The European Ocean Coalition (EU4Ocean) connects diverse organisations, projects and people that contribute to ocean literacy and the sustainable management of the ocean. Supported by the European Commission, this bottom-up inclusive initiative aims at uniting the voices of Europeans to make the ocean a concern of everyone!

With the aim of achieving "good ecological status" in all water bodies by 2015, the Water Framework Directive requires Member States to put more emphasis on hydromorphological issues and watercourse connectivity for the conservation and restoration of fish populations. The aim for the third cycle of the "Forum Fish Protection and Downstream Migration" is to continue the series of workshops on fish protection and downstream migration and to evaluate them in papers, reports and publications. In addition, the website forum-fischschutz.de will be updated and improved. In this project, the fourth UBA Hydromorphology Workshop will also be organised.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) provide an integrated approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas, while simultaneously offering a range of additional benefits. This project aims to increase the awareness of NBS in Poland as a cost-effective urban climate mitigation measure and build capacity, knowledge and skills among city officials, municipal staff, and landscape planners to enable the conceptual and technical design and implementation of NBS.

In the framework of the scientific accompanying research (PlastikNet) of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions" (Plastik in der Umwelt – Quellen • Senken • Lösungsansätze) Ecologic Institute coordinates 20 joint research projects, which deal with plastics in the environment funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF).




The Project "A Taste of the Future of the Seas" brings scientific insights about sustainable use and protection of oceans to the public with an interactive series of events held at the Museum for Natural History in Berlin. Three dialogue-oriented and action-packed formats offered the opportunity to learn about advances and challenges in sustainable marine science – and motivated participants through fun, sensory experiences to act and consume consciously.

The Dialogue Forum "Business mitigates climate change" aims to increase networking within the German economy to improve climate protection. After the spring of 2017, up to 180 companies from all sectors of the economy will work closer together and exchange information for a planned period of three years.

<p>Nature is important for the urban environment: trees grant shade during the summer months, while parks and lakes function as areas for relaxation, as places where the urban population comes together, and as space where children can experience nature and learn about it in an active way. Furthermore, the wellbeing of the urban population thrives under the benefits of nature, which include an extensive list of ecological benefits. These include, for example, climate change mitigation and a pleasant urban climate. Ecologic Institute is part of the European research project NATURVATION, which analyses nature-based solutions in urban areas.</p>&#13;&#13;&#13;&#13;

Across the globe, nearly 30% of food is wasted throughout the agrifood supply chain. The EU Horizon 2020 funded project "Resource Efficient Food and dRink for the Entire Supply cHain" (REFRESH) takes action against food waste. 26 partners from 12 European countries and China work towards the project's goal to contribute towards Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving per capita food waste at the retail and consumer level and reducing food losses along production and supply chains, reducing waste management costs, and maximizing the value from un-avoidable food waste and packaging materials. REFRESH runs from 2015-2019.

During the first period of the Forum Fish Protection and Downstream Fish Migration, more than 200 people from different fields, such as water management and nature conservation by the states and the federal government, the federal waterway administration and transport development, the energy industry, the water engineering, fishery biology, nature conservation, fishery and fishery associations and the university science were involved. In the second cycle of the Forum from 2015 to 2018, three two-day events were held to deepen the statements of the first cycle and to continue the constructive dialogue.

Ecologic Institute leads a multi-year project for the European Commission to design and implement outreach and capacity building activities on emissions trading for developing countries. Activities include ten Summer Universities and training courses carried out on behalf of the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) as well as an eLearning and stakeholder information platform.

The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) organized the forum on Fish Protection and Downstream Fish Migration for three years as part of an R&amp;D project of the Environmental Research Plan of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). Ecologic Institute provided content and organizational support for the forum on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency. The forum included members from federal and regional water resource management authorities, NGOs, consultancies, water managers and hydropower.

The international conference "Beyond GDP" brought together over 650 participants to discuss how measures of progress, true wealth, and well-being can be improved and integrated into decision-making. Ecologic Institute led the project team organising the conference, which took place in November 2007 within the main chamber of the European Parliament and featured several high-level speakers, including Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, and José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.