As a part of the UN climate change negotiations in Bonn, Ecologic Institute organized an official side event covering European Union climate and energy policy. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) convenes at least twice each year, with the midpoint meeting taking place in the former German capital. The event offered an opportunity to discuss tradeoffs and synergies in current EU policy, in light of recent research and political debates.

On 12 and 18 June 2014, project workshops entitled "Biodiversity and development - Different biodiversity narratives and their implications for international cooperation" took place in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Quito (Ecuador). The subsequent expert workshop was held in Berlin (Germany) on 3 July 2014. Discussions focused on how different perceptions of nature and biodiversity can potentially lead to divergent conservation and management strategies, and thereby affect development cooperation at the national and local levels.

The report was prepared by Ecologic Institute and ICLEI. It was conducted for the Committee of the Regions (CoR) to inform the CoR's contribution to the review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and contribute to the monitoring of the implementation of CBD Decision X/22 within the Member States. The main task of the study was the collection and analysis of information from the 28 Member States and their regions and cities on the involvement of local and regional authorities in the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and CBD Decision X/22. The report is available for download.

The event highlighted the main results of the report “Environment Component of the Commitment to Development Index.” The presentation of the report, prepared by Ecologic Institute, served as the basis for discussions on the most urgent issues in the environment–development nexus and for identifying suitable policy recommendations for EU member states and EU institutions.

Jacob, Klaus; Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers; Katrin Bienge et. al. 2014: Strategien und Optionen zur Stärkung der Ressourcenpolitik im Rahmen einer Green Economy. Input-Papier des PolRess-Konsortiums für das Parlamentarische Frühstück, 6. Juni 2014.

On 6 June 2014, Max Grünig, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented the analysis of the environment and development performacen of 21 European countries prepared based on the Commitment to Development Index 2013 by the Center for Global Development at The Centre in Brussels. The draft report is available for download. Comments and feedback are much appreciated.

On 5 June 2014, the one-day conference "Climate Mitigation Requires Initiative – Conference on the Strategic Development of the NKI" took place in Berlin under the scope of the project "Strategic Development of the National Climate Initiative (NKI)". 150 participants from policy, business, scientific institutions, and civil society discussed and exchanged their views on the main focal points for the further development of the NKI. The presentation slides are available for download.

Which invasive species can be found in Berlin and Brandenburg? Have you ever wondered what they taste like? Come try it out at our final event of the series Biodiversity - local/global and learn more about these organisms from Prof. Dr. Jasmin Joschi from Potsdam University and Peter Becker from NewTritionInk. 
 

At the 5th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), Dr. Grit Martinez, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute outlined the research approach of the BONUS-project "Soils2Sea" at the work stream session: "Successful cooperation: research, development and innovation".

On 3 June 2014, Max Grünig, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, contributed to an policy dialogue by the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels on the potential impacts of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) under a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US on the environment. Max Grünig presented evidence from past ISDS proceedings, focussing on cases with a direct link to the environment.

Davis, M; Rouillard, J; Lukat, E; Stein, U; Tröltzsch, J; Vidaurre, R. (2014). Compilation of best practice examples and experiences of adaptation plans. Deliverable D4.1, BeWater, FP7 project no. 612385 -SIS.2013.1.2-1 European Commission, 67 pp.