A new paper by the Ecologic Institute and Oeko-Institut explores how to incentivise carbon removals. It discusses selected measures that could help incentivise carbon removals at larger scale.

As cities across Europe face increasing pressure from climate risks such as heatwaves and flooding, digital platforms are becoming key enablers of effective and inclusive adaptation planning. The Adaptation AGORA webinar, hosted by Stockholm Environment Institute, brought together over 100 participants to explore three leading platforms that support nature-based solutions (NbS) in urban contexts. Natalia Burgos Cuevas, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented the Urban Governance Atlas – an interactive online database of over 250 policy instruments that support NbS and ecosystem restoration across Europe, Latin America, and beyond.

Germany is under increasing water stress, despite rising precipitation and extreme weather. The core issue lies not in rainfall quantity, but in the inability of our anthropogenically modified landscape to retain water. The Handbook of Agricultural Measures for Enhancing Water Retention, Water Quality and Biodiversity addresses this challenge head-on. Developed with farmers and advisors in mind, it presents field-tested and scientifically evaluated nature-based solutions for agricultural water management. These measures do not compete with productivity—they ensure long-term agricultural viability in a changing climate.

The overall project objective is to support mapping and assessing ecosystems, habitats and species as well as protected areas to compile the best possible evidence and data needed to map and assess ecosystem condition across the EU, at country level and for individual ecosystem types, habitats and species. The integrated analysis will build on direct measurement data, data from Member State reporting, and through indirect evidence to help develop analyses on trends in ecosystem condition.

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

The inaugural Horizon Scan was a success. In a small group, our researchers discussed Europe's capacity for innovation and long-term resilience with representatives from politics, public authorities, and civil society. For the keynote speech, we were fortunate to have Ulrich Wilhelm, a lawyer, journalist, and former government spokesman and former Director of Bayerischer Rundfunk.

As part of the annual Marine Nature Conservation Colloquium, scientists from the research projects commissioned by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) present their interim results and open questions. On behalf of Ecologic Institute, Dr. Grit Martinez presented initial results from the research project The German North Sea and Baltic Sea over 100 years ago (HISTOMAR). The "Shifting Baseline Syndrome" was the focus of the presentation and the subsequent discussion.

A research team including Arne Riedel from Ecologic Institute examines the political agency of transnational city alliances – particularly the Arctic Mayors' Forum (AMF) – and their contribution to sustainable urban development in the European Arctic.

To generate new sources of climate finance, this project assesses the design and implications of an international oil extraction levy. Unlike downstream carbon pricing policies, the levy would be applied at the point of oil extraction and based on the embedded carbon in crude oil. By internalising part of the climate costs of fossil fuels, the mechanism aligns with the polluter pays principle.

Nature-based solutions, such as green spaces or river restoration, can make a valuable contribution to municipal climate adaptation. The new topic page 'Nature-based climate adaptation' on the Federal Environment Agency's website highlights different aspects of such approaches and offers municipalities targeted support in their planning and implementation. In addition to information on the legal framework and funding issues, it also contains practical examples and helpful publications. Ecologic Institute designed and implemented the content of the website on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency.

This review explores the potential synergies between marine conservation and climate adaptation strategies, which are critical for addressing climate change impacts in European coastal and marine areas. The article, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, identifies and evaluates integrated approaches that support both marine ecosystem protection and climate adaptation.

In 2024, the EU comprehensively revised its Environmental Crime Directive (ECD). This report analyses how the 'ecocide' regulation of the ECD could be transposed into German law.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), with the support of Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia, is organising a workshop dedicated to the use of climate data and services in Spain. The workshop will take place on Wednesday, 4 June 2025.

Following our successful kickoff event in March, where more than 100 participants joined us, we're excited to take the next step: In two upcoming workshops, we'll work together to create a shared vision for the future of Hamburg's agricultural sector by 2045. We're counting on practical experience to help shape the future!

On 4 March 2025, over 100 stakeholders from administration, agriculture, civil society, NGOs, and academia convened in Hamburg to kick off the participatory process for developing the city's Zukunft Agrar+ 2045 strategy. The aim: to jointly develop a long-term vision for Hamburg's agricultural sector that will inform practical measures and shape the city's transition toward sustainability and climate neutrality.