This paper, presented during the Sixth Biennial International Conference of the European Community Studies Association in 1999, examines the implications of the planned EU enlargement for European environmental policy.

In his article in the "Zeitschrift für Umweltrecht," Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf (Ecologic Institute) analyzes what consequences the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe would have for environmental policy. This treaty was signed in 2004 but did not come into force as it was not ratified. The author focuses on the institutional architecture of the European Union, which would undergo some changes due to the treaty.

In this study, Ecologic Institute researchers Timo Kaphengst and Lucy Smith summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the increasing share of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in developing countries. The accrued benefits and/or disadvantages vary widely across the reviewed countries and depend on the governance structures of each country. On the one hand, GM crops can increase export revenues; on the other hand, developing countries' resulting dependency on Western biotechnology companies could grow and threaten local farmers, especially smaller ones. Moreover, GMOs are leading to a reduction in biodiversity. In light of this, the authors recommend that GM crops no longer be promoted in developing countries. The study is available for download.

In this book chapter, Sandra Cavalieri and R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute present policy options for the EU and the US for addressing challenges in the changing Arctic, summarizing key findings of the transatlantic Arctic Transform dialogue. The book "Environmental Security in the Arctic Ocean" documents the proceedings of the 2010 NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) in Cambridge, England, that was initiated and co-convened by Ecologic Institute.

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.

The European Union needs a common vision for its energy future. A shift towards renewable energy sources will increase security of supply, improve the competitiveness of the European economy, and put Europe on a path towards sustainability. The Heinrich Böll Foundation commissioned a working group of experts from different backgrounds to provide a collection of policy ideas for two key areas that will define the future of renewable energy development in Europe: grids, and support and remuneration schemes for renewable energy technologies. The report 'A European Union for Renewable Energy' was co-authored by Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Partner of Ecologic Institute and Susanne Langsdorf, researcher at Ecologic Institute. The study is available for download.

On 9-10 February 2012, DG Environment of the European Commission organized the 2nd Stakeholder Workshop for the Fitness Check of EU Freshwater Policy in Brussels. Lessons learned from this workshop contribute to the design and assessment of policy options for the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources. Eleftheria Kampa and Johanna von der Weppen contributed a discussion paper to the conference. The paper is available for download.

EU progress towards sustainable development goes side by side with fostering green growth. Here resource productivity has an important role to play. Yet its measurement could have some interpretation pitfalls and it is important to be aware of them.

This video is one out of four that were developed and produced within the project EU sustainable development indicators: video production, co-ordinated by the Ecologic Institute.

This new handbook was developed as part of the project RADOST (Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast). It provides a concise overview of adaptation policies being planned and implemented at the national, regional, and European level, including the status of National Adaptation Strategies for all Baltic Sea EU Member States.

In this article published in Conservation Letters, members of the interdisciplinary Research Group on Ecosystem Services examine the possibilities and perspectives for a reorientation of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The authors find that the current reform proposals do not take into account the knowledge generated by ecosystem research. They argue that the CAP should be reformed such that it serves as an instrument to safeguard ecosystem services from agricultural land.

This case study on green hydropower, conducted by Ecologic Institute, illustrates a novel application of economic policy instruments in European water management. Hydropower in Switzerland accounts for about 59 % of the electricity supply. While hydropower is already considered a green energy, the sector's "green" potential has increased with the introduction of a new label certification scheme. The study is available for download.

An European study shows that the rebound effect repeal energy and resource savings between 10 and 30 percent. Therefore, the adverse effect should already taken into account when designing policy instruments to improve efficiency. If the measures are combined skillfully, the rebound effect can be decreased. The results of the project conducted by BIO Intelligence Service, GVSS, and Ecologic Institute are summarized in the journal articel. The article is available for download.

The 2011 Eurostat monitoring report reviews the progress and implementation of the EU sustainable development strategy. The 2011 monitoring report was published on the Eurostat website. As partner in a consortium with the Vienna University of Economic and Business (RIMAS), INFRAS, and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the Ecologic Institute played a substantial role in drafting the monitoring report on behalf of Eurostat.

"Helios to the Rescue" – This is what Sascha Müller-Kraenner and Martin Kremer recommend to the economically weak Greeks in their "Internationale Politik" online article of the same title. What makes Greece so especially capable of producing renewable energy and what is preventing progress in this direction? Müller-Kraenner, Advisor of Ecologic Institute, and Kremer, Senior Fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, analyze these issues and caution against passing up timely opportunities for investment and growth.