The 88th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Short Course held at the TU Dresden focused on Nature-based Solutions (NBS) to emerging water challenges. The seminar featured several contributions over a period of three weeks, including a presentation from Ecologic Institute Fellows Gregory Fuchs and Dr. Benjamin Kupilas on the concept of NBS and relevant international and European policy frameworks for implementing NBS.

This webinar series explored how agroecology (including organic farming) and sustainable food consumption can enable a transition to climate friendly and resilient agri-food systems in Central Eastern Europe, while also addressing the biodiversity crisis and the economic crisis in agriculture. In each webinar, views on different elements of a transition to climate friendly and resilient agri-food systems were illustrated and exchanged, based on agroecology. Insights from research and practical examples were highlighted, followed by an exchange and networking among the participants.

At the occasion of the 10th Anniversary Edition of the European Urban Resilience Forum, Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch gave two presentations, showcasing insights both of the CLEVER Cities project as well as the INTERLACE project.

Ecosystem restoration is gaining momentum in science and policy as a process that can jointly tackle biodiversity loss, climate change and other societal challenges. The human and social dimensions of restoration projects however, often insufficiently considered. The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) hosted a hybrid workshop entitled Making people part of ecosystem restoration in Europe from 17 to 19 October 2023 to explore this topic. McKenna Davis, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, held a keynote presentation on "Creating enabling conditions for ecosystem restoration: Tools and guidelines for local impact".

On 16 October 2023, Doris Knoblauch (Ecologic Institute) gave a lecture on "Plastics, green urban environments and local climate protection" at a postgraduate course, where 19 experts from ministries, authorities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and industry from low-income countries and emerging economies were represented and exchanged. The focus was on showing how the triple crisis – plastics pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change – are intertwined and reinforce each other, and what role cities could play in tackling this triple crisis.

In an increasingly interlinked and globalized world, indigenous peoples and local communities are essential for the preservation of their rights, cultures and access to land and resources. What role do they play in the dialog around environmental protection and social justice? This policy paper sheds light on the challenges and opportunities for indigenous peoples and local communities and explores how their voices can be heard and respected in international forums.

Ecologic Institute designed and developed the MoorNet website and embedded peatland protection database. In addition, the website offers a filterable list of peatland-related events as well as quick access to the overview of already gained knowledge. Stakeholders in peatland protection are invited to add content to the database.

On 11 October 2023 the networking project "MoorNet" introduced itself and its activities and provided an overview of its current status. The focus of this event was the new MoorNet website with a database of peatland conservation projects and funding programs in Germany, which will be continuously updated.

The online expert dialogue "Circular diversity: creative solutions to promote the re-use of second-hand goods" took place on 10 October 2023, organized by Ecologic Institute for the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Mobility, Transportation, Climate Action and the Environment (SenMVKU). The aim of this event was to present the variety of existing creative approaches to promote the re-use of second-hand goods.

This report summarises key findings and recommendations for a strategy to promote more plant-based diets. This strategy is key for a sustainable transformation of food systems as so far, there is a lack of binding policy targets for sustainable nutrition to guide actions, and indicators to enable monitoring. This report discusses different options for targets and indicators, drawing on the concept of planetary boundaries and the Planetary Health Diet.

This policy paper addresses the restoration of freshwater ecosystems. It delves into a policy milieu where the UN Decades of Ecosystem Restoration and the Water Decade emerge as pivotal, particularly bolstering SDGs 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 14 (Life Below Water). The paper offers policy recommendations that advocate for the integration of specific measures into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), alongside the proposal for a binding international water treaty and the appointment of a UN special representative for water.

The European Regions Research and Innovation Network's (ERRIN) Blue Economy Working Group held a hybrid meeting entitled "Water issues in the era of climate change" on 5 October 2023. McKenna Davis, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Coordinator of Nature-based Solutions, was invited to hold the keynote presentation to set the scene. Her contribution – entitled "Nature-based solutions in European policy: A framework for enhancing local action" – introduced the variety of nature-based solutions available for water management, current research focusing on these solutions (including the Ecologic-led NICHES project), the surrounding EU policy framework, and examples of enabling local policy instruments from the Urban Governance Atlas.

The webinar "Effective measures promoting biodiversity – implementation in practice" on 5 October 2023 took a look at the implementation of concrete measures to promote biodiversity in the context of urban development funding. What challenges arise in the creation and maintenance and how can these be overcome?

The NRL finals begin! On 5 October 2023, the first Trilogue on the Nature Restoration Law in Brussels begins. We need strict and binding targets for the restoration of peatlands and ensure a level of ambition in line with the overarching international climate and biodiversity commitments of the EU and preventing loopholes granted to Member States. The largest conference of peatland experts ever held took place in Antwerp in September 2023. At this conference, a declaration to Empower nature, climate and future now! was agreed and calls for joint urgent action to safeguard peatlands in Europe, on behalf of more than 90 signatories, representing EU funded projects, scientists, non-governmental organisations, land managers, etc.

In a project for the European Climate Foundation (ECF), Ecologic Institute assesses the implementation status and the quality of the national implementing measures of selected provisions of these EU laws in six Member States. Ecologic Institute conducts country fiches on Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany and Spain, while Reform Institute conducts a country fiche on Poland. The project aims at getting a picture of the challenges of a timely and adequate implementation, also with a view to the recent amendments of the EU legislation within the "Fit for 55" package.