In this article, the online edition of IP Global, Germany's leading foreign policy magazine, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Senior Policy Advisor of Ecologic Institute, looks at the outcomes of the COP 10 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) in Nagoya, Japan, and the reasons behind them. His analysis points to opportunities on the road ahead for the international climate negotiations beyond the UNFCCC COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of 2010.

Ecologic Institute, represented by Tanja Srebotnjak and Sebastian Veit, completed a study commissioned by the European Parliament (EP) on the use of radioactively contaminated materials in the construction of residential dwellings in Gabon and Niger. In particular, the study examines practices in the disposal of materials discarded in the mining of uranium in these two countries and is based, inter alia, on a fact-finding mission to Gabon by Sebastian Veit.

What is the current state of climate and energy policies in the Arab countries? What countries and which initiatives are leading the way? Who are the key drivers for climate protection? What are options for Arab-German cooperation and how can countries in the region benefit from Germany's experiences? These and other issues were explored by 25 journalists and experts at a German-Arab Media Dialogue, taking place from 28 November to 1 December 2010 in Abu Dhabi. Organized by the Ecologic Institute in cooperation with the German Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the event was funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Road transport is the most important driver for increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union and is therefore critical to achieving the EU's 20 % greenhouse gas reduction target in 2020. The objective is to decouple economic growth and the demand for transport with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This video (8:36 Min.) visualizes European data on economic growth, transport and greenhouse gas emissions.

Sandra Cavalieri (2010): Expert Meeting Synthesis Report. Ecologic Institute | Berlin.

<p>South African land and water reform processes, as well as the interaction between water, agriculture and climate change in the EU, were the subjects of a workshop in Pretoria, South Africa, in which Christiane Gerstetter, Sandra Naumann and Nicole Kranz participated as representatives of Ecologic Institute. The workshop was organised by the Water Governance Group of the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Ecologic Institute’s presentations are available for download.</p>&#13;

2010: Supporting the Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling, Final Report. IEEP, ECOLOGIC, ARCADIS, UBA, BIO INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, VITO.

Doris Knoblauch and Alexander Neubauer of Ecologic Institute analyse which EU and international policies can be informed by the three Footprint Indicators (Ecological, Carbon, and Water Footprints). Furthermore, the report uses the RACER and SWOT analysis to evaluate the indicators' robustness, their usefulness for assessing progress towards the policy objectives and the possibilities for their integration into policy making.

<p>While the world waits for an international emissions reduction agreement under the UNFCCC, negotiating governments continue a stalemate on key issues. Historical emissions, population dynamics, and trade may be the missing pieces of the puzzle. Hannam (UNEP-Tongji Institute) and McGlynn (Ecologic Institute) connect these components under one framework for adjusting national emissions reduction responsibilities. To determine how much each nation should reduce emissions, they ask: Who benefits from past, present, and future emissions?</p>&#13;

Gantioler S., Rayment M., Bassi S., Kettunen M., McConville A., Landgrebe R., Gerdes H., ten Brink P.: Costs and Socio-Economic Benefits associated with the Natura 2000 Network. Final report to the European Commission, DG Environment on Contract ENV.B.2/SER/2008/0038. Institute for European Environmental Policy / GHK / Ecologic, Brussels 2010.

Do the National Renewable Energy Action Plans concerning Member States' goals for 2020 address the long-term restructuring of electricity generation? Do they consider possibilities for European cooperation? Dr. Stephan Sina and Katharina Umpfenbach of the Ecologic Institute examined these questions in their analysis of the German Renewable Energy Action Plan commissioned by the European Green Foundation.

Ecologic Institute led a study examining how regional and local authorities contribute to the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy by transforming their energy systems. The report, which was commissioned by the Committee of Regions, aims to propose a set of recommendations for future improvements of the program. The study is available for download.

Knowing the limits of the planet's ability to provide resources and absorb pollutants is directly linked to debates on the limits to growth. Together with their partners from SERI, Ecologic Institute analysed environmental thresholds and associated indicators for monitoring unsustainable trends caused by human activity that could lead to the crossing of environmental thresholds in Europe. The areas covered are freshwater quality and quantity, soil erosion, and nonrenewable resource consumption. The report is available for download.