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.

This report evaluates the focus of Bread for the World on climate policy between 2023 and 2025. It examines how the organisation strengthens the rights and needs of vulnerable population groups within the context of international climate policy, demonstrating how climate justice can be effectively integrated into development cooperation. The report assesses this work against the following criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, development impact and sustainability.

Against the backdrop of the new German Bioeconomy Strategy (BMEL & BMBF 2020), this study outlines how a monitoring system needs to be designed to assess whether the transformation towards a bio-based economy is progressing in line with sustainability goals and the protection of natural systems. The report is aimed at policymakers, public authorities and the expert community, summarising the key findings and recommendations from several years of project work.

On 23 September 2025, experts from policy, finance, research, and civil society gathered in Berlin for the technical workshop “Opportunities and Limits of Nature-based Solutions”, hosted by the Fair Finance Institute. The event aimed to highlight and critically discuss the risks and potentials of nature-based solutions (NbS). The focus was on how financing for NbS can be made more effective and equitable, tapping the potential to deliver on sustainable development worldwide, protect biodiversity, and empower people in countries of the Global South. Ecologic Institute’s McKenna Davis opened the event with a keynote address entitled “Nature-based Solutions: More than just green? What counts, what works, and what is missing.” The event was organised with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and support from GLS Bank and Engagement Global as part of an ongoing project.

As part of the expert dialogue "Second-Hand Instead of New – Calculating and Communicating CO₂ Savings Potential", taking place online on September 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment invited participants to explore current approaches to quantifying CO₂ savings in the context of waste prevention.

Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, gave a presentation on 10 September 2025 on the implementation of the 'ecocide' provision of the Environmental Crime Directive in Germany. This took place as part of a webinar organized by Europe Calling and Stop Ecocide Germany on environmental criminal law and 'ecocide'. He provided an overview of the provisions of the new Environmental Crime Directive on the ecocide-like consequences of environmental crimes, highlighted the need for implementation in Germany, and presented proposals for implementation close to the directive and an alternative implementation that already addresses the risk of serious consequences. The presentation was based on a legal opinion he had written for Stop Ecocide Germany.

The study, developed under the ReFoPlan project "Natürlich Klimaanpassung! Resiliente naturbasierte Lösungen für Kommunen", provides an overview of the current state of NbS implementation for municipal climate adaptation in Germany. It identifies key barriers that hinder local action – from limited resources to conflicting interests – and highlights strategies and tools that can help overcome them.

How can the EU stay on track to climate neutrality – despite tightening budgets and rising geopolitical pressure? A new Ariadne background paper reviews the Fit for 55 package, discusses open questions for the post-2030 period, and outlines options for a more coherent EU policy architecture.

After more than three years of intensive research and collaboration, the final event of the project AMAREX – Adaptation of Stormwater Management to Extreme Weather Events took place on 10 July 2025 in Cologne. The event focused on professional exchange around the project's developed approaches and tools for climate-resilient urban development.

Some of the new federal government's most important priorities are innovation and growth. What about the political focus on environmental and climate policy? Within Horizon Scan, we discussed current environmental policy in Germany with a small group of representatives from politics, authorities, science, and civil society.

In 2025, the Ecologic Institute marked an important milestone: 30 years of independent environmental research and policy engagement. On 30 June 2025, we gathered with our community of alumni, colleagues, funders, partners, and friends in Berlin to celebrate this special occasion.

The background paper sheds light on how authorities can enable and accelerate peatland rewetting projects with legal certainty under current law. It shows that, despite numerous legal hurdles, there is considerable scope for decision-making, particularly in the context of planning and nature conservation law.