Cities and municipalities play a key role in finding solutions for climate change issues on the local level. A number of research projects already provides best-practice examples and strategies for their implementation. An effective exchange of municipalities facilitates the spread of available knowledge much faster. Within this article Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch, Arne Riedel, and Monica Ridgway discuss the central challenges of both groups and elaborate on the themes and methods used for networking. The article is available for download.

On 9 June 2015, the results of the project "Strategic Development of the National Climate Initiative (NKI)" were discussed at the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) in Berlin. The half-day conference focused on the presentation of the results of the development of the National Climate Initiative as well as on the exchange and networking of high-ranking stakeholders from policy, business, scientific institutions, and civil society.

On 6 June 2015 around 30 representatives and citizens of the municipality of Ahrensfelde joined the Workshop on the Future of Ahrensfelde. The municipality on the periphery of Berlin successfully participated in the "City of the Future" contest funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research and is one of 52 German cities that will build a vision of its future this year. The Ecologic Institute and the University of Applied Sciences in Eberswalde are supporting the vision building process and a potentially following reality lab. Doris Knoblauch moderated the kick-off workshop.

The first expert workshop of the discussion series "Improving climate protection – for Paris and beyond" dealt with the topic "Paris 2015 – Signals for non-state actors?" The event took place on 15 April 2015 in Berlin.

Climate change and its impacts are already tangible and necessitate swift and concrete adaptation and mitigation actions. This involves a dual approach, which combats the causes of climate change and also supports society in dealing with a changing climate and its effects. This comprehensive study synthesizes evidence from ecosystem-based projects from across the German-speaking regions of Europe and presents the goals and activities of such projects, their benefits, and the barriers they face. It also develops recommendations for policy makers. The study is available for download.

On 10 April 2015, Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow in Ecologic Institute's legal team, gave a presentation on the relationship between international trade and environmental agreements at a conference of the Protestant Academy Hofgeismar. The conference centered on the topic: "Natural enemies – Environmental protection and free global trade as a legal and political problem." The presentation slides are available for download.

Investment protection and investment tribunals are among the most contentious subjects of TTIP and CETA. Could a permanent Court of Arbitration address the problems of ad hoc tribunals? In this comment (German only), Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses the pro and cons of a permanent Court of Arbitration. The comment is available for download. <br /><br /><br /><br />

The manual helps to examine a wide range of sites, including complex spatial constellations. Sites with transverse structures as well as hydro power plants and tangential water withdrawal systems can be evaluated. This infographic shows site examples of different spatial complexity.

This manual focuses on the site specific evaluation of the efficiency of fish protection and bypass systems. Standardized evaluation principles are defined to promote significant, comparable studies. The manual constitutes a framework for an objective evaluation process. The developed planning, investigation and evaluation processes provide a base for consistent study results to improve the scientific knowledge and to optimize effective site specific solutions.

The infographic gives an overview of which characteristic causes of injury of fish is caused by which typical corridor components (e.g. barriers, turbines).

The infographic schematically shows vertical and horizontal oblique inflow of fish protection screens.

The infographic gives an examplary overview of the multitude and type of injury of fish at complex hydropower sites.

The infographic presents the process and criteria to be considered for the design development for an investigation of fish downstream migration.

The infographic presents the optimisation process during site-specific evaluations. Deficiencies can be identified at an early stage, during technical and hydraulic characterisation and during study of fish migration. Optimisation proposals can then be developed. Thus the efficacy of optimisation measures implemented can be tested during the course of the evaluation process.

The infographic visualizes interactions across several ecological levels. The death of individual fish reduces the population size of its species. Because of multiple ecological interactions this can cause changes in the entire biocenosis.