This discussion paper focuses on the potential for political intervention to promote regionalization (in the interests of sustainability) in the most effective way possible. It is part of the work of the research project "Socio-ecological Transformation of the Food System" (acronym STErn) carried out on behalf of UBA/BMU.

The priorities of the German chairmanship of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) from 2020 to 2022 included strengthened ocean governance in the Baltic Sea region, updating the Baltic Sea Action Plan and measures on biodiversity, climate, eutrophication, pollutants, ammunition dumps, underwater noise and marine litter. The ten-year Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), which was adopted by the environment ministers of the Baltic Sea states and the European Union in Lübeck in 2021, provides for around 200 measures. Specific programs and strategies complement these measures. The goal: a healthy and sustainably used Baltic Sea. This flyer, conceived and designed by Ecologic Institute, provides an overview of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and the work of the Helsinki Commission.

Ecologic Institute organised this side event focusing on the source-to-sea approach, multi-use of marine space and marine protected areas in Europe's seas (and transitional waters) – all timely topics in marine management and conservation. In three distinct sessions, a series of ambitious projects provided an insightful picture of how to balance the increasing use of coastal-marine ecosystems with the preservation or even restoration of their biological richness, by mitigating impacts and curbing pressures to achieve true sustainability. Based on the project contributions, a wider panel discussion with experts from different fields of knowledge discussed the approaches and their synergies, look for holistic solutions and consider what is needed to realise the vision of thriving, healthy European seas and coasts for future generations.

On the afternoons of 29 and 30 June 2022, a two-part online workshop was held as part of the project "Information and teaching materials for an environmentally conscious use of human pharmaceuticals". The workshop was titled "Embedding the topic 'Pharmaceuticals in the Environment' in pharmaceutical and medical university teaching as well as in continuing education and professional training", and discussed with stakeholders different approaches to foster the uptake of this topic in teaching curricula.

The aim of the project "Editorial preparation of the update of the strategy for adaptation to climate change in Baden-Württemberg" is the editorial preparation and graphical presentation of the update of the adaptation strategy in Baden-Württemberg.

Citizen assemblies are in high demand – also in the EU. The European Commission wants citizen assemblies to draft future recommendations for key EU legislative projects. The European Parliament is pushing in the same direction. It seems likely that citizen assemblies will become an integral part of the EU decision-making. Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf asks if this is a good idea and what lessons can be learned from the EU Citizen Assemblies?

Social concerns around introducing a carbon price for transport and heating fuels (ETS2) are legitimate. But the EU Parliament overshot the mark in its aspiration to cushion households, which becomes apparent in its request for changes to the Social Climate Fund (SCF), write Michael Pahle, Nils aus dem Moore and Benjamin Görlach in their article for EURACTIV.

This brochure summarizes the most important key messages from 20 joint research projects and seven cross-cutting topics of the German research focus "Plastics in the Environment". The brochure is structured along the life cycle of plastics and includes five sections: Green Economy, Consumption, Recycling, Fresh-water Ecosystems, and Saltwater Ecosystems.

Carbon farming refers to a range of agricultural techniques that increase the ability of the soil to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. This is crucial to achieving the European Green Deal goal of becoming CO₂-neutral by 2050. However, there are still many political and technical issues. Ecologic Institute's panel discussions included input on the report "Carbon farming. Making agriculture fit for 2030" and presented further thinking on carbon farming.

On 22 June 2022, experts from various disciplines exchanged views on the transformation of the food system towards a more plant-based diet. More than 400 interested participants attended the event, which is part of the National Dialogue on Sustainable Food Systems in the context of the UN Food Systems Summit.

The project investigates the potential for greenhouse gas savings through resource efficiency and circular economy measures. Ecologic Institute supports the formulation of resource conservation measures as input for the modelling of GHG saving potentials (WP1 led by GWS). Furthermore, Ecologic Institute is responsible for the scientific support of the European Resource Forum in 2022 and 2024 including the development of background papers.

This briefing paper, co-authored by Ecologic Institute's Natalia Burgos Cuevas, provides an overview of how the climate change–human mobility nexus has been addressed in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted thus far by South American countries and identifies pathways towards improved management of population movements in revised NDCs. To date, a partial integration of the human mobility perspective prevails: References to the topic indicate a slow – but progressive – acknowledgment of the impacts of a changing climate in vulnerable communities, which may include human displacement. Given the urgent need to move forward from the recognition of the topic to the establishment of effective measures to tackle forced population movements associated with the impacts of climate change, the updating of NDCs – currently under way in the region – entails an opportunity to incorporate strategies aimed at enhancing the management of human mobility.

In this Ariadne publication, experts from Ecologic Institute, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, Stiftung Umweltenergierecht, ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research and IER Stuttgart analyzed various options for the relief and level of the CO2 price – and identified advantages and disadvantages as well as implementation requirements of different design options. The focus is on two key political points of contention, where scientific findings can prevent an impending hardening of the position and thus promote a consensus that is conducive to climate protection.

Experts from Ecologic Institute, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, Stiftung Umweltenergierecht, ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research and IER Stuttgart analyzed various options for the relief and level of the CO2 price – and identified advantages and disadvantages as well as implementation requirements of different design options. The focus is on two key political points of contention, where scientific findings can prevent an impending hardening of the position and thus promote a consensus that is conducive to climate protection. This German-language abridged version summarizes the findings.

Not democratically elected, but popular: Citizen councils can strengthen public participation in the EU, but they must not be overrated. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses in the IPG Journal how citizen councils can be involved in EU decision-making in the future.