The EU Water Framework Directive has been a key influence for water policies in Europe since its entry into force in 2000. A first review and stocktaking of the Directive's impact is scheduled for 2007 by the European Commission. In this context, DG Environment has asked a consortium to provide information on the costs and benefits of the WFD implementation, with a particular focus on the agricultural sector.

In the cases of climate change, overfishing of oceans, biodiversity loss, and land erosion and desertification, inadequate - or the complete lack of - environmental protection policies impose significant costs on the affected parties. In this scoping study the costs of policy inaction related to different environmental issues are explored. The emphasis is on methodological considerations such as the accrual and valuation of such costs and the use of the results to support policy making.

In implementing the Water Framework Directive, cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is an essential part of choosing between options from the Programme of Measures. Ecologic contributed the European expertise in a project commissioned by The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to assess what type of data were available for CEA. An analysis of the German, Dutch, Austrian and French approaches was carried out and conclusions drawn about their transferability.

On behalf of the European Commission, DG Environment, Ecologic Fellow Thomas Dworak participated in a workshop on the WFD and Agriculture and gave a presentation on EU agricultural policies and water management. The workshop was held in Malinska, Croatia on 25 and 26 April 2006 and organised by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) together with the UNDP-GEF Danube Regional Project.

The current and future impact of the European Union on the sustainable development of its neighbours to the south and east and proposals for the future direction of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) were the themes of this session that took place at the 2006 Annual Conference of the European Foundation Centre (EFC). During the event an Ecologic Brief on European Neighbourhood Policy , written by Sascha Müller-Kraenner, was launched.

"Ambitious Environmental Policy – The Basis for Sustainable Industrial Development" was the theme of a Side Event at the 14th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in New York on 11 May 2006. It addressed the relations between business and policy-making, and the role of regulation and dynamics of change in China and Germany. German environment minister Sigmar Gabriel opened the event, chaired by R. Andreas Kraemer.

In this article Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf, Ecologic Senior Fellow, discusses the need for international environmental governance reform, the advantages and disadvantages of creating a United Nations Environment Organization (UNEO) and its potential in helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The article is available for download.

<img alt="Jonathan Wiener" hspace="4" src="Download/dinner_dialogue/2006/wiener_80_80.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="0" />The Transatlantic Climate Dinner in honour of Dr. Jonathan B. Wiener focused on the question of how national interests can be engaged to establish a comprehensive and effective international climate change regime. The dinner's discussion showed that a future system can only be ecologically effective and economically efficient if all major emitting countries participate and show a common effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, Dr. Wiener made clear that major constraints of the current system must be overcome to achieve this.

Germany is facing great societal changes. In many regions, Germany’s population is shrinking, and work forces are decreasing. Demographic change is challenging Germany, leading to economic and social shifts and creating new social divisions in many regions and cities. While a growing population has long been understood as a threat to the environment, it is now clear that a shrinking population does not automatically improve the environmental situation. "The Bottom Line", edited by Volker Hauff and Günther Bachmann, with contributions from Ecologic and the Berlin-Institute, examines the assets and debts of Germany’s future inheritance.

This chapter in the Handbook for the EU-Water Framework Directive addresses the causes of hydromorphological shortcomings and the consequences of hydraulic engineering interventions on the ecological status of water bodies. The authors, Stephan von Keitz and R. Andreas Kraemer, analyse the possibilities to bring navigational interests, the use of hydropower, and flood control measures in line with the goals of the Water Framework Directive.

In this chapter of the Handbook for the EU-Water Framework Directive, Stephan von Keitz and R. Andreas Kraemer present the possibilities for diverse stakeholder involvement – including agriculture, industry, water, transportation policy and others. The options are organised into short- and long-term implementation recommendations.

What are the specific administrative challenges of the Water Framework Directive. How should its administrative responses be structured – with respect to organisation, personnel, and information technology? What role do the pilot projects play in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive? Peter Kessler, Ecologic Senior Policy Advisor, addresses these issues in the Handbook for the EU-Water Framework Directive.

Successful and cost-effective implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) will depend on a deep understanding of the WFD’s economic dimensions. Eduard Interwies, Britta Pielen, Benjamin Görlach, and R. Andreas Kraemer have co-authored a chapter about these critical economic considerations and implications in a policy handbook on the WFD. Drawing from the 2004 economic analysis of the WFD, the authors examine the current and future challenges of integrating a full economic perspective into the WFD’s implementation.