Publications – Ecologic Institute EU

Handlungsoptionen einer nachhaltigen Bioökonomiepolitik

Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg

Bioeconomy currently enjoys a high political priority; at the same time, the concept, which last received a boost in 2018 in the form of the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, is not without controversy and contains many conflicting goals. This is where the article by Zoritza Kiresiewa (Ecologic Institute), Franziska Wolff and Martin Möller (both Öko-Institut e.V.) comes in. The authors argue that bioeconomy can only contribute to the achievement of sustainability goals if the political framework is appropriate. Whether or not strategies will have an impact depends on each individual case. Bioeconomy pathways should be designed and tested accordingly.Read more

Publication

Report

State of Nature in the EU

Results from reporting under the nature directives 2013-2018

The European Environmental Agency (EEA) published their landmark report on the state of nature in the EU on 19 October 2020, representing the most comprehensive assessment of the status of European nature and biodiversity to date. The State of Nature 2020 provides invaluable insights about the impact of conservation measures that have been applied as well as remaining gaps. The findings indicate that the majority of Europe's biodiversity continues to decline at an alarming rate, threatening the survival of thousands of animal species and habitats. Read more

Publication

Addressing Climate Change in Cities – Policy Instruments to Promote Urban Nature-based Solutions

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature. They can be used in urban settings to complement or replace "traditional" or "grey" solutions to social and environmental challenges, such as air pollution, the heat island effect, water scarcity, flooding, loss of nature and lack of social cohesion. This guidance document highlights a range of policy and supporting instruments relevant for NBS design, implementation and maintenance.Read more

Publication

Book

Coastal + Marine

Ecosystem-Based Management, Ecosystem Services and Aquatic Biodiversity

Theory, Tools and Applications

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is the most promising approach for balancing sustainable development and biodiversity protection in aquatic ecosystems. This book introduces the essential concepts and principles required to implement Ecosystem-Based Management, detailing tools and techniques, and describing the application of these concepts and tools. This book is a joint effort with researchers from Ecologic Institute, the University College of Cork in the Republic of Ireland and the US Environment Protection Agency and can be accessed free of charge. Read more

Publication

Web Application

Website

Global Environment

Online Database: Sustainable Development Goal 12 – Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns

sdg12.de/en

SDG 12 'Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns' aims at the necessary changes in our lifestyles and ways of doing business. Together with Adelphi and Wuppertal Institute Ecologic Institute set-up a database of activities in Germany, which contribute to implementing SDG12 in Germany. The database currently comprises more than 120 activities, including civil society and business initiatives as well as policy programs and actions.Read more

Publication

Brochure

Water

Unsere Bäche und Flüsse

renaturieren – entwickeln – naturnah unterhalten

This brochure provides insights into the contents of the Federal Environment Agency's online information platform "River restoration". The aim of the platform and this brochure is to motivate and support potential actors for increased implementation of river restoration measures. Therefore, basic knowledge on the ecological development of rivers and brooks is provided in a clear and understandable way. It also provides information on practical issues of planning, financing and land provision, but also on flood protection, nature conservation, agriculture and recreation. Restoration project examples further illustrate these topics. The brochure is available for download.Read more

Publication

Document

Climate

Soil

EU Framework for CO2 Removals – Targets and Commitments

The new EU climate architecture should include a separate CDR target that builds primarily on restoring degraded ecosystems. This target should be legally binding and quantified – for the EU and Member States. It should not be a combined target which treats reductions and CDRs equally. This EU's CDR target should be enshrined in the European Climate Law.Read more

Publication

Analysing the Impact Assessment on Raising the EU 2030 Climate Target

How does the European Commission's approach compare with other existing studies?

On 17 September 2020, the European Commission proposed to raise the EU climate target for 2030, so as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to 1990. In this policy brief, CLIMACT and Ecologic Institute unpack the Commission's impact assessment for the new target. The brief analyses key policy options and analytical results and compares them to recent studies, in particular CLIMACT's 2030 modelling results. Within the framework of the tightened target, the EU Commission proposes to extend the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to buildings and road transport – a major change to the EU's current climate policy architecture. The team discusses potential implications and provides context to the sectoral developments and policies. The briefing highlights key points where the Commission diverges from other studies, identifying climate mitigation potentials that merit more attention in future analysis.Read more

Publication

Policy Matrix – Screening of Digital, Data and Water Policies

Starting points for untapped potential of ICT solutions in water managemen

In this publication, Doris Knoblauch (Ecologic Institute), Lorenzo Felicetti, and Ulf Stein (Ecologic Institute) shed light on the untapped potential of ICT solutions in water management across Berlin, Milan, Copenhagen, Paris and Sofia, the five cities analysed in the project digital-water.city. In the analysis, the cross-cutting nature of digital water governance, and thereby its multifunctionality in terms of policy goals became evident.Read more

Publication

Die Zukunft im Blick: Fleisch der Zukunft

Trendbericht zur Abschätzung der Umweltwirkungen von pflanzlichen Fleischersatzprodukten, essbaren Insekten und In-vitro-Fleisch

In July 2020, the Federal Environment Agency published the trend report "Meat of the Future", which analyzes the environmental impacts of plant-based meat substitutes, edible insects and in-vitro meat. Ecologic Institute developed policy options on how the market development of meat alternatives can be better aligned with the goal of sustainability.Read more

Publication

Article

Governance

Water

Perception of Bottlenecks in the Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive

In this paper the authors, among them Ecologic Institute's Ulf Stein, focus on the governmental bottlenecks in the Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. The lack of horizontal, inter-sectoral communication; the insufficient land reserves; human resources and; the lack of financing were the areas that emerged as the most pressing issues. Further evidence suggests that the interaction of the WFD with other policy areas regulated at the European level might require closer inspection.Read more

Publication

Report

Evaluation

Policy Assessment

Methodentriangulation zur Ermittlung und Bewertung von gesellschaftlichen Trends und ressourcenpolitischen Maßnahmen

Teilbericht aus dem Trendradar-Projekt

Sustainable use of natural resources in the long term requires not only the application and dissemination of resource-saving technologies and infrastructures, but also changes in individual and collective behaviour and social practices. Against this background, different methods were combined in the project "Trendradar Resource Policy" to identify and evaluate societal trends and resource policy measures. Using trend analysis, 20 socially relevant trends were identified and qualitatively described. These trends were then empirically reflected by eliciting perceptions, attitudes and interpretation patterns of the general population in a three-week Moderated Research Online Community (MROC). At the same time, policy measures were identified and qualitatively assessed in terms of relevance and possible barriers to implementation.Read more

Publication

How to Recover from Corona without Choking the Planet

The danger of a rebound in greenhouse gas emissions after the coronavirus crisis is looming on the horizon. Michał Dorociak and Michał Kamiński of 300Gospodarka, and Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discuss in an OpEd for the EU Observer how the EU recovery programmes can avoid post-crisis emission increases.Read more

Publication

Ecologic Brief

Global Environment

Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

In our brochure "Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World", we introduce Ecologic Institute as a transdisciplinary research organization. Readers gain an overview of our capabilities in research, policy analysis, education, communication and stakeholder events. Suitable for clients, partners, funders and the interested public, the brochure describes the many ways that Ecologic Institute brings new insights into environmental policy. Read more

Publication

Europe's Economic Recovery – How can the Recovery and Resilience Facility support achieving climate neutrality?

In July 2020, the European Council agreed on an unprecedented EU recovery package – dubbed Next Generation EU. This agreement contains elements that will advance EU climate policies. However, if it is to pave the way to climate neutrality by 2050, it needs to improve.Read more

Publication

Used Vehicle Trade and Fleet Composition in Europe

In Europe, limited information is available about the environmental characteristics of the vehicles stocks and of traded used vehicles in terms of vehicle's air pollutant and CO2 emissions. In this report Ecologic Institute and Fraunhofer ISI explore available national and European data sources of vehicle stocks and trade throughout Europe and compile the available vehicle characteristics. Based on the available characteristics, the authors derive the environmental performance of vehicle stocks and traded used vehicles and assess respective regional differences in the environmental performance of the vehicles stocks and of used vehicle trade flows. The report is available for download.Read more

Publication

Book Section