EU

EU

Project
 
The Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment of development of the Arctic seeks to strengthen communication and outreach within the EU and between the EU and Arctic communities regarding the EU’s contribution to addressing environmental and other issues raised by the rapid development of the Arctic region as a result of economic and climate change. The Preparatory Action project aims to bring together scientific knowledge and stakeholder perspectives, increase awareness about the changing Arctic, enhance understanding of the impacts of EU policies, and test the effectiveness and sustainability of the network and a European Union Arctic Information Centre (EUAIC).

Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment of Development of the Arctic

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Project
 
<p>Effectively monitoring EU resource efficiency requires knowledge on the progress and achievements in the 27 EU member states. The project will compile country profiles for all 27 member states and undertake a EU summary analysis. Investigations will integrate literature review and indicator trend analysis.</p>

Monitoring Member States' Environmental Policy Progress

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Project
 
The aim of the EU's Natura 2000 Network is to protect Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. This project developed a methodological framework for assessing the overall economic value of the benefits provided by the Natura 2000 network. A first estimate suggests that the benefits could be between €200 and €300 billion per year at present, which equals 2% to 3% of EU GDP. The project report is available for download.

Estimating the Overall Economic Benefits provided by the Natura 2000 Network

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Project:FP 7
 
The three-year research project "InContext" identified framework conditions enabling societal transition towards an ecologically sound, economically successful and culturally diverse future. Action at local and individual levels is vital to bring the concept of sustainable development to life. However, policies aimed at initiating such local and individual transitions towards sustainability can often not achieve the desired change. Thus, the EU research project InContext has set out to investigate the conditions for creating sustainability transitions at the local and individual levels.

Individuals in Context: Supportive Environments for Sustainable Living (InContext)

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Project:FP 7
 
<p>Ecologic Institute implemented an ongoing project evaluation of the LIAISE network of excellence to assess the outcomes and the impacts of the LIAISE Network of Excellence. The main purpose of this was to identify and exploit opportunities to bridge the existing gap between the research and the policy community in the field of Impact Assessment (IA) and to improve the use of IA tools in policy making.</p>

Linking Impact Assessment Instruments to Sustainability Expertise (LIAISE)

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Project
 
This project on the costs and benefits of the EU's Natura 2000 Network was designed to support the European Commission in obtaining an accurate estimate of the costs of managing the network and in increasing awareness of its socio-economic benefits. In addition, it developed a methodology for the systematic updating and refinement of the costs and benefits linked to the network. The project report is available for download.

Costs and Socio-Economic Benefits Associated with the Natura 2000 Network

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Project
 
Differences in the approaches to risk assessment and management, and the development of regulation under conditions of uncertainty, are important sources of friction between the US and the EU. A transatlantic dialogue entitled "The Reality of Precaution", managed by the Duke University Center for Environmental Solutions and the Group of Policy Advisors of the European Commission, addresses the application of the precautionary principle in practice. With sponsorship from the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), R. Andreas Kraemer participates in and contributes to the dialogue.

Transatlantic Dialogue on Precaution, Risk and Regulation

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Project
 
<p>Research on policy evaluation has gained in importance since the European Union introduced its new procedures on impact assessments in 2003. In the course of the EPOS project, the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IOEW) and Ecologic Institute were organising the conference "Sustainable Development in Policy Assessment – Methods, Challenges and Policy Impacts", which took place from 15 until 16 June 2009 in Brussels. The conference seeked to contribute to the understanding of sustainability evaluation. Therefore, contributions were invited that tackle methodological challenges to sustainability evaluation, as well as the question of how the institutionalisation of sustainability evaluation can be improved.</p>&#13;

Evaluating Policies for Sustainable Development (EPOS)

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Publication:Document
 
Cover ECNO Website Concept
This document drafts a concept of the information architecture and user interface of the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) website. It served to develop a common vision of the website and its data structure within the project team.

ECNO Website Concept

Planning the user interface and information architecture of the European Climate Neutrality Observatory's website

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Publication:Article
 
Teaser of the online article "Emissionshandel droht mit Kohlenstoffzertifikaten auf Sand zu bauen "
The discussion on the certification of carbon removals seems technical, but it is one of the central debates in EU climate policy. It is primarily intended to pave the way for the integration of CO₂ removals into emissions trading. In doing so, the EU risks to build its most important climate policy instrument on sand, writes Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf of Ecologic Institute in the Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima. He makes suggestions how to mitigate this risk.

Emissionshandel droht mit Kohlenstoffzertifikaten auf Sand zu bauen

Article in the Tagesspiegel

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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, 2024 edition' by Eurostat. The design features shades of blue with a colorful hot air balloon graphic in the lower half. The balloon consists of vertical stripes in various colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The title of the report is in white text at the top left.
The 2024 publication is Eurostat's eighth regular report monitoring progress towards the SDGs in an EU context. Ecologic Institute's authors covered 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). The publication is available for download.

Sustainable Development in the European Union – 2024

Monitoring Report on Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU Context

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Publication:Book
 
Cover of "Sustainable development in the European Union Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context 2023 edition"
The 2023 publication is Eurostat's seventh regular report monitoring progress towards the SDGs in an EU context. Ecologic Institute's authors covered 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). The publication is available for download.

Sustainable Development in the European Union – 2023

Monitoring Report on Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU Context

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Publication:Document
 
1st page of the document
This document provides country specific information on key elements from the 22 national long-term climate strategies extracted for the cross-country analysis in table format. It allows for selection of specific criteria as well as for the selection of specific countries.

Charting a Path to Net Zero: Country specific information

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Publication:Podcast
 
In this 1st episode of the "CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy" podcast, hosts Aaron Best from Ecologic Institute and Bradlie Martz-Sigala from the University of Eastern Finland discuss with Anuschka Hilke, Program Director at the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) and Benjamin Görlach, Environmental Economist and Head of Economics and Policy Assessment at Ecologic Institute, what "transformative policy" actually means and how it differs from traditional policymaking.

What is Transformative Climate Policy?

First episode of the podcast "CLIMATE ON AIR – Discussing the future of EU climate policy"

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Publication:Thesis
 
Thesis Nora Koegel EU Renovation Wave
Buildings are responsible for more than 30% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions from energy. To increase energy and resource efficiency, the EU Renovation Wave sets the target of doubling renovation rates in the next ten years. The EU also presents the Renovation Wave as a countermeasure against energy poverty, which currently impacts around 34 million EU residents. However, EU-level analyses which connect the technical aspects of the plan with socioeconomic criteria that account for energy poverty remain scarce. In this paper, Nora Kögel from Ecologic Institute addresses that gap by investigating the distributional effects of reaching the Renovation Wave’s 2030 goals in the EU27 countries.

Socioeconomic Effects of EU Renovation Wave Expenditure on Low-Income Groups in the EU27

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Publication:Case Study
 
Cover of the InContext case study analysis
This report presents a document analysis on the four case studies that build on the InContext project’s WP3. The general purpose is to provide a better understanding on how niches of alternative more sustainable consumption and production practices are created, and how they can later be diffused or mainstreamed.

InContext Case Study Analysis

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Publication:Report
 
Cover page of a deliverable titled "Literature Review & Research Survey" under the INCONTEXT project, funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme.
This research survey aimed to provide an expansive overview of past and current research related to the study of various contexts of individual behaviour. It assessed their relevance for the work of InContext, and helped situate the work of InContext in the broader research landscape for sustainable behavioural and social change.

InContext Literature Review & Research Survey

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Publication:Report
 
Briefing CAP Strategic Plans Scheid Aaron
This report, co-authored by Aaron Scheid from Ecologic Institute, summarises the results of a series of assessments of the climate and environmental ambition of the Common Agricultural Policy's (CAP) Strategic Plans. It is based on the detailed study of four Member States (France, Spain, Poland and Germany). The analysis suggests that, while the new CAP structure provides more flexibility to Member States, countries did not take this opportunity to significantly increase support for environmental and climate action.

Environmental and Climate Assessments of CAP Strategic Plans

Summary of Impact Based on Four Key Member States

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Publication:Article
 
Hinzmann Mederake EU single use plastics directive article
This article, co-authored by Mandy Hinzmann and Linda Mederake from Ecologic Institute, assesses the potential of the EU "Single-Use Plastics Directive" (SUPD) to reduce litter pollution in the environment with three scenarios. The scenario analysis revealed that the success the current SUPD can be an important first step, yet further legislative actions are needed to effectively prevent plastic waste pollution - bans alone are not sufficient. The success of the Directive is therefore highly dependent on implementation and enforcement.

What Potential Does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive Have for Reducing Plastic Pollution at Coastlines and Riversides?

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Publication:Article
 
Blog Post A&W Nora Koegel
This blog post shows why the EU Renovation Wave should link environmental and social issues. EU member states are currently facing three crises: the climate crisis, an energy security crisis and a social crisis. The EU Renovation Wave has a key role in responding to all three crises. However, it can only fulfill this key role if the implementation of the renovation wave is socially fair.

Kein Pfusch am Bau! Verteilungspolitische Effekte der EU-Renovierungswelle

Blog Post

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Publication:Postcard
 
For the project, "Green Deal – Big Deal? Discussing Europe's Green Future", Ecologic Institute designed a postcard series. The postcard series promotes the podcast itself and on two cards in particular the third episode Sustainability in Style: Circular fashion in the European Green Deal. The postcards are designed according to the project's style guidelines and also include a QR code to the podcast (episode).

Green Deal – Big Deal? – Postcard series

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Publication:Document
 
Title of the NZI scoreboard report
Indicators measuring progress towards climate neutrality must address the often structural, sectoral, and cross-sectoral changes implied by the transition, covering both the economic and social dimensions. To address this, Ecologic Institute developed this working document, testing an indicator framework for assessing the progress to climate neutrality by 2050. The document offers a glimpse at areas where developments are currently headed in the right direction or lagging behind.

A Look Under the Emission Curve: Setting up a Net Zero Scoreboard

Testing a progress measurement framework on a sample of indicators

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Publication:Video
 
What exactly is the European Green Deal? Which role does it play in our everyday life? And what challenges does it pose? In our podcast and webinar series "Green deal – Big Deal?" we take a critical look at these questions and discuss various aspects of the European Green Deal with experts from policy, business and science. Ecologic Institute produced a reel to contribute to the visibility of the podcast.

Green Deal – Big Deal? Listen now!

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Event:Digital Event
 
The fifth webinar in our POLIMP Webinar Series will take place on Tuesday, 26 January 2016 from 10:30-11:30 CET, featuring a discussion on the topic "After Paris: Implications of the Paris Agreement for EU climate policy" moderated by Matthias Duwe (Head, Climate at Ecologic Institute). The webinar will feature guest speakers Dr. Camilla Bausch (Ecologic Institute) and Andrzej Błachowicz (Climate Strategies).

5th POLIMP Webinar – After Paris: Implications of the Paris Agreement for EU Climate Policy


Berlin, Germany

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Event:Discussion
 
Ecologic Institute welcomes twenty climate scholars from the Alexander von Humboldt foundation on their study tour "Knowledge Transfer for Effective Climate Protection Policies". During their tour the scholars will visit different institutions working in the field of climate change, such as the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA).

Advanced Training Course International Climate Protection Fellowships from Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation


Berlin, Germany

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Event:Conference
 
The ECCA 2015 covered a range of issues related to climate adaptation under the theme "Integrating climate adaptation action in science, policy, practice, and business". The three-day conference took place from 12 to 14 May 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference also featured a poster commercial, as well as three State of Green Tours to see innovative, local adaptation activities in action.

European Climate Change Adaptation (ECCA) Conference 2015

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Copenhagen, Denmark

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Event:Discussion
 
On 27 February 2015, experts from Germany and the United States joined in Washington, D.C. at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to discuss their work as it related to the conference theme, The Geopolitics of Energy. This conference was sponsored by the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University with participation by Ecologic Institute Berlin.

The Geopolitics of Energy: A German and American Perspective


Washington DC, United States

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Event:Conference
 
The regional conference “Closing the mineral cycles at farm level – Good practices to reduce nutrient loss in the Wielkopolskie region” took place on 13 November 2014 at the National Research Institute in Poznań, Poland. It aimed to present the results of the study “Resource efficiency in practice – Closing mineral cycles” commissioned by the DG Environment (European Commission). It focused on the good practices, which were identified as potential ways to reduce the nutrient loss at farm level and to close mineral cycles, based on the current state of nutrient saturation within the Wielkopolskie region.

Good Practices to Reduce Nutrient Loss in the Wielkopolskie Region (Poland)

Regional Conference


Poznań, Poland

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Event:Conference
 
The aim of the regional conference in Murcia was to present the region-specific results from the project "Resource Efficiency in Practice – Closing Mineral Cycles." The most promising and cost-effective measures at the farm level to close mineral cycles and reduce resource and economic inefficiency from nutrient losses (N, P, K) were presented. The conference seeks to highlight farmers' experiences with nutrient management, as well as barriers which may prevent uptake of good practices.

Good Practices to Address the Nutrient Surplus from Agriculture in Murcia (Spain)


Murcia, Spain

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Event:Conference
 
The regional conference “Closing the mineral cycle at farm level – Good practices to reduce nutrient loss in Southern and Eastern Ireland” took place on 28th October 2014 at the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, Ireland. The aim of the conference was to present the results of the study “Resource efficiency in practice – Closing mineral cycles” commissioned by the DG Environment, European Commission.

Good Practices to Reduce Nutrient loss in Southern and Eastern Ireland


Portlaoise, Ireland

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Event:Conference
 
The regional conference "Closing the mineral cycles at farm level - Good practices to reduce nutrient loss in the Lombardy region" took place on 5 November 2014 at the "E.c.ho." Hotel, Milan (Italy). It aimed to present the results of the study "Resource efficiency in practice – Closing mineral cycles" commissioned by the DG Environment (European Commission). It focused on the good practices, which were identified as potential ways to reduce the nutrient loss at farm level and to close mineral cycles, based on the current state of nutrient saturation within the Lombardy region.

Good Practices to Address the Nutrient Surplus in Lombardy (Italy)


Milan, Italy

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Event:Conference
 
Inefficient use of fertilisers leads to the accumulation of nutrients in areas of intense agricultural activities and can cause serious environmental problems in these areas and beyond. Within the project "Resource Efficiency in Practice – Closing Mineral Cycles", the most promising and cost-effective measures at the regional and farm levels were identified to increase the resource efficiency and use of nutrients (N, P, K) and help close mineral cycles, particularly in saturated areas in Europe. The findings have been translated into relevant practical measures for the farming community in these areas.

Resource Efficiency in Practice – Closing Mineral Cycles


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Conference
 
The EU has stated its commitment to transitioning into a post-carbon society. Though the goal of living in a post-carbon society is clear, the road to get there is not so easy. How can we build the EU of the future while overcoming technological, political, societal, economic and behavioural challenges? The Research for a Post-Carbon Future conference on 17 September 2014 explored ways to transform these challenges into opportunities and help propel the EU towards a more sustainable future.

Research for a Post-Carbon Future


Berlin, Germany

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Event:Discussion
 
At the 5th World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economists, held in Istanbul 2014, the Ecologic Institue organised a policy session to discuss the perspectives of EU Climate Policy for 2030 and beyond. The session featured four distinguished panelists: Andreas Barkmann (European Environment Agency), Aldo Ravazzi (Italian Ministry of the Environment), Paul Ekins (University College London) and Andrew Błachowicz, moderated by Benjamin Görlach of the Ecologic Institute.

The Role of Carbon Pricing in the Future EU Climate Policy


Istanbul, Turkey

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Event:Discussion
 
The event highlighted the main results of the report “Environment Component of the Commitment to Development Index.” The presentation of the report, prepared by Ecologic Institute, served as the basis for discussions on the most urgent issues in the environment–development nexus and for identifying suitable policy recommendations for EU member states and EU institutions.

Assessing Europe's Commitment to Environment – EBA


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Conference
 
Insights from the CECILIA2050 research project were discussed at a high-level expert conference in Brussels on 6 March 2014, convening around 80 participants from industry, NGOs, academia and governments engaged in the discussions on the present and future climate policy mix. The conference featured the main results of the first part of the CECILIA2050 project, which provided a stock-taking and ex-post evaluation of climate policies in Europe.

EU Climate Policy Beyond 2020: Taking Stock and Looking Forward


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Workshop
 
The PHARMAS project organized a Science-Policy Event in Brussels on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment. Several European, national, and international projects presented their results – from the perspective of their relevance to environmental policy – to interested stakeholders. All presentation slides, summaries, and statements are available for download.

Pharmaceuticals in the Environment - Science-Policy Event


Brussels, Belgium

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Event:Discussion
 
On 14 November 2013, a workshop on marine litter in the Baltic Sea took place at the Ecologic Institute's offices in Berlin. Susanne Altvater, a Fellow at Ecologic Institute, gave an introductory presentation on the topic and on the Clean Sea project in general to German representatives of the relevant industries. Subsequently, Matthias Mossbauer presented the first results of the project MARLISCO. Dr. Ingo Sartorius presented activities of the plastic associations regarding marine litter. All presentation slides are available for download.

Marine Litter in the Baltic Sea: Challenges and Opportunities (CleanSea Discussion)


Berlin, Germany

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Presentation:Speech
 
Ina Krüger's presentation gives a brief introduction to the ongoing works on task 5.2 of the CleanSea project, for which model cases are analysed concerning their current and possible future contribution to the prevention and management of marine litter in the Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea. In the first part of this presentation the preliminary results of the analysis matrix are presented. In the second part, a model case on the collection and recycling of ghost nets is analysed and discussed in depth. The presentation slides are available for download.

Model Cases for the Prevention and Management of Marine Litter in the Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea


Ina Krüger

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Presentation:Lecture
 
What does policy consultancy mean in practice? What is a think tank and what does it do? Christiane Gerstetter and Susanne Langsdorf discuss these and other questions with students of the bachelor program "Internationales Politikmanagement" (ISPM) at Bremen University of Applied Sciences. About 20 students participate in the seminar "Policy consulting in intermediary organisations".

Ecologic University Course on Think Tanks Policy Consulting (2014)


Dr. Christiane Gerstetter

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, participated in a panel discussion at the representation of the German state of Baden-Württemberg in Berlin. She presented among other things the results of a study on regulatory cooperation in the context of the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The presentation is available for download.

Regulatory Cooperation in TTIP – Observations (also) from an Environmental Viewpoint


Dr. Christiane Gerstetter

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 11 September 2014, nineteen top Arctic institutes in Europe proposed the establishment of an EU Arctic Information Centre as a network undertaking in the final seminar of the project "EU in the Arctic, The Arctic in the EU" in Brussels, Belgium. Arne Riedel presented Ecologic Institute's work on a Gap Analysis Report within that project, providing insights into Arctic stakeholders' needs to fill information and communication gaps.

EU in the Arctic, the Arctic in the EU - Gap Analysis Report


Arne Riedel Escobar, LLM

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 3 June 2014, Max Grünig, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, contributed to an policy dialogue by the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels on the potential impacts of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) under a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US on the environment. Max Grünig presented evidence from past ISDS proceedings, focussing on cases with a direct link to the environment.

Investor-State Dispute Settlement and TTIP – Threat or Opportunity?


Max Grünig

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 6 June 2014, Max Grünig, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented the analysis of the environment and development performacen of 21 European countries prepared based on the Commitment to Development Index 2013 by the Center for Global Development at The Centre in Brussels. The draft report is available for download. Comments and feedback are much appreciated.

Europe Beyond Aid: Assessing Europe's Commitment to Environment


Max Grünig

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
The Ecologic Institute continues to be actively involved in the debate on the ongoing negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and its environmental impact. On 23 April 2014, Max Grünig, Senior Fellow at the Ecologic Institute, participated as a panelist in a stakeholder forum on TTIP in Washington D.C. The presentation slides are available for download.

TTIP, Energy and the Environment


Max Grünig

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