The study was commissioned by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) to support the German Federal Government in reporting on the Action Programme for Natural Climate Protection (ANK). Ecologic Institute led the project and was responsible for analysing the action areas peatlands, near-natural water regimes, marine and coastal ecosystems, wilderness and protected areas, forest ecosystems, research and capacity building, as well as cooperation within the EU and internationally.

Climate change is exacerbating drought, low water levels, and heavy rainfall in German river basins, posing new challenges for agriculture, forestry, water management, ecosystems, and municipal planning. Against this backdrop, the project KliMaWerk investigated how the landscape water balance can be made climate-resilient through integrated, practical strategies and measures. The KliMaWerk final report summarises the key findings and strategic conclusions.

Nature-based solutions are central to climate change adaptation. Urban green spaces and waterbodies can reduce heat in cities, for example. How can local authorities implement such measures despite limited resources? This paper presents financing options based on practical examples – from crowdfunding to green bonds – and assesses which ones are suitable and when. It also provides recommendations on how the federal and state governments can provide support.

On 26 November 2025, Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, participated in a panel discussion with law students on the role of law in the climate crisis at Humboldt University in Berlin. He discussed climate change legislation, obstacles to the implementation of measures to achieve climate targets, the role of courts, challenges for companies that want to behave sustainably, and opportunities for law students to contribute to climate protection.

On 20 November 2025, Aaron Best and Mandy Hinzmann presented innovative digital solutions for sustainable consumption at the Federal Ministry for the Environment in Berlin. These solutions were developed as part of the project "DigiKon – Digital solutions for sustainable consumption in the circular economy", carried out by the Ecologic Institute together with IZT and GFA Consulting from June 2024 to November 2025.

This guest article by Christoph Heinrich, published in the Table.Forum Biodiversity (Table.Media), outlines the central importance of biological diversity for the functioning of ecosystems and for human livelihoods.

On 17 and 18 November 2025, the closing event of the project "Natural Climate Adaptation!" commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Environment Ministry took place in Berlin. The event was organised in cooperation with the 14th KlimAdapt network meeting.

At the Fachsymposium Stadtgrün – Zukunft städtischer grüner Infrastrukturen (Symposium on urban greenery – The future of urban green infrastructure; 12–13 November 2025) Flora Dicke and Jenny Tröltzsch presented insights from the AMAREX project in the form of a scientific poster. The event brought together experts from municipalities, research institutions and planning practice to discuss innovative approaches for climate-resilient urban green spaces and water management, with a special focus on competition for urban space.

From 12 to 14 November 2025, Hannah Brunkhorst took part in the Participatory Science Conference (PartWiss) in Leipzig, where innovative projects and approaches were presented under the motto "Researching together – Impulses from citizen science, participatory, and transdisciplinary research". At the end of the first day of the PartWiss 2025 conference, participants gathered for a large poster session. A total of 30 posters were presented, providing interesting insights into various projects in the fields of citizen science, participatory and transdisciplinary research.

During the first day of the PartWiss 2025 conference, Doris Knoblauch delivered a presentation on the Europe-wide citizen science project, 'Plastic Pirates – Go Europe', during the thematic session, 'Participatory Approaches to Shaping the Science-Policy Interface'. During her presentation, she explored the intersection of natural and social science methods within the project. Using studies of the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts as an example, she showed how school classes in Kiel, St. Peter-Ording, Rostock and Flensburg had collected data on plastic pollution, before discussing the causes, responsibilities and possible solutions in focus groups.

At this year's DWA Conference on River Basin Management, Dr. Benjamin Kupilas explored how landscapes can be designed to store water more effectively, buffer extreme events, and simultaneously support biodiversity. His talk highlighted the importance of restoring natural hydrological processes as a cornerstone of climate mitigation and adaptation, nature conservation, and resilient regional development.

At the MoorNet Final Conference 2025, results and approaches from the research and development project were presented. The event also offered space to discuss further developments and to identify additional needs for action. Key topics included overcoming implementation barriers, funding issues, and the need for communication strategies and networking concepts to strengthen and accelerate the rewetting of peatlands.

Melting sea ice, new shipping routes and growing geopolitical tensions are changing the Arctic – a region where the consequences of climate change are particularly evident. Arne Riedel, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, spoke about the ecological, political and security developments in this sensitive region of the world in an interview with Axel Dorloff (rbb Inforadio / Wissenswerte).

The 26th Arctic Dialogue took place on 6 November 2025 at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) in Berlin. The programme comprised several panels and discussion formats addressing the impacts of climate change on the Arctic, including Arctic landscapes, pollution, and biodiversity, complemented by a roundtable discussion among ministries and institutions. Arne Riedel and Gregory Fuchs represented Ecologic Institute at the 26th Arctic Dialogue.

This poster summarises key findings from the socio-economic assessment of blue-green infrastructure measures conducted within the AMAREX project. The analysis covers 21 decentralised measures such as infiltration swales, tree pits, and green or retention roofs.