This document assesses the just transition aspects of Germany's draft updated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). Specifically, it focuses on how well the plan addresses the territorial and distributional challenges of transitioning to climate neutrality.

This policy brief highlights the need for a systemic and integrated approach to support the transition to climate friendly and resilient agri-food systems in CEE countries. The brief underlines how the key policy instruments that countries have at their disposal – the Common Agricultural Policy, National Energy and Climate Plans, and policies to support sustainable food consumption – can be better used to support such an integrated approach. Finally, the brief points to the importance of setting clear goals, as well as developing societal support, and capacities for the transition.

This report aims to provide inspiration and guidance for stakeholders in Central Eastern European (CEE) countries to pursue a more holistic and coordinated approach for transitioning towards climate friendly and resilient agri-food systems.

Ecologic Institute is conducting a review of the current sanctions regime in emissions trading for the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) and making proposals for improvements to enforcement and the legal situation. The focus of the project is on administrative offence law.

At the occasion of the 16th NESS – Nordic Environmental Social Science Conference in Turku (Finland), from 4 to 6 June 2024, Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch presented the findings of two projects in a workshop dealing with "Governing urban climate transformations: Towards climate neutrality and resilience".

Scaling up nature-based solutions (NbS) to deliver their full range of potential benefits requires coordinated efforts to enhance technical skills, devise innovative financing mechanisms, and improve governance. The ‘EU-LAC Policy Dialogue on Nature-based Solutions’ – an initiative led by the Directorate General of Research and Innovation of the European Commission – aims to establish a regular exchange between the EU and Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) regions around nature-based solutions (NbS) to advance policy uptake and action in both regions.

A new report by the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut explores the past contribution of the industry sector to already achieved emission reductions as well as the contribution of the industry sector to the upcoming 2040 climate target and what it takes for industry to achieve the related emission reductions. With a focus on measures and policies governing that would further reduce emissions in industry, the report also examines the key challenges faced by the industry sector and how this is addressed in EU legislation.

In the face of rapidly changing marine environments, innovative strategies are essential to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainability. Gregory Fuchs recently led a series of workshops on the island of Vilm (Baltic Sea, Germany), highlighting how Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) and Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) can address complex marine challenges. He also shared insights from research projects like Marine SABRES.

Dr. Benjamin Kupilas and Dr. Ulf Stein attended the launch of the new BiodivRestore Knowledge Hub in Paris on 30 and 31 May 2024. Both have been appointed as experts to the hub, which is a thematic network consisting of selected researchers with expertise in biodiversity and ecosystem restoration.

The Brandenburg Action Plan for Organic Agriculture has been implemented since 2022 and aims to increase the proportion of organically farmed land in the state to 20 per cent by 2024. As part of the Action Plan for Organic Agriculture, product-related market information meetings will be organised to bring together market players from the agricultural and food sectors and discuss current developments, challenges and opportunities. These talks are key to strengthening the regional organic value chain and promoting dialogue between producers, processors and marketers.

In this article, the authors, including Anthony Cox of Ecologic Institute, highlight there is little appetite among WTO members for modernizing multilateral subsidy rules at a time when many countries are introducing new forms of support that could potentially exacerbate existing policy disincentives for globally sustainable economic and environmental outcomes.

The poster ‘Synergies and Strategies for Marine Protection and Climate Adaptation’ presents key results and approaches of research on the integration of marine protection and climate adaptation. It shows how these two areas can be linked in order to effectively meet the challenges of climate change in marine and coastal ecosystems.

Hugh McDonald presented preliminary findings from the final report "Funding climate friendly soil management: Appropriate policy instruments and limits of market-based approaches" to an audience of more than 100 staff from the German Environment Agency.

On 23 May 2024 a workshop for competent authorities and organizations of peatland rewetting projects was held in Hannover with 25 participants.

The aim of this project is to compile an up-to-date overview of existing scientific studies on the economic valuation of marine ecosystems and their services, as well as on the environmental impacts of the oceans. The aim is to go beyond the consideration of short-term "provisioning services", both in terms of the ecosystem services recorded and in terms of geographical coverage.