This brief explores how transitioning to a Nature-Positive Economy requires transforming tourism from a driver of environmental degradation into a force for ecosystem restoration. It was developed under the EU research project GoNaturePositive!

In this policy brief, Ida Meyenberg and Evgeniya Elkina analyze which governance approaches enable the successful implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS) for managing combined sewer overflows (CSO) in cities. The central question is what institutional, procedural, and financial enabling conditions municipalities and water authorities need, to integrate NBS effectively into urban stormwater management strategies. The Ecologic Institute was project lead in the NICHES project and chiefly responsible for the governance and best-practice analysis in five European and North American cities, deriving from it practice-oriented recommendations.

This sectoral brief examines how EU policy and practice can steer forestry toward a nature-positive economy. It was developed under the EU research project GoNaturePositive!

Social innovation is rapidly gaining traction across Europe not just as a solution to pressing social and environmental problems, but as a transformative force reshaping how we live, produce, and consume. From repair cafés and local food networks to inclusive digital platforms, social innovation fosters trust, collaboration, and resilient communities, especially within local bioeconomies.

This brief examines how policymakers, industry and practitioners can steer the built environment toward a nature-positive future by integrating ecological resilience and quality of life with economic development. It was developed under the EU research project GoNaturePositive!

The brief explores how EU policies can accelerate a nature-positive transition in agriculture – balancing food production with ecosystem health.

Prepared by Anthony Cox (Senior Policy Advisor at Ecologic Institute), this briefing note offers an up-to-date overview of how the agricultural sector contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It identifies key social, economic, and environmental trade-offs and highlights the importance of context when assessing emission impacts. The note also provides guidance on prioritising reforms of agricultural subsidies.

Current climate action is falling short of meeting global climate goals. To get back on track, action is needed at all levels. Place-based climate action – i.e. policies targeted or tailored to the circumstances of different places – can work with the grain of local markets, leverage the funding and powers of sub-national governments and mobilise local communities to deliver meaningful change. This paper, prepared by Anthony Cox (Senior Policy Advisor at Ecologic Institute), reviews the case for place-based climate policies and actions and outlines challenges and opportunities.

A new analysis of 22 updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) shows that many EU Member States are falling short of the bloc’s 2030 climate targets. The study, led by Ecologic Institute in collaboration with the New Climate Institute and Reform Institute, identifies critical gaps in both ambition and implementation across key areas.

This new report from Ecologic Institute, PIK and IER discusses what EU industrial policy should look like, what principles it should follow and how it interacts with the set of existing EU climate and energy policies. The report proposes six principles for an EU industrial policy for climate action and discusses the 'industrial policy trilemma' of navigating goals in climate action, competitiveness, and security.

Carbon farming allows farmers to mitigate climate change, but these practices also impact other sustainability outcomes, including biodiversity, soil health, and water. In this brief, we propose how the EU's regulation establishing a Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming Certification Framework (CRCF) can ensure that carbon farming also delivers sustainability benefits, in the context of carbon farming on mineral soils.

Climate-friendly soil management measures generate climate impact through both temporary carbon removals and emissions reductions, posing a challenge for defining key terms such as "carbon removals", "emissions reductions," "avoided emissions," and "negative emissions". This brief reviews scientific definitions of these key terms to create a mini-glossary and discuss key definitional issues in the soil carbon context. A key conclusion is that different policy contexts require definitions to be adapted.

As Europe faces increasing droughts and water shortages, it is crucial to rethink how we manage water resources. A new policy brief explores strategies to improve ecological flows and water allocation, offering vital insights for policymakers and stakeholders. Discover how these measures can safeguard ecosystems and support sustainable water use in the face of climate change.

The first policy brief of the EU-funded RESTORE4Cs project highlights the importance of European coastal wetlands in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing carbon from the atmosphere, promoting their restoration as a climate change mitigation solution.

This policy brief outlines recommendations for sustainable and socially accepted subsoil management in Germany. Subsoil, located below the plowed topsoil layer, holds essential nutrients and water reserves crucial for plant growth and sustainable bioeconomy practices. The Soil³ project (2015–2025) investigated methods to enhance subsoil usage, focusing on increasing plant root access to this layer without compromising its ecological functions.