The fact sheet explains why climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution must be understood as a systemically interconnected crisis driven by shared pressures such as resource use, land-use change and structural inequalities. It highlights how direct and indirect drivers interact across sectors and regions, creating reinforcing feedbacks and compounding risks for ecosystems and societies.

The first event focuses on storage and pre-processing – two areas in which regionally and organically operating farms often encounter limited capacities or missing infrastructure.

The 2026 Market Information Talks aim to systematically address key challenges along these value chains and to develop practical solutions together with stakeholders. Building on the dialogues held in previous years, the 2026 series places a stronger emphasis on infrastructure needs.

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.

Humanity has already exceeded six of the nine planetary boundaries, with climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution pushing the Earth system beyond its safe operating space. Because these boundaries interact through complex feedback loops, surpassing one accelerates pressures on the others, creating cascading effects that amplify environmental degradation. This interconnected dynamic is driving a systemic triple planetary crisis, or polycrisis, that undermines ecological resilience and threatens long-term human well-being. Addressing it requires integrated, cross-sectoral approaches that tackle shared drivers and deliver co-benefits across environmental and socio-economic domains.

This paper examines the penalty provisions in the draft Romanian implementing law proposed by the Romanian government on 22 July 2025. It briefly considers the draft's legislative status, assesses its compliance with EU-MER, and compares it with good practice in Denmark and with Italy's draft law.

This paper examines the penalty provisions in the draft Czech implementing law submitted on 11 November 2025 by the Minister for the Environment to the Prime Minister. It briefly considers the draft's legislative status in light of the political situation following the 3–4 October general election, assesses its compliance with the EU-MER, and compares it with good practice in Denmark and with Italy's draft law.

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.

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.

On 4 December 2024, the Ecologic Institute hosted an initial meeting with Dr. Tobias Raffel, Managing Director of Biodiversity Bridge e.V. Since December 2025, the Ecologic Institute has been an official partner of Biodiversity Bridge. Together with additional partner institutions, the collaboration aims to strengthen knowledge exchange and joint engagement for biodiversity.

Myanmar is a global biodiversity hotspot, home to over 570 freshwater fish species and many endemics. Yet its rivers face mounting pressure from pollution, land-use change and declining water quality. This study co-authored by Ecologic Institute's Dr. Benjamin Kupilas offers novel insights into how tropical fish communities respond to these stresses.

At an expert event organised by the Danish EU Presidency 2025 and the European Commission, Hugh McDonald (Ecologic Institute) outlined key policy directions for making European agriculture more climate compatible. His core messages highlight why clear targets, fair incentives, and early political action are essential for transforming the agricultural sector.

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.

After giving a concise overview of the penalty provisions in the EU Methane Regulation (EU-MER), this paper counters the scaremongering narrative promoted by fossil energy groups that the EU-MER creates "unmanageable liability" for EU fossil-fuel importers through fines of up to 20% of annual turnover.

Ecologic Institute supports Climate Action Network Europe by providing expert input on the penalty regime for violations of the EU Methane Emissions Regulation (EU-MER).