This report focuses on the assessment of the status of the marine environment, the definition of environmental objectives and the development of programs of measures to achieve good environmental status. It provides guidance to Member States on the assessment of marine waters, identifies key pressures and pressures factors and offers approaches for setting environmental targets. It supports the development of monitoring programs and the implementation of measures to reduce pollution and conserve biodiversity. The technical assistance aims to promote cooperation between Member States and create a coherent framework for maritime policy in the EU.

The negotiations of the Carbon Removals Certification Framework (CRCF) have put EU climate policies at a critical juncture. These negotiations raise some essential questions concerning the further development of EU climate policy.

The KOPOS criteria set serves to make the sustainability and transformation impacts of initiatives in the food sector measurable and visible. It provides a basis for evaluating and improving the sustainability of projects, and is useful both for initiatives themselves and for institutions wishing to promote sustainability projects. In addition to the actual set of criteria, this working paper provides an introduction and a derivation of the criteria.

In this episode of "Green Deal – Big Deal?", we tackle the complex world of natural resources, a topic that underpins many aspects of Europe's ambition for a green future. In conversation with guests Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director-General of European Commission’s DG Environment, and Janez Potočnik, Co-chair of the International Resources Panel, hosts Ewa Iwaszuk and Aaron Best discuss how the use of natural resources is closely linked to the climate and biodiversity crises, highlighting the global nature of resource use and its impacts.

In the article "Lang lebe der Rohstoff" (available in German), Susanne Langsdorf provides an overview of Germany's use of raw materials, its dependence on sometimes problematic trading partners and what tools Germany has to reduce this.

Doris Knoblauch, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Coordinator for Urban and Spatial Governance, gave a presentation on 23 February 2024 at the event "Climate Protection through Nature-based Solutions", organized by Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen. She gave an introduction to the effects of climate change in Germany and Leipzig and presented the concept of "nature-based solutions". She also showed which nature-based solutions can help to adapt to which climate change challenge. Finally, Doris Knoblauch presented examples from Leipzig.

On 22 February 2024, Dr. Benjamin Kupilas and Fenja Kroos gave a presentation at the 6th ad-hoc meeting on future national restoration plans (NRPs) organized by DG ENV. They presented their work on the Compilation of Existing Guidance on Ecosystem Restoration commissioned by DG ENV.

The book and e-book "Climate Change in Germany" was republished in March 2024 by the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS). The open access book is a comprehensive presentation of climate change and the consequences of climate change in Germany. The interdisciplinary work brings together specialist areas and topics from 165 experts from the climate, natural, environmental, social and human sciences. The work highlights various options for action for adaptation and climate protection activities in individual regions in Germany and across different sectors. Dr. Grit Martinez from Ecologic Institute is co-author of the article "Further development of climate change adaptation strategies".

This report analyzes the challenges and opportunities arising from the phase-out of coal in Germany, with a specific focus on the three major coalfields: the Central German, Rhenish and Lusatian coalfields. It offers a detailed insight into the challenges and strategic approaches and emphasizes the need to develop regional infrastructures in a targeted and sustainable manner in order to meet the economic, social and ecological challenges of the three major German coalfields. Innovative technical solutions and a stronger integration of different infrastructure sectors can support the transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a sustainable and resilient regional development.

The German agriculture sector faces significant climate-related challenges due to extreme weather events along with shifts in temperature patterns, impacting crop yields and biodiversity and exacerbating water scarcity and water quality deterioration. The Panda Fördergesellschaft (on behalf of WWF) is commissioning Ecologic Institute to create a handbook, "Water Stewardship in German Agriculture," aiming to offer practical solutions to enhance water retention, quality, and biodiversity. The handbook will include an overview of Germany's water situation, legal framework, specific measures with contextualised examples, and ways to promote collective action.

McKenna Davis, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Coordinator of Nature-based Solutions, held a keynote at the online webinar ‘Engaging the public in GBGI projects’, where she spoke about inclusive governance and how to learn from real world policy practices to support co-governance in practice. She also presented the Urban Governance Atlas.

This study assesses the progress of EU Member States in embedding participatory governance processes to foster transformative climate governance. Through comprehensive criteria-based analysis and in-depth interviews across several nations, this publication unveils the current state of MLCED implementation, challenges in stakeholder engagement, and the adequacy of mechanisms designed to steer us towards a climate-neutral future.

The Pacific Island Countries face severe climate-related challenges affecting water access and sanitation, endangering public health and hindering development. The PacFresH2O project aims to enhance rural communities' water resilience in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands by improving water infrastructure, implementing nature-based solutions and water resource management, integrating climate resilient WASH into national plans, and collaborating with local stakeholders to maximize socio-economic benefits and mitigate climate change impacts.

In this webinar, we will examine what ECNO's analysis can tell us about the progress of the EU cleantech sector and the future of EU cleantech policy. As the European elections approach, and the global cleantech race only speeds up, finding an impactful European solution is increasingly necessary.

This webinar offered a deep dive into the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis's journey to becoming a benchmark in climate protection and energy innovation. It examined the district's effective strategies for phasing out fossil fuels and the transition to a local, renewable energy supply.