This report presents scenarios for shipping in the Baltic Sea for the years 2030 and 2040. The following issues are addressed and the impact from shipping in these scenarios on the Baltic Sea region will be studied: What is the effect of a further slow steaming of shipping in the Baltic Sea; What is the effect of a modal shift from land to sea?; What is the impact of an introduction of a NECA by 2021?; What would be the effect if emissions to water from shipping are eliminated?; What would a large introduction of LNG as a marine fuel imply?; What can be done with further environmental regulations for leisure boats? Finally, what can be achieved with measures in ports?

The aim of this report is to create a framework to understand and ultimately assess the linkages from the drivers of shipping in the Baltic Sea to its effects on ecosystem services and human wellbeing. Available Drivers Pressures State Impact Response (DPSIR) frameworks are analysed and adapted to shipping in the Baltic Sea. The developed DPSIR framework will be operationalised in further steps using available indicators. An adapted DPSIR framework and especially the reviewed indicators will be used to assess potential changes to ecosystem services compared to Business As Usual (BAU) and an integrated assessment and policy analysis to reduce pressures from shipping in the Baltic Sea.

This document contains evidence‐based narratives within the area of "Nature­‐Based Solutions". The material found herein has been compiled on request of the Directorate‐General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) with reference to the project RECREATE. Data were obtained from a variety of different sources, including both published and unpublished works, but mainly constitute the result of desk research.

This Deliverable reports the results of the assessment of governance factors conducive to innovation uptake carried within the context of the FP7 DESSIN project. The research is based on the analysis of innovation uptake in the three DESSIN mature case-study sites (i.e. Aarhus, Emscher, Ebro) which had welcomed some successful transformation in urban water management. A number of recommendations are presented in the conclusion to inspire future "entrepreneurs" in promoting innovation uptake in urban water management. The report is available for download.

Altvater, Susanne; Elizabeth Dooley and Ennid Roberts 2015: Legal Instruments to Implement the Objective 'Land Degradation Neutral World' in International Law. Dessau-Roßlau: UBA.

Milesecure 2050 Societal Processes of Energy Transition. March 2015. Milesecure 2050 Policy Brief. Turin: Politecnico di Torino.

Christoph Stefes, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented during the one-day workshop "Making a case against environmental crime" his case study on environmental crime in the mining sector of the Republic of Armenia. The case study looks at the causes of environmental crime in Armenia, taking the mining sector as an example. It describes measures that the European Union could take to contribute to preventing future environmental crime in the country. The case study is available for download.

In an effort to increase education on the environmental, health and socioeconomic impacts of unconventional drilling such as fracking, Ecologic Institute and FracTracker Alliance are collaborating through an initiative to share the American fracking experience. As part of this initiative, a compelling series of 14 US-based and international workshops in affected communities has been created. One such workshop was hosted by the South Florida Wildlands Association in partnership with Ecologic Institute and FracTracker to share the latest insights on oil development activities (including seismic testing) in Florida and ways that the public can get involved.

The COBALT project closing conference, "Sustainable raw materials management in Europe – Fostering stakeholder dialogue to deliver on the future" took place from 23 to 24 March 2015 in Brussels at Les Ateliers des Tanneurs. The closing conference brought together experts and perspectives from industry and business, policy making, civil society, academia, and the geological services to describe the thematic challenges, facing industry and society and to discuss how stakeholder engagement should best be shaped to effectively determine an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable management of raw materials in the EU.

Where do Canada and Germany stand in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency? Which initiatives and projects are leading the way? Who is driving development – and how can Canada profit from Germany’s experiences? These and other questions framed the Canadian-German Study Tour that took place from 22 to 28 March 2015 in Berlin and Hamburg, focusing on the theme "Energy Transition in Germany". The study tour had space for 11 high-level participants with professional backgrounds in policy, science, business and NGO works.

What progress have EU Member States made in implementing the Water Framework Directive between the first (2009) to the second cycle (2015) of river basin management planning? A consultant's report co-authored by Ecologic Institute is provides initial insights on the basis of a screening assessment of the second River Basin Management Plans draft, prepared for the fourth European Water Conference. The report is available for download.

One facet of the "European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime" (EFFACE) project, coordinated by Ecologic Institute, is research on the instruments, actors, and institutions involved in the fight against environmental crime. The overall work consists of a main report and a variety of studies, focusing on specific legal provisions, institutions, and actors at the national, EU, and international levels. The reports by Ecologic Institute and other institutions are available for download.

The infographic presents the process and criteria to be considered for the design development for an investigation of fish downstream migration.

The infographic gives an overview of which characteristic causes of injury of fish is caused by which typical corridor components (e.g. barriers, turbines).

The infographic presents the optimisation process during site-specific evaluations. Deficiencies can be identified at an early stage, during technical and hydraulic characterisation and during study of fish migration. Optimisation proposals can then be developed. Thus the efficacy of optimisation measures implemented can be tested during the course of the evaluation process.