To achieve the Europe 2020 goals the EU installed the European semester, a yearly cycle of European policy coordination. Although it was supposed to effect the national level, it also influenced regional and local developments. Thus economic and fiscal governance in the European Union were boosted. This report presents two concepts for an indicator which measures regional progress.

In this book chapter, R. Andreas Kraemer offers insights to the functional aspects and challenges in the Ecologic Institute organization, in both a German and European context. After presenting strategies like network cooperation, and internal structures, e.g. the "Fluid Matrix Organization" of the staff, R. Andreas Kraemer highlights policy successes regarding water or nuclear power policy.

Moreira Alves, Filipe Miguel et al. 2014: Challenges to Planning Climate Adaptation Strategies in Europe. BASE Policy Brief # 2.

The Beyond GDP Newsletter keeps its readers up to date two to four times a year on important developments related to measuring progress, wealth and well-being.

Energy subsidies come in many shapes and forms. Reducing them is a rare win-win. Both public budgets and the climate would profit. In this book chapter, Frans Oosterhuis and Katharina Umpfenbach are digging into the conundrum why energy subsidy reform remains slow across the world despite its obvious benefits.

Emissions trading promises the achievement of a pre-defined environmental outcome at least cost. If the system works and key assumptions hold, it would seem to be an "optimal" climate policy instrument. On closer inspection, however, it is less clear what constitutes an "optimal" climate policy. This paper argues that optimality involves a range of criteria beyond short-term economic efficiency, but also has to consider the longer-term dynamic efficiency, as well as the political, administrative and legal feasibility of policy instruments.

How are Member States in the EU implementing National Adaptation Strategies (NAS's)? How do their approaches differ, and what lessons can we learn? Using case studies from across Europe, this policy brief analyses processes for designing, implementing and reviewing NAS's. It identifies the positive role being played by the EU Adaptation Strategy in influencing NAS implementation, while also identifying shared challenges, including those related to short political timeframes and concretely realizing mainstreaming of climate adaptation into all sectors.

At the European Maritime Day in Bremen (EMD) on 20 May Dr. Grit Martinez, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute presented the first results of a multidisciplinary research endeavor on socio-cultural aspects regarding resilience, preparedness and action to risks at European coast. The research is part of the EU FP7 Collaborative project RISC-KIT (Resilience-Increasing Strategies for Coasts-Toolkit, duration 2013-2017).

As a new element in the Ecologic Institute's long-standing cooperation with the Duke University in North Carolina, the Institute hosts a course on the German Energiewende. For the second time, the Ecologic Institute organizes this course as part of the 2014 Summer in Berlin program jointly organized by Duke University and Rutgers.

What can consumers, medical staff, researchers, members of water boards and politicians do to reduce the input of pharmaceutical residues at the source? This short film illustrates how all involved stakeholders can contribute jointly to solutions.

During the European Maritime Day (EMD) more than 1000 participants from politics, economy, science, and NGOs, the seventh EMD centered on the question of sustainable use of seas and oceans. Ecologic Institute, presented by Dr. Grit Martinez, Susanne Altvater, and Dr. Nico Stelljes presented research results and discussed the results with locals from Bremen and the surrounding region.