English

Presentation:Lecture
 
From 4 to 8 August 2025, the International Academy for Nature Conservation (INA) on the Isle of Vilm hosted the seminar "Putting Nature on a Path to Recovery – Innovations in Ecosystem Restoration". The event brought together an international audience of experts and practitioners in ecosystem restoration, nature conservation, and sustainable development. Dr. Benjamin Kupilas, Senior Fellow and Coordinator for Biodiversity at Ecologic Institute, contributed with a talk titled "Restoring nature, restoring our future: From global goals to local gains."

Restoring Nature, Restoring our Future


Dr. Benjamin Kupilas

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Publication:Report
 
How can the EU stay on track to climate neutrality – despite tightening budgets and rising geopolitical pressure? A new Ariadne background paper reviews the Fit for 55 package, discusses open questions for the post-2030 period, and outlines options for a more coherent EU policy architecture.

Staying the Course in Turbulent Times

Insights on the current state and ways forward for the EU's climate, energy and finance policy architecture

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Publication:Article
 
Anthropogenic litter poses a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. While the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) addresses this pollution as an environmental status indicator, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) lacks such a measure.The publication, jointly authored by researchers from the European Plastic Pirates initiative, illustrates how citizen science can address this issue by using existing litter data from related initiatives. Members of the author team included Doris Knoblauch and Mandy Hinzmann from the Ecologic Institute.

Public Participation in EU Legislation?

Recommendations for Involving Citizen Scientists in Anthropogenic Litter Research Within the Water Framework Directive

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Publication:Book Section
 
Cover of the book " A research agenda for environmental crime and law"
As part of the section on new and emerging themes in the book A Research Agenda for Environmental Crime and the Law, Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow at the Ecologic Institute, contributed a chapter titled "Climate Change and Criminal Justice". In this chapter, he explores why criminal law currently plays only a marginal role in discussions on climate change mitigation – and whether this should, and could, be changed.

Climate Change and Criminal Justice

Chapter in A Research Agenda for Environmental Crime and the Law

Year

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
How can cities become more resilient, biodiverse, and socially inclusive in times of rapid change? These questions shaped the 4th World Conference of the Society for Urban Ecology (SURE), titled Cities Under Global Social Transformations. Among the many insights, Carlos Calzadilla Guerra contributed a discussion session on potential and challenges of repurposing urban vacant land (UVL) into nature-based solutions (NbS) in Latin American cities.

Repurposing Urban Vacant Land (UVL) into Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Latin American Cities


Carlos Calzadilla Guerra

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Publication:Article
 
Cover of a publication from 'Cambridge Prisms' titled 'Plastics.' The cover features a gradient background transitioning from deep red to blue, with white lines cutting across the lower half. The title 'Plastics' is displayed in simple white text.
To enable a genuine shift toward a circular plastic economy, the UN plastics treaty must confront two critical structural barriers: fossil fuel and plastic production subsidies, and the failure to internalize the true societal and environmental costs of plastic. Without addressing these root causes, efforts to end plastic pollution risk falling short, the authors of this article argue. Among them Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch.

A Circular Plastic Economy Should Account for all Societal Costs

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
In this Policy Brief of the EU-funded NICHES project, Benjamin Kupilas (Ecologic Institute) and David Alejandro Camacho Caballero (UAB) examine how cities like Barcelona, Berlin, and Rotterdam can shape the transition to sustainable urban water systems through Nature-based Solutions (NBS). The core question is which governance models, participatory processes, and methodological approaches are needed to embed NBS effectively into urban storm- and wastewater management strategies.

Transitioning to Sustainable Urban Water Systems

Insights from Barcelona, Berlin, and Rotterdam

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 2 July 2025, Fenja Kroos, Researcher at Ecologic Institute, contributed as a speaker to the European Youth Conference “European Green Roundtable” in Berlin. Fenja Kroos delivered a keynote presentation on the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, providing insights into the development of European environmental policy and discussing its relevance for current climate and biodiversity challenges.

The EU Nature Restoration Regulation


Fenja Kroos

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Presentation:Chairing
 
Promotional graphic for a recorded roundtable debate titled “The Role and Effectiveness of Scientific Advisory Bodies in Advancing EU Climate Policy.” It features five speakers: Ben Rhodes, Alina Averchenkova, François Dejean, Michael Bloss, and moderator Matthias Duwe. The event is organized by GreenDeal-NET and supported by the Brussels School of Governance and the European Union.
How can scientific advisory bodies help shape and legitimise the political course? This central question was the focus of the roundtable debate ‘The Role and Effectiveness of Scientific Advisory Bodies in Advancing EU Climate Policy’, moderated by Matthias Duwe (Ecologic Institute). He led the discussion, which focussed on the function and impact of scientific climate advisory bodies in the European context.

The Role and Effectiveness of Scientific Advisory Bodies in Advancing EU Climate Policy


Matthias Duwe

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Publication:Report
 
cover page
This report explores options for an EU purchasing programme for permanent carbon removals to address a critical gap in climate change mitigation. While emissions reductions remain the primary objective of EU climate policy, achieving climate neutrality and eventually net-negative emissions necessitates the large-scale deployment of carbon removals. This requires the swift development and deployment of cost-effective and socially beneficial carbon removal technologies.

An EU Purchasing Programme for Permanent Carbon Removals

Assessment of policy options and recommendations for short-term policy design

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Event:Conference
 
In 2025, the Ecologic Institute marked an important milestone: 30 years of independent environmental research and policy engagement. On 30 June 2025, we gathered with our community of alumni, colleagues, funders, partners, and friends in Berlin to celebrate this special occasion.

Ecologic Institute turns 30

A special evening to reflect, connect, and celebrate


Berlin, Germany

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Publication:Report
 
Cover page of the report “International Oil Extraction Levy – Design recommendations and impact analysis,” published by Ecologic Institute and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Authors: Prof. Dr. Luan Santos, Dr. Michael Jakob, Jonathan Gardiner, Flora Dicke, and Benjamin Görlach. Publication date: 27 June 2025.
This report explores the design and implications of an international oil extraction levy as a mechanism to mobilize new sources of climate finance. The assessed levy places a price on the embedded CO₂ in extracted crude oil, increasing production costs and likely raising oil prices for final consumers. By internalising part of the climate costs of fossil fuels, the mechanism aligns with the polluter pays principle.

International Oil Extraction Levy

Design recommendations and impact analysis

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Publication:Report
 
This report published under the EU-funded GoNaturePositive! project offers a comprehensive baseline assessment to support the transition toward a nature-positive economy. The report provides an in-depth analysis of EU policy instruments and co-operative initiatives, identifying their alignment with nature positive principles and opportunities to reduce environmental harm, restore ecosystems, and foster systemic change.

Mapping Policy and Co-operative Initiative Landscapes for Systemic Change Towards a Nature-positive Economy

GoNaturePositive! Report

Year

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