ecologic Institute joined the 2nd International Seminar on nature-based solutions in Brasilia (Brazil) to discuss the state of knowledge, experiences and challenges to implement nature-based solutions (NBS). She presented an overview of the almost 1000 NBS contained within the Urban Nature Atlas as well as results from the EU and national policy review conducted as part of the EU-funded NATURVATION project. Attendees included over 100 representatives of Brazilian and European cities, national and local authorities and decision makers, research, business and international organisations. The presentation slides are available online.

This report analyses how the need for measures to reduce the nutrient load is assessed in the river basin management planning to meet the environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive for coastal waters in the EU Member States or river basin districts that share coastal waters with Denmark. Thus, the analysis covers Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Poland.

In 2018, the European Commission will publish its report on the assessment of the second RBMPs and will start the process of evaluating the WFD (EC, 2017a). To accompany and inform this process, the EEA has produced this report on the state of Europe's water. In addition, the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) Freshwater visualisation tool presents more, and more detailed, results.

The European Birds and Habitats Directives - jointly referred to as the Nature Directives (ND) – are central regulatory instruments to achieve the EU Biodiversity Strategy’s main target: ‘halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU and help stop global biodiversity loss by 2020’. A recent evaluation by the European Commission has concluded that while the ND remain highly relevant, their implementation needs to be improved to successfully achieve sought objectives. The project Evidence‐based improvements in the Birds and Habitats Directives (BHD) implementation: a systematic review (E-BIND) responds to this need by gathering evidence and developing recommendations for key stakeholders on how to better use scientific knowledge and networks to more effectively implement the Directives.

In June 2018, the joint statement of the Expert Commission on the "Energy of the Future" Monitoring Process was published. Ecologic Institute provides scientific support to the work of the Expert Commission with a focus on the key topics that Dr. Hans-Joachim Ziesing and the Expert Commission selected for their joint statement. The joint statement is available for download.

If and how Germany can afford the coal phase-out was the subject of the presentation by Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemfert at an event, which took place on the heels of the first meeting of the new German task force for phasing out coal power. Co-hosted by the DIW Berlin and the OECD Berlin, Dr. Camilla Bausch of Ecologic Institute discussed with Prof. Kemfert and the audience the broad range of relevant questions.

On 26 June 2018, the International Symposium on Energy Efficiency will bring together leaders from all over the globe as part of the EFEX project to talk about the ways in which energy efficiency has proven to be not only a tool for meeting environmental and sustainability goals and commitments but also an opportunity to increase participation and prosperity in all segments of society. Registration for the conference is open, and you can still get in at the discounted early bird rate. You'll find further information including registration details on the symposium's website.

The EFEX study tour from 25 to 29 June 2018 complements our 2018 International Symposium on Energy Efficiency with an in-depth exploration of energy lighthouse projects in the US American capital region. The program includes presentations and field trips on topics ranging from energy efficiency to renewable energy and sustainable mobility, with a special focus on the interconnections between these sectors. The program is designed for civil-society participants from the United States and Europe. The Ecologic Institute US is the lead organizer for the study tour. Applications are still open.

Germany seems to be missing its climate protection targets for 2020 – can a climate protection law help avoid such failures in the future? Will the Climate Protection Plan 2050 and its sectoral goals be bindingly anchored in the law? Within the context of the Energy Future Exchange (EFEX) project, a round of international experts discussed these questions at the Climate Talk at Ecologic Institute in Berlin. Bringing in a transatlantic perspective, the discussion also touched on the climate protection frameworks currently in place in California and Mexico.

Strong national climate governance frameworks are crucial to establish and maintain political support for the low-carbon transition and facilitate the implementation of policies. The truly robust governance frameworks combine key elements such as legally binding targets reached with high level of political support, broad stakeholder participation and review mechanisms that allow for adjustments over time. Creation of dedicated institutions with clearly assigned responsibilities and powers is essential to ensure the robustness and effectiveness of the framework. The study, co-authored by Ecologic Institute's Matthias Duwe, is available for download.