Projects – Ecologic Institute EU

Global Environment

Policy Assessment

Implications of the Paris Agreement for National Climate Protection Ambition

October 2017 to March 2020

In 2018 the "Implications of the Paris Agreement for national climate protection ambition" project is rolled out in support of the Talanoa Dialogue and these 8 countries will be examined carefully: the EU, Germany, China, USA, Canada, Japan, India and Brasil. How are they implementing the Paris Agreement? Can these contributions secure a 1.5-2°C degree world? Who is a climate leader, and who isn't? This new project will shed light on the actual climate impact of said countries mitigation efforts and their level of ambition.Read more

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Economics

Energy

Analysis of the Competitive Situation and the Carbon Leakage Risk of European Industries

October 2017 to May 2020

Companies in countries with strong climate protection efforts often perceive these efforts as a competitive disadvantage. The risk, that companies lose market share due to asymmetric climate protection efforts or that new investments in ambitious countries decrease is referred to as "carbon leakage". In this project, Ecologic Institute, Öko-Institut and CE Delft examine the impact of new developments in climate policy on the established carbon leakage debate and what policy measures are needed to deal with these developments.Read more

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Bioeconomy

Global Environment

Sustainable Resource Use – Requirements for a Sustainable Bioeconomy from Agenda 2030 / SDG Implementation

October 2017 to March 2020

A sustainable bioeconomy could contribute to replacing fossil-based resources and feeding a growing world population. Inherent to a transformation towards such an economy are economic, ecological and social opportunities as well as risks. This project for Germany’s Federal Environment Agency explores these opportunities and challenges. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are the guiding principles of the 2030 Agenda, serve as a basis for this evaluation.Read more

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Innovation in Climate Services Provision (INNOVA)

October 2017 to September 2020

The research project INNOVA will consolidate key factors from adaptive management strategies from leading earlier and on-going European initiatives in Spain (Valencia), Germany (Bay of Kiel) and the Netherlands (Nijmegen) and France’ overseas territories in Guadeloupe and Martinique. INNOVA intends to provide prototypes of climate services including business models, practical frameworks, and recommendations for creating and up-scaling opportunities while adapting to a changing climate.Read more

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H2020

Agriculture

Soil

Coordination of International Research Cooperation on soil CArbon Sequestration in Agriculture (CIRCASA)

October 2017 to October 2020

Soils are an enormous reservoir of carbon, containing nearly twice as much carbon as the atmosphere. Preventing soil carbon from entering the atmosphere is essential for climate mitigation efforts. Moreover, agricultural soils also carry a large potential for additional carbon sequestration, especially already degraded soils. Both preserving and enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) has further benefits, contributing to improved soil quality, agricultural productivity, biodiversity and water protection and thus increased resilience against climate change. CIRCASA project aims to strengthen the coordination and synergies in European and global research on SOC sequestration in agricultural soils, leading to an improved understanding and scientific basis to target ambitious practices required to preserve and enhance SOC.Read more

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Public Diplomacy

Platform for Policy Dialogue and Cooperation between EU and China on Emission Trading

September 2017 to September 2020

For several years, the EU and China have cooperated on the design and implementation of carbon markets. Since 2018, the Ecologic Institute has become part of an international consortium led by ICF to deliver capacity building, training and joint research activities in support of a national Emissions Trading System for China. Ecologic experts Benjamin Görlach and Michael Mehling are part of a joint research team, comprised of European and Chinese experts, on the issue of market oversight rules, mechanisms and institutions for a national carbon market in China.Read more

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Energy

Governance

After the Elections: What matters for German policymakers in the EU's energy package

September 2017

The EU is currently negotiating a comprehensive reorientation of energy and climate policy for the decade 2020-2030. Ecologic Institute drafted a strategy paper on how the next German federal government can shape the EU negotiations so as to create an EU electricity market regulation that is conducive to the German energy transition. Four central elements are identified: raising the ambition of energy targets and introducing long-term targets, developing effective oversight instruments to ensure compliance, adjusting the electricity market to the needs of wind and solar power, and initiating an exit strategy for coal firing. The paper is available for download.Read more

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Global Environment

Ecologic Legal

Environmental Criminal Law: Status quo and Further Development

September 2017 to May 2019

The illegal pollution of soil, water, and air, the illegal trade in protected species or the illegal shipment of waste abroad – these are different forms of environmental crime. Environmental crime has many negative consequences. Its environmental impacts range from the destruction of forests to the pollution of water, soil, and air and even to species extinction. Moreover, many types of environmental crime also affect human health, and organised forms of environmental crime undermine state structures and sustainable development.Read more

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Plastics

Scientific Coordination of Research Projects on "Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions" (PlastikNet)

September 2017 to August 2021

In the framework of the scientific accompanying research (PlastikNet) of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions" (Plastik in der Umwelt – Quellen • Senken • Lösungsansätze) Ecologic Institute coordinates 20 joint research projects, which deal with plastics in the environment funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF). Read more

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Evaluation

Policy Assessment

Trend Analysis Resource Policy

September 2017 to February 2021

Using natural resources sustainably in the long term requires applying and scaling-up resource efficient technologies and infrastructures as well as changing behaviour and social practices. Technologies and infrastructure can only then unfold resource savings potential, when accepted and used across society. In this context, socio-economic and socio-cultural developments will affect both the availability and the use of technological and social innovations.Read more

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Mobility

Specific CO₂-emission Targets for Passenger Cars and their Role in the Decarbonisation of Passenger Transport in the EU

July 2017 to August 2017

In the frame of this project a short study on the policy instrument of specific CO2-emission targets for car manufacturers in the EU is carried out which analyses and evaluates the policy instrument. The foci of the research are two questions: How did the instrument perform regarding the reductions of specific CO2-emissions of passenger cars? And how much can it contribute to reduce overall CO2-emissions of passenger transport in the EU, so as to contribute to reaching the target of the Paris agreement to stay below a warming of 2°C?Read more

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Arctic

Education

Arctic Summer College 2017

July 2017 to August 2017

The Arctic Summer College 2017 virtual campus was open to participating Arctic experts, specialists and students in July and August 2017. It provided information on a wide range of topics, including the regional impact of climate change on the Arctic, local challenges such as land use, energy production and distribution and food security, as well as activities in the Arctic Council and the need for a vision for the Arctic.Read more

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Governance

Increasing Good Governance for Achieving the Objectives of Integrated Water Resources Management (STEER)

June 2017 to September 2020

Complex use conflicts such as those arising around the management of water resources require the coordination and cooperation of public authorities and stakeholders across very different thematic areas and geographic scales. The goal of STEER is to explore innovative mechanisms of coordination and cooperation on a river-basin level for the governance of water resources. The project is structured around a diagnostic approach, which supports the analysis of typical conflict situations between stakeholders (and/or public authorities) and allows for the identification of possible approaches to solving these by means of cooperation and/or coordination.Read more

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Tourism

Environmental Guidelines for a German Arctic Policy

June 2017 to June 2019

In the Arctic, increasing economic activities such as shipping and tourism as well as exploration and extraction of mineral resources are meeting unique, protected nature and harsh environmental conditions. In addition, the effects of climate change are much more perceptible in the Arctic than in other regions of the world. Air and water temperatures have risen faster than the global average in recent decades. The changes in the region also have an impact on the rest of the world. For example, melting continental ice masses contributes to rising sea levels and releasing methane from thawing permafrost soils contributes to global warming.Read more

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Biodiversity

Digitalization

Information Platform for the Restoration of Rivers

May 2017 to January 2020

In the context of this project an information platform was developed to share information about the restoration of rivers including examples of selected restoration projects. The aim of the information platform is to increase attention and acceptance for restoration measures and communicate their need and benefits. The information platform is also intended to assist the German Federal States in their communication with bodies and organizations involved in river restoration. The potential stakeholders involved in hydromorphological improvements and the restoration of rivers include municipalities and watercourse associations.Read more

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