Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy

Project
 
Germany took over the G7 Presidency from the United Kingdom at the start of 2022. Climate continues to stand on top of the G7's agenda as global emissions continue to grow. In this project Ecologic Institute, in partnership with WWF and E3G, brings together a select group of think-tanks and NGOs to discuss priorities for the German G7 presidency. Based on policy briefs by E3G and Ecologic Institute, experts in the German climate policy field discuss key issues around climate at the G7 to identify and concretise priorities and action items for the G7. Key topics include decarbonising industry, climate partnerships and their financing, climate clubs, and loss and damage.

Towards More Climate Action at the G7

Recommendations for the German Presidency

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Project
 
Climate lawsuits have become a frequently chosen tool in the fight for more ambitious climate policies in recent years. In the extensive reporting on this topic, one aspect has so far been neglected: the differences between the jurisprudence in the Global South and the Global North. To address the related issues, Verfassungsblog, Völkerrechtsblog and the journal World Comparative Law (WCL) in cooperation with the Ecologic Institute are organizing an online symposium on the subject of "Comparative Climate Litigation in North-South Perspective".

Comparative Climate Litigation in North-South Perspective

Online Symposium

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Project
 
climate img
Global climate action is not moving fast enough – This is confirmed by the result of the latest review on the progress of implementing the Paris Agreement. Close international cooperation and aligning existing climate policy frameworks could foster reducing emissions much faster in the short run. The Ecologic Institute investigates which structures of multilateral cooperation linked to climate action already exist – and furthermore, develops ideas on how to go beyond existing structures to increase global climate action.

Accelerating Global Climate Action before 2030

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Project
 
The Jean Monnet Network on Atlantic Studies is an initiative across the four Atlantic continents by 10 leading think tanks and independent experts to collaborate in interdisciplinary exploration of three emerging pan-Atlantic themes of particular relevance to the European Union: (1) energy and transport in the context of climate change; (2) commercial interactions such as trade and investment; and (3) pan-Atlantic challenges to human security.

Jean Monnet Network on Atlantic Studies (2016-2019)

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Project
 
On behalf of the German Environment Agency, Ecologic Institute is carrying out the discussion series "Improving climate protection – for Paris and beyond." As part of the project, several expert workshops provide a platform for different stakeholder representatives to discuss and evaluate developments of the climate regime, the status of the UN climate negotiations and the outcome of the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that will be held in Paris in December 2015.

Improving Climate Protection – for Paris and Beyond – Discussion Series

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Project
 
The committees of the European Parliament play a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness of EU policy during both the development of legislation and policy and its subsequent implementation. The Committee on Foreign Affairs (Affaires étrangères, AFET) is one of the 20 Committees of the European Parliament and is, among others, responsible for the Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP) and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). Ecologic Institute was leading a consortium of six institutes given a framework contract to provide the European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committees with independent expert advice on a range of issues relating to developmental and environmental policy. During the course of this project, standard briefings, ad-hoc briefings, studies and workshops were conducted.

Framework Contract Development Policy for the European Parliament

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Project
 
The EC increasingly participates in international conferences and mixed international agreements alongside its Member States. The appearance of both EC and Member States raises questions of competences for the negotiation, conclusion and implementation of such international instruments. In particular in the field of marine environment, substantial progress is hindered by an opaque division of competences between the EC and its Member States and lack of coordination. Accordingly, the German Federal Environmental Agency commissioned Ecologic with the task of analysing the division of external competences between the EC and its Member States taking into account the OSPAR-Convention.

EC External Competences

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Project
 
Annually since 2012, the Policy Center for the New South, previously known as OCP Policy Center, holds its Atlantic Dialogues conference in Morocco. In 2017, it established the Atlantic Dialogues Advisory Board (AD-AB). R. Andreas Kraemer, Founder and Director Emeritus of Ecologic Institute, was appointed and now serves on the Atlantic Dialogues Advisory Board.

R. Andreas Kraemer on Atlantic Dialogues Advisory Board, Morocco

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Project
 
At the 2018 Global Think Tank Summit (GTTS2018) in Brussels, hosted by European think tank Bruegel and the Think Tank and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the University of Pennsylvania, Ecologic Institute prepared and hosted a panel on the geopolitics of climate change. It covered the geopolitical dynamics of accelerating climate change as well as the geopolitical consequences of transformation in the energy and transport sectors.

Geopolitics of Climate Change at the Global Think Tank Summit 2018

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Project
 
The G7 and G20 conferences are two multilateral fora for mutual exchange between the world largest economies. For the European Union, the congresses are particularly important to push for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to enhance international environmental protection. In this project, Ecologic Institute supports the European Commission in strengthening the voice of the EU in the negotiations. The team provides expert advice for EU position development on resource efficiency, circular economy, marine waste, plastics and sustainable finance.

EU Environmental Diplomacy in G7/G20 Conferences

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Project
 
<p>How can we improve policy monitoring of national implementation to further protect the Arctic environment and its inhabitants? With the WWF Arctic Council Scorecards, Ecologic Institute and WWF International Arctic Programme continue and update the overview of the implementation status of specific recommendations by the Arctic Council with a particular focus on maritime activities, climate change and biodiversity protection as well as ecosystem-based management.</p>

WWF Arctic Council Conservation Scorecard II – 2019 edition

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Project
 
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.

Environmental Guidelines for a German Arctic Policy

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Project
 
Resource extraction has often significant impacts on the environment. Ecologic Institute analyses for the German Federal Environment Agency governance instruments which can foster, establish and enforce global standards for environmentally sound raw material extraction. The project assesses international treaties, international customary law and non-binding international instruments, as well as European and national instruments with extraterritorial effect. Based on this assessment, Ecologic Institute develops recommendations how existing instruments could be improved or new approaches could be developed. The study covers abiotic raw materials (metals and ore, other minerals and fossil raw materials) and their extraction, treatment, transport and processing.

International Governance for Environmentally Sound Supply of Raw Materials (InGoRo)

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Publication:Report
 
Cover of the 4i-TRACTION report "Transformative climate policies: a conceptual framing of the 4i’s"
What makes climate policy transformative? This report sets out the conceptual framing of transformation and transformative climate policies taken in the 4i-TRACTION project.

Transformative Climate Policies

A conceptual framing of the 4i's

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
Cover of the policy brief "What Role for a Climate Club under the German G7 Presidency? Options and Recommendations for a Climate Club"
The German government has put the formation of an 'ambitious, bold, and cooperative' climate club on top of its G7 Presidency agenda. But what is a climate club? And what type of climate club should the German G7 Presidency push toward? This policy brief provides some answers to these questions and formulates recommendations for the German Presidency.

What Role for a Climate Club under the German G7 Presidency?

Options and Recommendations for a Climate Club

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Publication:Article
 
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to take a heavy toll, the heads of state and government gathering in Versailles today and tomorrow (10-11 March 2022) will need to take actions that support Ukraine while also shoring up the bloc's own strategic autonomy from Moscow. The European Green Deal will be crucial for the success of this strategy. This op-ed, which is available online, explains why.

Russia's War in Ukraine

Why doubling down on the Green Deal is the best strategy

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
Cover of the Policy Brief - Accelerating the Global Transformation of Industry at the G7
Transforming and decarbonising industry is essential for reaching climate-neutrality and the goals of the Paris Agreement. How can the G7 accelerate the decarbonisation of industry? Ecologic Institute's policy brief maps out a number of opportunities and potential priorities for the German Presidency. The Recommendations are available for download.

Accelerating the Global Transformation of Industry at the G7

Recommendations for the German G7 Presidency

Year

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Publication:Podcast
 
This podcast of the European network of think tanks "Think Sustainable Europe" is discussing the main outcomes of the climate negotiations at COP26 in Glasgow. The climate conference and its outcomes were received with a range between careful optimism and disapppointment on the little progress. Following the invitation of the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), one of Ecologic Institute's climate negotiation experts, Arne Riedel, joined Michael Nicholson (IEEP) and Philip Glas (IISD) for the exchange.

COP26: Overview and Main Outcomes

A Think Sustainable Europe Podcast

Year

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Publication:Report
 
Cover of the publication "Advancing multilateral cooperation on climate action. Ideas for new initiatives across four policy areas and how to use existing international venues as stepping stones"
The year 2021 saw a positive dynamic on climate action internationally, despite the pandemic and its negative impacts on people’s well-being and on the global economy. Especially, the reverse in the US approach to the climate crisis has provided a new boost. Moreover, COP26 in Glasgow created political momentum, as it has shown a global spotlight on the need for international action and on various forms of cooperation to achieve the 1.5 °C target. In 2022, there are several windows of opportunity for further advances in multilateral cooperation on the climate crisis, including in the G7 and G20 discussions, led by Germany and Indonesia, respectively. And the new German government has reiterated its desire to create a new "climate club" in this context. This report contains several proposals for specific new initiatives that could be started.

Advancing Multilateral Cooperation on Climate Action

Ideas for new initiatives in four policy fields and how to use existing international venues as stepping stones

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
cover of the policy brief
Forests and the ocean are vital for climate, biological diversity, and human communities, but they are degraded and their ecosystem services are seriously impaired, mainly because financial, economic and governance structures are misconfigured. The authors of this T20 policy brief propose that G20 help strengthen the REDD+ climate instrument for forests and extend it to Blue Carbon from coastal and marine ecosystems. Scaled up to cover the Earth's two largest, most diverse and most productive ecosystems, these two approaches can deliver significant economic and climate benefits. The T20 policy brief is available for download.

Fixing Financial, Economic and Governance Structures to Save Forests and the Ocean, and Enhance Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions

Year

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Publication:Article
 
Author: Camilla Bausch, Publication: ISPI Dossier - Climate Change: A Global Fight at a Crossroads
Just a few weeks before the UN climate summit (COP26), Dr. Camilla Bausch responded to the invitation to contribute to the most recent dossier published by ISPI under the tagline "Climate Change: A Global Fight at a Crossroads". Her timely contribution outlines the complexity of the issues and the international political landscape in the eve of COP26.

How the G20 Can Contribute to a Successful Climate Summit in Glasgow

Dr. Camilla Bausch's publication in ISPI Dossier "Climate Change: A Global Fight at a Crossroads"

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Publication:Report
 
Publication's cover
The devastating flash floods and forest fires in Europe in summer 2021 have highlighted the need for stronger linking disaster risk management with climate adaptation efforts. This report introduces the concept of Sustainable Adaptation Pathways that can act as guidance when planning and implementing integrated policies to foster adaptation measures in line with disaster risk reduction efforts and sustainable development.

Towards Sustainable Adaptation Pathways

A concept for integrative actions to achieve the 2030 Agenda, Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework

Year

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
Front Cover of Publication with Title "Policy Brief Identifies Options For Multilateral Initiatives That Support Sustainable Food Systems And Reduce GHG Emissions"
Published in April 2021, this policy brief identifies four options for increased multilateral cooperation that support an international shift towards sustainable food systems and help to increase the global 2030 climate ambition at the same time. The identified initiatives focus on activities that reduce food loss and waste and support plant based diets, following a 'food systems approach.'

Options for Multilateral Initiatives to Close the Global 2030 Climate Ambition and Action Gap

Policy Field Sustainable Food Systems

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Publication:Report
 
Cover of the Publication "Options for Multilateral Initiatives to Close the Global 2030 Climate Ambition and Action Gap"
To achieve the turnaround towards carbon neutrality, countries around the world need to take much more ambitious action in this decade. One of the key fields of action is the transition of the energy sector –from fossil to renewable fuels, while drastically reducing energy consumption. This paper discusses options how such action can be enhanced through multilateral cooperation.

Options for Multilateral Initiatives to Close the Global 2030 Climate Ambition and Action Gap

Policy field energy transition

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Publication:Article
 
publication's cover
With 2020 drawing to a close, Dr. Camilla Bausch was invited to contribute to "The World in 2021". This publication is an annual end-of-year publication by ISPI, a leading foreign policy think tank in Italy, on trends, crises and 10 key "questions" that are relevant for the upcoming year.

Climate: Saved by the pandemic?

Dr. Camilla Bausch's publication in ISPI Dossier "The World in 2021"

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Publication:Article
 
In the wake of Joe Biden's election as 46th President of the United States, Dr. Camilla Bausch contributed a blog post for the Global Public Policy Institute's Peace Lab on how multilateralism could help address the climate crisis. This is a timely contribution as it is complimentary to the current work on the German government's new White Paper on multilateralism. In her blog post, Dr. Bausch addresses a broad range of climate diplomacy topics, taking into account the role of Germany as well as the European Green Deal, the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Agenda 2030, the dynamics within the G20 and the role of science.

Germany, Multilateralism and the Climate Crisis

How cooperation can strengthen climate policy

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Publication:Report
 
UBA Climate Change 27/2020
Achieving the Paris Agreement Long-term temperature goal (PA LTTG) requires closing the 2030 ambition and action gap between emissions levels consistent with the Paris Agreement and emissions levels projected with current targets and policies. G20 countries have a crucial role to play in realising increased climate policy ambition, given their economic power and prosperity, as well as their influence on investments, technology deployment and financial flows. This briefing paper provides an overview of mitigation options that have been analysed in recent literature and that can contribute to closing the emissions gap in 2030. This provides the basis to identify key policy areas and promising options for intergovernmental cooperation between the G20 nations, as well as possibly other relevant actors.

Key Mitigation Options to Close the Global 2030 Ambition and Action Gap

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Publication:Report
 
This research report by Ecologic Institute identifies ways in which Germany can improve international soil governance in the short, medium and long term. It begins with an inventory of existing international instruments and institutions relevant to soil governance at the international level. It assesses the actual and potential steering effects of international treaties such as the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the climate regime as well as regional agreements. It also analyses the activities of FAO, UNEP, IPBES and the activities of the IPCC.

Improving International Soil Governance

Analysis and recommendations

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Event:Digital Event
 
At a lunch talk on Thursday, 24 March 2022, 2:00-3:00 p.m. (CET), one of the authors of the symposium, Sam Bookman from Harvard Law School, will speak about his latest research topic "What happens when you win? The constitutional dimensions of rights-based climate litigation". With him, we will draw the line to and discuss the first insights of the symposium.

The Constitutional Dimension of Climate Litigation

Lunch Talk with Sam Bookman (Harvard Law School)


online

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Event:Conference
 
This virtual conference shared ideas for advancing additional multilateral action in support of the goals of the Paris Agreement and discuss them with international experts.

Accelerating Global Climate Action Before 2030

Identifying options for more international climate action


online

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Event:Digital Event
 
Event banner
In this COP26 side event, we discussed priorities for the further development of long-term strategies, lessons from strategy formulation and implementation processes in the EU and ASEAN, and prospects for international cooperation. We draw on recent analyses by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), the German Development Institute (DIE / GDI), the EU, including the EU-funded Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI) study on the development of LTS in ASEAN and the Climate Recon 2050 platform (CR2050) experiences.

Long-Term Strategies: Priorities, Lessons and Opportunities for International Cooperation

COP26 EU Side Event


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Event:Discussion
 
Many consider the Climate Summit in Glasgow, which will take place end of 2021, the most important summit since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. Upon invitation by the Andrássy University Budapest and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Dr. Camilla Bausch discussed recent developments in climate policy in the lead-up to COP26.

The EU on the Road to the Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26)

Dr. Camilla Bausch speaks at the Andrássy University Budapest event "Visions for Europe"


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Event:Discussion
 
On Saturday, 8 December 2018, Ecologic Institute hosted a side event in the EU Pavilion at the COP24 in Katowice (Poland), in cooperation with ICLEI Europe. Invited practitioners and experts discussed the role nature-based solutions (NBS) and multi-level governance play in facilitating the transition of cities and regions to carbon-neutrality.

Nature-based Solutions and Multi-level Governance for Carbon-neutral and Resilient Cities and Regions

COP24 Side Event


Katowice, Poland

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Event:Summer School
 
Ecologic Institute and its partners are pleased to announce the 2018 Arctic Summer College and are seeking applications from emerging leaders working to improve Arctic governance from around the world. This year applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Arctic Summer College 2018

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Berlin, Germany and Washington DC, United States

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Event:Visitors Program
 
From 15 to 21 October 2017, Ecologic Institute implemented an information visit within the framework of the Visitors Programme of the Federal Republic of Germany on "Post Cop21" – Climate Policy for 2050. Representatives from ministries, Think Tanks, NGOs and journalists were invited to participate on a tour to Berlin, Bonn and the Lusatia region. The objective of the visit was to learn about and discuss the developments of international climate policy and German domestic climate politics in the light of the outcome of the Paris Agreement. The participants of the programme dealt with the results of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference and their significance for German policy making.

"Post Cop21" – Climate Policy for 2050

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Berlin, Lusatia and Bonn, Germany

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Event:Summer School
 
The Arctic Summer College is proud to have recently completed its fifth successful year. From 25 June to 13 August 13, the 20 selected Arctic Summer College Fellows participated in eight webinars on various topics relevant to the Arctic, including Indigenous Actors and Arctic Decision-making, Arctic Energy and Climate Change Adaptation. Fellows became part of a network of emerging Arctic leaders from different disciplines and regions and were able to share and discuss ideas with expert speakers.

Arctic Summer College 2015

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Berlin, Germany

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Event:Summer School
 
Ecologic Institute and its partners are pleased to announce the 2014 Arctic Summer College and are seeking applications from emerging leaders working to improve Arctic governance from around the world.

Arctic Summer College 2014

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Berlin, Germany

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Event:Discussion
 
The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the International Relations Program, University of Pennsylvania, conducts research on the role policy institutes play in governments and in civil societies around the world. On Wednesday, 22 January 2014, the TTCSP released its 2013 Report. On this occasion, more than 25 global partners implemented local launch events.

Launch of the Global Go To Index Report 2013


Berlin, Germany

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Presentation:Interview
 
As the war in Ukraine escalates, the climate crisis continues. But environmental policy in particular could build important bridges, reminds Dr. Camilla Bausch Scientific & Executive Director of Ecologic Institute. In an interview with Elisabeth von Thadden, she discusses, among other things, the environmental impact of the war and the dichotomy over Ukraine's demand to the secretariats of thirteen major international environmental agreements to exclude Russia from relevant decision-making bodies and suspend Russian membership in the agreements.

In Environmental Policy, We Cannot Afford a Bloc Formation


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Delivering for "People, Planet, Prosperity" is the proclaimed aim of the Italian G20 Presidency. The question as to how the G20 should work towards this aim was discussed at the Think 20 (T20) Summit in Milan in early October. The T20 Summit brought together 51 speakers, over 800 in-person participants and 16,000 online attendees from all over the world, reaching over 1 million people through social media.

Climate and Growth: The Road to a Green Recovery


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
How do policymakers balance future climate and energy security issues in light of a rapidly changing world? Dr. Camilla Bausch addressed the dynamic geopolitical energy landscape and some associated security concerns for Germany and Europe in a controversial debate with a group of transatlantic Parliamentarians from across the aisle. This was part of the 16th Annual Congress-Bundestag Forum by the German Marshall Fund.

16th Annual Congress-Bundestag Forum


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Book Discussion - The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice
On 9 June 2021, prominent heads of think tanks convened to discuss the recommendations made in the recently published book, "The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice Around the World". Dr. Camilla Bausch reflected on key points from the contribution, she co-authored with R. Andreas Kraemer.

Book Discussion on the Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Chairing
 
Book Cover
At a time where climate change is already causing migration, the anticipated increase of numbers has gained in focus in international debates. Dr. Camilla Bausch moderated a roundtable discussion on related upcoming issues at the Mercator Foundation Roundtable on Climate Migration. The Roundtable accompanied the publication of the German version of the "Atlas of Environmental Migration."

Mercator Roundtable: Atlas of environmental migration


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
T20 Spring Roundtable event invitation cover
What are the key ingredients of a "Sustainable Recovery for a Green Future?" This was the topic of two events organized by Think20 (T20) during the Italian G20 presidency. Dr. Camilla Bausch, co-chair of the T20 Task Force on environmental issues, spoke on carbon neutrality, long-term climate strategies and the European Green Deal.

Heading towards Carbon Neutrality


Dr. Camilla Bausch

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Presentation:Speech
 
On 1 and 2 April 2014, Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow on the Ecologic Institute's legal team, gave two presentations in Brussels on investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). She concluded that including ISDS in TTIP would entail incalculable risks for environmental regulation that are not counter-balanced by benefits. She therefore recommended not to include ISDS provisions in TTIP. The presentations are available for download.

Investor-state Dispute Settlement in TTIP


Dr. Christiane Gerstetter

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Presentation:Speech
 
At the 2011 Alumni Conference of Lund University’s Master’s Program of International Environmental Science (LUMES) in Lund (Sweden), Elena von Sperber presented and discussed the results of the CALAMAR project, a transatlantic dialogue on marine governance lead by Ecologic Institute, which was concluded in June 2011.

Recommendations for Transatlantic Cooperation on High Seas Governance


Elena von Sperber

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Presentation:Chairing
 
Lead by Ecuador’s Ambassador to Germany, his Excellency Jorge Jurado, and Ivonne Baki, who is the country’s top negotiator for the Yasuni-ITT Initiative, a high-level delegation presented an Ecuadorian proposal for the protection of climate and biodiversity at the Ecologic Institute.&#13;

Ecuadorian Initiative to Protect Climate and Biodiversity


Loni Gardner JD

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Presentation:Speech
 
<p>&#13; Andrew Reid, Transatlantic Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented the results of the project Cooperation Across the Atlantic for Marine Governance Integration (CALAMAR) to decision-makers, scientists and other maritime stakeholders at the 2011 European Maritime Day in Gdansk (Poland). Examining opportunities for EU/US cooperation on maritime governance, the project was presented as part of a panel on strategies for strengthening maritime clusters in the Atlantic region.</p>

Opportunities for EU/US Cooperation on Maritime Governance


Andrew Reid

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