The Brexit, migration, the Euro crisis, continued economic malaise, and the rise of EU-sceptical parties and nationalist sentiment across Europe – the EU is clearly in turbulence. But how did it get there? What problems does the EU face, and do they amount to a crisis of the European Union? If the EU is in a crisis – what does it entail for EU climate and energy policy?

Ecologic Institute conducted a series of five Dinner Dialogues, titled "Climate and energy — a critical dialogue series on current issues". The dialogues were aimed at promoting the debate in Germany on climate protection and sustainable energy, as well as at strengthening networks among actors.

A consortium including Ecologic Institute has been commissioned by the European Commission to provide support in the evaluation of the contribution of Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Floods Directive (FD).

<p>Within this project Ecologic Institute wrote a paper discussing potential implications of TTIP on the (re-)municipalisation of energy services and community power projects. The paper is available for download.</p>&#13;

BASE Consortium 2016: Key Policy Issues in Implementing and Evaluating the EU Adaptation Strategy. BASE Policy Brief # 4.

Inefficient use of fertilizers in agriculture means that serious environmental problems are still being created 25 years after the entry into force of the nitrates directive. Using the example of the Weser-Ems region, Evelyn Lukat and Sandra Naumann from the Ecologic Institute describing ways to reduce such problems.

A newly created atlas for fish protection and downstream fish migration ("Atlas Fischschutz & Fischabstieg"), designed and implemented by Ecologic Institute, is online since June 2016. The map indicates all the locations of measures for fish protection and downstream fish migration complemented by information taken from associated studies. Furthermore, the filter function highlights specific research and development projects as well as information regarding specific basics and activities. Stakeholders in terms of fish protection and downstream fish migration are invited to add new content to the atlas.

What signal do private actors need in the emissions trading for the period after the second Kyoto commitment period 2020? How can legal certainty be created for the "climate change" AAUs / CERs / ERUs from the Kyoto era, and what will happen in the future to existing institutions (CDM EB, JISC, registers, trading platforms)? How can the UNFCCC ensure the quality of international climate protection measures and apply reduction measures consistently and transparently? And is there any potential as well as political interest in emission trading clubs? The discussion on these and other questions was initiated by keynote speakers by Dennis Tänzler (adelphi), Lambert Schneider (Stockholm Environment Institute) and Nico Kreibich (Wuppertal Institute).

Ecologic Insitute (lead), together with University College London (UCL) and Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), is developing a study for the Committee of the Regions comprising regional and local adaptation to climate change since 2013.

From the 26 until 30 September 2016, the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species" (CITES COP 17) took place in Johannesburg South Africa. Since CITES entered into force in 1975, such meetings are held every three years to review progress in the conservation of target species and consider adopting proposals to amend this list and improve Convention effectiveness. Given the recent accession of the European Union to CITES in April 2015 and the aims noted above, Ecologic Institute was commissioned by the European Parliament under an existing framework contract to prepare a briefing to the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). The briefing is available for download.

An online map showing the key, relevant stakeholders in Germany on the issue of sustainable economy is greatly needed—particularly one that displays practitioners and scientific stakeholders separately. This web-based map created for the project, Scientific Co-ordination of Research Projects on a Sustainable Economy, is able to do exactly this! The overview lists around 200 initiatives, projects and institutions. Ecologic Institute is responsible for the concept, design, programming and content production management.

In this study, Ecologic Institute researched – together with ICLEI and the Austrian Environmental Agency – how cities and regions that have signed the Covenant of Mayors went through the process of creating and implementing their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs). The case studies provide an overview of the multi-level governance activities of Hanover, the Region of Barcelona and the Region of Emilia Romagna. For the case studies pertaining to sustainable financing, the city of Bath, the Region of Sardegna and the city of Namyslow were picked. The study is available for download.

Within the framework of the 11th International Conference on Permafrost (ICOP 2016) organized by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research and taking place in Potsdam from 20 to 24 June 2016, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), in cooperation with the Embassy of Canada and the Ecologic Institute, will hold an event on the topic of "Permafrost Research at the Science-Policy Interface". Registration for ICOP 2016 is open until 31 May 2016.

Lucha, Christine; Andreas Prahl; Bettina Kampman et. al. 2016: Local and Regional State of Play and Policy Recommendations Concerning Sustainable Heating and Cooling: Focusing on EU Level Policy. European Committee of the Regions: Brussels.

Residues of veterinary medicines (VETs) can increasingly be detected in soil and water and are becoming the focus of scientific and public debate. This project created information and teaching materials for veterinarians and farmers, in order to make them aware of how to prevent VETs from being introduced into the environment.