EU

EU

Project:Horizon Europe
 
thERBN
The objective of thERBN is to establish an EU-wide, multi-actor thematic network to facilitate knowledge sharing on innovative solutions for a sustainable, circular bioeconomy – specifically those applicable by small farms and foresters (practitioners) at the local scale in rural areas. This framework aims to empower practitioners by bridging the gap between existing, viable circular bioeconomy solutions and the practical challenges they face in their daily operations.

Thematic European Rural Bioeconomy Network (thERBN)

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Project
 
The revised EU Environmental Crime Directive (ECD) requires Member States to punish ecocide-like consequences of an environmental criminal offence as a qualified criminal offence. On behalf of Stop Ecocide Germany, Ecologic Institute is investigating how this new regulation can be transposed into German criminal law.

Transposition of the EU 'Ecocide' Provision into German Criminal Law

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Project
 
Tackling methane emissions is critical for the EU to meet its climate targets for 2030. The EU Methane Emission Regulation (EU-MER) is a key tool to achieve these reductions. However, countries like Romania and Czechia face significant implementation challenges. This project seeks to accelerate methane reductions in Romania and Czechia by enhancing the implementation of the EU-MER.

Implementing the EU Methane Emission Regulation

European Climate Initiative

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Project
 
Ecologic Institute, together with Ramboll, Fraunhofer ISI, and CE Delft, is supporting the European Environment Agency (EEA) in the development of an Energy System Report. This report will compare the current status of the European energy system with the target state necessary to achieve the 2030 climate goal.

Transformation of the EU Energy System

Technical Support to the EEA for the Preparation of the Energy System Report

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Project:Horizon Europe
 
The increasing frequency of floods and droughts highlights the urgent need for climate-resilient landscapes. This is where the European research project SpongeWorks comes in, demonstrating sustainable "sponge" measures in river basins across Greece, France, and the Netherlands/Germany. By restoring rivers, wetlands, and implementing innovative agricultural practices, landscapes are becoming better equipped to retain and release water in a controlled way. With 28 partners involved, the project aims to inspire other regions by sharing success stories and tools to promote "sponge landscapes" across Europe.

Implementing Nature-based Solutions for Water Retention and Climate Resilience in Europe (SpongeWorks)

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Project:Horizon Europe
 
The project's ambition is to contribute to the systemic transformation needed for a nature-positive economy through collaborative multi-stakeholder research and innovation to provide clarity and guidance for policy, industry and society.

GoNaturePositive!

Co-creating a Nature-Positive World

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Project
 
core elements of climate laws
This project aimed to support the creation of harmonized, ambitious, politically credible, and robust long-term climate strategies (LTS) in EU Member States by supporting a growing community of political and technical experts involved in LTS preparation inside governmental institutions and providing opportunities for capacity building, exchange, and knowledge generation. Additionally, core analysis focused on the specific topic of climate change laws as an effective means of embedding long-term strategic thinking in overarching governance frameworks at national level.

Supporting Long-term Strategic Climate Planning and Frameworks in the EU

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Project
 
The Commission's proposal on the Carbon Removals Certification Framework puts the EU on a dangerous path that makes it easier to replace emissions reductions with CO₂ removals. Integrating CO₂ removal into EU emissions trading also carries risks. In this project, a robust framework for CO₂ removal was developed and discussed.

A Robust EU Framework for Carbon Dioxide Removals ( CDRs)

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Project
 
The program "Bridging Global Divides" provides students from the University of Colorado Denver with the opportunity to spend three months in Berlin, while studying relevant contemporary issues such as the ecological crisis, the politics of injustice, international politics, and dictatorships.

Berlin – Bridging Global Divides

Semester Abroad Program with the CU Denver

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Project
 
Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institute have launched a project to analyse the ambition level of the 2040 target. The project also examines the impacts of a new 2040 target on EU Member States, sectors, and instruments.

EU 2040 Climate Target

Level of ambition and implications

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Project
 
Ready4NetZero aims to support small- and medium-sized cities in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Croatia in the development and implementation of local strategies to reach climate neutrality. To do so, the project creates knowledge resources (written guidance) and provides training and capacity building activities (webinars, workshops, a study visit, an international conference) to equip municipal staff with capacities, knowledge, and networks to develop and implement local long-term climate strategies.

Capacity Development for Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Towns and Cities (Ready4NetZero)

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Publication:Report
 
This ECNO report assesses transparency and policy information in the final National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of four EU countries: France, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden. The report evaluates whether these plans provide a sufficient blueprint for achieving national climate targets.

Delivering 2030 Climate Targets

A snapshot of the transparency and policy information gaps of Member States' NECPs

Year

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Publication:Book
 
Cover of the report titled 'Sustainable development in the European Union: Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context, 2025 edition' by Eurostat. The design features shades of blue with a colorful tree graphic in the lower half.
Eurostat's "Sustainable Development in the European Union: Monitoring Report on Progress towards the SDGs in an EU Context" (2025 edition) offers the ninth comprehensive assessment of the EU's journey toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Researchers from Ecologic Institute authored the chapters on Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Climate Action (SDG 13), Life Below Water (SDG 14), Life on Land (SDG 15) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17), providing rigorous, policy-relevant evidence.

Sustainable Development in the European Union – 2025

Monitoring Report on Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU Context

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Publication:Book
 
Cover of the 2025 edition of Eurostat’s “Overview of progress towards the SDGs in an EU context.” The design mirrors the full report cover, featuring a white tree with multicolored leaves, this time on a grey-blue background. The Eurostat and SDG logos appear below the tree.
The 2025 overview brochure accompanies Eurostat's ninth regular report monitoring progress towards the SDGs in an EU context. Ecologic Institute's authors covered the chapters on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The brochure is available for download.

Sustainable Development in the European Union – 2025 Overview

Overview of Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU Context

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Publication:Document
 
The image shows the cover of a discussion paper titled 'Climate Targets for EU Member States after 2030: Functions and Options.' The paper is authored by Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf (Ecologic Institute), Sabine Gores (Oeko-Institut), and Jakob Graichen (Oeko-Institut). The publication is from 10 April 2025 and includes the logos of Ecologic Institute and Oeko-Institut.
A new paper by the Ecologic Institute and Oeko-Institut discusses how to design climate target for Member States. The paper explores seven options how to best design national climate targets for the time after 2030. This paper is available for download.

Climate Targets for EU Member States after 2030

Functions and Options

Year

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Publication:Book
 
Book cover of "Sustainable Urban Development in the European Arctic" from the "Routledge Studies in Sustainable Development" series. Authors include Dorothea Wehrmann, Michał Łuszczuk, Katarzyna Radzik-Maruszak, Jacqueline Götze, and Arne Riedel. The cover features technical drawings in white on a dark green background, along with the Open Access symbol and the Routledge logo.
Focusing on cities in the European Arctic, this book consolidates research on sustainable development, local and urban governance, and transnational cooperation in the region. It examines to what extent there is transnational cooperation between urban areas in remote locations and how it can be enhanced to better align with global sustainable development policies to successfully implement goals set for example by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Sustainable Urban Development in the European Arctic

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Publication:Report
 
Cover of Ecologic Institute's report entitled "Integrating Hydrogen Emissions Into the EU Policy Framework. Why hydrogen emissions matter, when they will become significant, and how the EU can tackle them"
While hydrogen (H2) emissions make up a negligible fraction of today's GHG emissions, they are set to become more significant in the 2030s and, should the EU and the global community progress towards climate neutrality, will likely be substantial in the 2040s, as achieving climate neutrality requires the expansion of hydrogen use alongside the rapid reduction of other GHGs. As decisions made today will shape hydrogen value chains for decades, this paper develops a series of policy proposals to implement a four-pronged strategy.

Integrating Hydrogen Emissions Into the EU Policy Framework

Why hydrogen emissions matter, when they will become significant, and how the EU can tackle them

Year

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Publication:Report
 
Cover page of the interim report titled 'The EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework: Options for using certified removal units and funding mitigation activities.' The report is part of the 'Climate Change 44/2024' series and is published by the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt).
With the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), adopted in 2024, the EU established a voluntary framework for carbon removal certification, which includes criteria for the certification of removals, rules for the certification process and the recognition of certification schemes. A new report by the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut for Germany’s Federal Environment Agency (UBA) discusses options for how certified removal units may be used. The report also explores what policy options are available to complement funding for removals besides revenues generated through the CRCF.

The EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework

Options for using certified removal units and funding mitigation activities

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Publication:Report
 
Cover page of a report titled 'Pricing methane emissions from the energy sector: Considerations of options for the EU.' The report is authored by Raffaele Piria and Benjamin Görlach, with the final report date being September 30, 2024. The Ecologic Institute logo is featured at the top, and the design includes grey and blue geometric shapes on a white background.
This paper examines whether an EU-wide pricing mechanism should be introduced and explores feasible design options. It concludes that the EU should price CH4 emissions from the energy sector to complement the EU-MER, providing an economic incentive to reduce CH4 emissions beyond the mandated level.

Pricing Methane Emissions from the Energy Sector

Consideration of options for the EU

Year

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Publication:Infographic
 
An animated infographic depicting interconnected gears representing key elements of transformative EU climate policy. The gears are color-coded to represent different themes: yellow for integration, purple for infrastructure, green for innovation, and blue for investment. Each gear is labeled with specific actions or strategies, such as "Principled priority to climate & do-no-harm principle," "Strengthen EU Integrated Infrastructure Planning," and "European Climate Investment Plan."
To achieve climate neutrality, a whole-of-government approach, increased public funding, and strategic policy support are essential. The 4i-TRACTION project outlined ten policy recommendations for future EU climate action. This infographic, conceptualised and designed by Ecologic Institute, outlines ten policy recommendations for future EU climate action.

Ten Recommendations Towards Transformative EU Climate Policy

Year

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Event:Discussion
 
The inaugural Horizon Scan was a success. In a small group, our researchers discussed Europe's capacity for innovation and long-term resilience with representatives from politics, public authorities, and civil society. For the keynote speech, we were fortunate to have Ulrich Wilhelm, a lawyer, journalist, and former government spokesman and former Director of Bayerischer Rundfunk.

Is Europe Strong Enough for the Future?

Horizon Scan


Berlin, Germany

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Event:Workshop
 
Image with the title of the event
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), with the support of Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia, is organising a workshop dedicated to the use of climate data and services in Spain. The workshop will take place on Wednesday, 4 June 2025.

C3S User Engagement Workshop with the Spanish User Community


Valencia, Spain

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Event:Digital Event
 
The Directorate-General for Climate Action of the European Commission hosted a half-day workshop on the design of an EU purchasing programme for permanent carbon removal. The workshop served as a platform to share ongoing research and to gather insights from funders, buyers, and policy experts about the motivations behind carbon removal investments and the prerequisites for a successful EU initiative.

Perspectives on a Purchasing Programme for CRCF Permanent Carbon Removal Credits


online and Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Digital Event
 
Berlin
In the workshop we will explore resources such as a comprehensive guidance on developing ambitious local long-term climate neutrality strategies, present insights from working with small and medium-sized pilot municipalities in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Croatia to support their progress towards reaching climate neutrality and discuss ways forward for local climate action in the EU in the current dynamic political context.

Supporting Local Governments in Reaching Climate Neutrality

Ready4NetZero multipliers workshop


online

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Event:Digital Event
 
Veranstaltungsbanner
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission, conducted two webinars which were aimed to deepen the understanding of C3S products and services in Poland.

Climate Data Information in Poland – Copernicus Webinars

C3S products and services

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online

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Event:Conference
 
The Conference "Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures" took place in Brussels on 7 November2024. This conference convened experts, policymakers, and representatives of Member States and EU Institutions. At the event, participants discussed ways for the implementation of the EUs new 2040 climate targets. Participants also discussed key building blocks and key measures particularly relevant for cutting the EU's greenhouse gas emissions by net 90 % in 2040. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf (Ecologic Institute) and Sabine Gores (Öko-Institute) presented preliminary results of the forthcoming report "Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building Blocks and Measures" were presented.

Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Conference
 
Image with the title of the event
From Monday 9 to Wednesday 11 December 2024, the Ariadne project will host a three-day event consisting of a series of workshops and discussion events. We look forward to seeing you there, and invite you to block these days in your agenda – and join us from 9-11 December in Brussels.

Staying the Course in Turbulent Times

A Dialogue with the Ariadne Project on Future EU Energy and Climate Policy

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Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Conference
 
Promotional banner for a Policy & Research Dialogue Conference titled "Managing the Transition to Net Zero: EU Climate Policy in a Global Context," scheduled for 9th & 10th July 2024. The banner features the logos of NDC Aspects and 4i Traction, with the event dates highlighted in a green box. A "Register now!" call-to-action is displayed in the bottom left corner against a blurred background of an audience attending a conference.
This conference, taking place a month after the European elections, sought to spotlight key issues in the EU’s transition to climate neutrality – and discuss options to address them, with a global context in mind. The conversations among policy-makers and other stakeholders were kicked-off by content inputs from two EU-funded research projects, 4i-TRACTION and NDC ASPECTS, that have been working over the past three years to generate new insights on climate action challenges in Europe and globally.

Managing the Transition to Net Zero: EU climate policy in a global context

4i-TRACTION x NDC Aspects Joint Conference

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Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Conference
 
At our launch event in Brussels, we will present our newest findings and engage with relevant high-profile stakeholders from the European Parliament and the economy. We will host two thematic panels on topics that move the EU at the moment: industrial transformation and just transition for the people of the EU. 

ECNO Launch Event: Annual Flagship Report 2024

Insights on progress to EU climate neutrality for the incoming EU cycle


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Workshop
 
Image with the title of the event
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), in cooperation with BELSPO and the Belgian Climate Centre is organising an in-person C3S user workshop with a geographical focus on Belgium, on Thursday, 20th June 2024. The half-day workshop takes place in Brussels and is targeted at current and potential future C3S users in Belgium.

C3S User Engagement Workshop with the Belgian User Community


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Digital Event
 
Image with the webinar title
In this webinar, ECNO invites stakeholders to reflect on the changes in approach to industrial transition that have been taking place over the last year.

Towards a Green Industry Deal

Avoiding blind spots and enabling industrial transformation


Online

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Event:Digital Event
 
The negotiations of the Carbon Removals Certification Framework (CRCF) have put EU climate policies at a critical juncture. These negotiations raise some essential questions concerning the further development of EU climate policy.

Carbon Removals in EU Climate Policies

How to Use Carbon Removal Certificates?


Online

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Event:Digital Event
 
Promotional graphic for a webinar titled 'Is European Cleantech on track for decarbonisation and competitiveness?'. The graphic has a modern, clean design with a large, partially transparent circle overlaying a blurred image of technology or machinery, suggesting a focus on cleantech. The text is prominently displayed in the upper left corner with bold lettering, and abstract shapes in teal and pink add a dynamic feel to the visual.
In this webinar, we will examine what ECNO's analysis can tell us about the progress of the EU cleantech sector and the future of EU cleantech policy. As the European elections approach, and the global cleantech race only speeds up, finding an impactful European solution is increasingly necessary.

Is European Cleantech on Track for Decarbonisation and Competitiveness?

Webinar


online

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Event:Digital Event
 
The 4i-TRACTION Community of Experts Coffee Hour format is one of the stakeholder engagement activities. This dynamic series of Coffee Hours addresses and engages members of the "Community of Experts", a select group of experts with different backgrounds on the "4Is" of the project: Innovation, investment, infrastructure and integration. Each session explored critical issues in EU climate and energy policies, fostering an open and insightful exchange under the Chatham house rule.

4i-TRACTION Community of Experts Coffee Hours

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online, Germany

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Event:Conference
 
Social media card of the event with event title, date and place
In a three-day series of events in Brussels from 5 to 7 December 2023, partners from the Kopernikus project Ariadne present important findings from their work that are relevant for the further development of EU climate and energy policy. They discuss these with representatives from political institutions, science, civil society and business. Participants can look forward to a varied program with workshops on current topics such as the future electricity market design, challenges of the energy transition, improvement of the EU governance mechanism, the role of household surveys in climate policy or the integration of negative emissions into the ETS.

Shaping EU Climate and Energy Policy

Insights from and questions for the Ariadne project

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Brussels, Belgium

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Presentation:Speech
 
presentation
On 22 February 2024, Dr. Benjamin Kupilas and Fenja Kroos gave a presentation at the 6th ad-hoc meeting on future national restoration plans (NRPs) organized by DG ENV. They presented their work on the Compilation of Existing Guidance on Ecosystem Restoration commissioned by DG ENV.

Compilation of Existing Guidance on Ecosystem Restoration


Dr. Benjamin Kupilas

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Presentation:Speech
 
In 2023, the EU adopted regulations defining under which conditions green hydrogen is considered as fully renewable and the methodology to determine the GHG intensity of hydrogen and other PtX products. To discuss these requirements with stakeholders from third countries considering to export renewable hydrogen or derivates to the EU, the International PtX Hub organized a workshop series in 2023. Raffaele Piria coordinated the conception of these workshops and gave a presentation on the climate and energy policy context for the EU's hydrogen strategies and policies.

Background and Context for the EU Hydrogen Certification Rules and Procedures

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Raffaele Piria

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 8 June 2023, the "Stakeholder Consultation on the CoR Opinion on Towards a Multilevel Green Deal Governance: The Revision of the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action Regulation" was held. The event was organized by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) to gather the opinion of various stakeholders on the multilevel governance of the Green Deal and the revision of the Energy Union and Climate Action Regulation. Matthias Duwe contributed his insights and suggestions regarding the Green Deal and the governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action.

EU Climate Governance Fit for Net-zero?


Matthias Duwe

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Carbon farming promises to mitigate climate change whilst generating income for farmers – but can this promise be realised, and what are the risks? The European Parliament’s Environment and Agricultural Committees held a joint hearing to understand how EU policy can support on-farm carbon sequestration. The hearing featured two panels, including a presentation from Ecologic Institute Fellow Hugh McDonald on the challenges of carbon farming certification.

The Challenges of Certifying Carbon Farming


Hugh McDonald

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Building on the momentum created by the negotiations on the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRL) as well as by the overall successful outcome of the biodiversity summit COP15, the think tank network "Think Sustainable Europe" (TSE) met with EU Environment Commissioner Sinkevičius. As part of TSE, Ecologic Institute presented key recommendations on the NRL. These build on a series of policy briefs by Ecologic Institute and IEEP respectively, and were well received and aroused great interest both in the EU Commission and the European Parliament.

Meeting with EU Commissioner Sinkevičius on Biodiversity and the Nature Restoration Regulation


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow of Ecologic Institute, gave a speech at the international academic conference "Towards the Polish Climate Protection Act" on 7 September 2022 in Szczecin (Poland). He presented the main features of the German Federal Climate Change Act and its revision based on the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court on 24 March 2021. He also participated in the panel discussion.

The German Federal Climate Change Act


Dr. Stephan Sina

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Presentation:Speech
 
slides
In the webinar series "Why do we need a climate law?" Matthias Duwe, Head Climate at Ecologic Institute, presented three key elements of a sound climate law: (1) the coordination of long-term planning and short-term policy, (2) monitoring progress, and (3) mechanisms for coordinating sectoral policies. In particular, he focused on the Slovenian climate law and showed how to adopt the European lessons learned within the Slovenian context.

How to Integrate European Lessons Learned on Climate Laws in the Slovenian Context?


Matthias Duwe

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
The current global pandemic presents both risks and opportunities for the transition to a more sustainable future in Europe. At the launch event for the newest report of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU), Dr. Camilla Bausch discussed the importance of the European Green Deal at this moment of crisis with Prof. Dr. Christian Calliess.

Towards an Ambitious Environmental Policy in Germany and Europe


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Speech
 
Ecologic Institute researchers presented interim results of the project: CO-designing the Assessment of Climate Change Costs (COACCH) at the European Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ECCA) 2019 in Lisbon (Portugal). The presentations covered first experiences from the COACCH Co-Design process, as well as a recently prepared synthesis of Economic costs of climate change and adaptation in Europe.

Co-Design of Economic Assessment of Climate Change Impacts


Katriona McGlade

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, joined Bettina Kampman from CE Delft on 2 July 2015 to present and discuss a mid-term evaluation of the Renewable Energy Directive at Directorate-General for Energy (DG Energy) in Brussels (Belgium). The study had been carried out by a consortium of CE Delft, Ricardo-AEA, Ecologic Institute, E-Bridge and REKK, and been published recently on DG Energy's website. The presentation is available for download.

Mid-term Evaluation of the Renewable Energy Directive


Dr. Stephan Sina

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Presentation:Speech
 
In the first week of July the European Society for Environmental History (ESEH) had invited to its 8th Biennial Conference to Versailles. Under the motto “Greening history: Studying the environment across disciplines: past, present, future” environmental historians from around the world met to exchange their empirical findings for a sustainable future and to discuss further applied research trends amongst the humanities.

History for a Sustainable Future | 8th Biennial Conference


Dr. Grit Martinez

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 7 October 2014, Ecologic Institute's Rodrigo Vidaurre held a presentation on regional governance responses to increasing drought risks at the 2014 international conference "Our Climate – Our Future". The talk, part of the Conference Session on "Integrated strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation", presented the methodology and insights generated by an analysis of the regional governance settings. The presentation slides are available for download.

Regional Governance and Management for Drought Adaptation in North-West Europe


Rodrigo Vidaurre

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
More than 100 participants from ministries, NGOs, embassies and research institutions came together in the British Embassy in Berlin. The event focused on how to more successfully prevent wildlife crime. Christiane Gerstetter remarked that environmental crime is considered as a difficult concept to implement and enforced even by many experts and practitioners. The ensuing panel discussion was moderated by R. Andreas Kraemer.

Combating Wildlife Crime: Efforts and Perspectives from the UK and Germany


R. Andreas Kraemer

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