The discussion about possible alternatives to conventional pesticides has gained momentum in recent years with the announcement of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy. The European Commission proposes a 50 percent reduction in synthetic and hazardous pesticides by 2030. But what are possible alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides? This infographic from Ecologic Institute shows indirect and direct non chemical crop protection measures.

It's that time again: From 15 September to 15 November 2022, youths between the ages of 10 and 16 are being called upon to take part in the "Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!" campaign along with their teachers or group leaders. The aim is for participants to deal with the issue of plastic waste in the environment – especially in and around rivers. The accompanying teaching and working materials, as well as the booklet, guide the participants through the campaign and can be ordered free of charge by teachers or group leaders on the campaign website.

Record high energy prices and inflation are putting social cohesion in Germany under stress. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses in the IPG Journal whether this will divide Germany or not. The article is available online.

On 13 September 2022, the online workshop "Strengthening supply chain resilience: identifying climate risks and taking adaptation measures" was held as part of the Climate Adaptation Week organized by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The event provided an overview of climate risks for the globally interconnected German economy and showed how companies can deal with these risks.

Member State policies for CO2 removal lack basics – a big problem for society. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses possible solutions in the Tagesspiegel.

The environmental disaster on the Oder River has brought the issue of environmental crime back into the spotlight. In a video report by the TV station Deutsche Welle, experts, including Stephan Sina from Ecologic Institute, explain the reasons for the difficulties in prosecuting environmental crimes and possible approaches for improvement. The contribution "Environmental Crime – How do they get away with it?" can be viewed online.

Germany must reduce input of pollutants into water bodies, enable the development of near-natural water bodies, and restore and improve the continuity of water bodies to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive in the future. The article highlights individual legal levers, especially in legal areas beyond water law, to tackle these tasks and to bring surface waters and groundwater to a good status, as required by the Directive, in the medium and long term.

The regulatory framework for the transformation to a climate-neutral industry has evolved. To take account of the changes, we have revised our analysis on the role of climate protection contracts in the steel industry, which was mainly based on data from 2020. This updated study analyzes how climate protection agreements in the steel industry can be designed in such a way that – in conjunction with the reform of European climate policy – they have an impact on climate protection, energy security and a meaningful transformation of the economy as a whole.

This study presents innovative processes and technologies of the circular economy. The case studies come from a range of industries that are of particular importance to Hesse and demonstrate the broad applicability of the technologies presented. The case studies are split into five main groups, each containing a few innovative and sustainable projects by various institutions and firms. They also offer insights into the economic and ecological advantages of the projects and provide the readers with a thorough understanding of the processes.

In an interview with Sinan Reçber of the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel, Rodrigo Vidaurre and Benedict Bueb of Ecologic Institute discussed what measures can be taken in various sectors to lessen the impact of droughts in Germany. In addition to water-sensitive urban development, which increasingly relies on nature-based solutions to store water during dry periods, this includes the cultivation of drought-resistant agricultural varieties as well as the rewetting of peatlands.

Preparations are currently underway for negotiations on a global plastics treaty. The treaty is intended to respond to the increasing plastic pollution, especially of the oceans, which requires international cooperation along the value chain and thus binding rules at the international level. The timetable for the negotiations is extremely ambitious, with a draft to be available as early as the end of 2024. In her editorial, Heidi Stockhaus highlights the global dimension of the problem and points to the responsibility of Germany and the EU to help the negotiation process succeed.

The Berlin Energy Transition Act obliges district administrations to both set up an energy management system and appoint energy officers for their property areas. But what does this mean in concrete terms for the implementation of the energy transition in the districts? What are the tasks and what influence do the energy officers have? Where are the pitfalls, and where is there a need for action and improvement? We discussed these questions with our guests in the twelfth edition of Wandelwecker.

On 4 July 2022, around 30 experts discussed political strategies for a regionalization of the food system, achieving as many positive sustainability effects as possible and avoiding negative impacts. The discussion was based on an input paper by the project team, the core statements of which were presented in two short presentations by the main author, Gerolf Hanke (Oeko-Institut).

McDonald, Hugh et al. 2022: Funding climate-friendly soil management – key issues. Setting Baselines. Factsheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau.

Siemons, Anne et al. 2022: Funding climate-friendly soil management – key issues. Carbon leakage. Factsheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau.