The guidance document "Developing ambitious local long-term climate neutrality strategies", developed as part of the Ready4NetZero project serves as a comprehensive roadmap for administrative staff in small- and medium-sized municipalities as they navigate the complexities of becoming climate neutral. It is structured to facilitate a clear understanding of the necessary cross-cutting measures for developing effective local long-term climate strategies, including realizing a long-term vision, establishing baselines, fostering participation, planning action, financing, monitoring, evaluation, and ensuring a just transition.
In the finale of "Green Deal – Big Deal?" Season 1 we dive deep into EU ETS2, the EU's expanded emissions trading system, now encompassing buildings and transport sectors.
In this 5th episode of CLIMATE ON AIR, we discuss with climate policy integration experts Kati Kulovesi (University of Eastern Finland) and Sebastian Oberthür (Vrije Universiteit Brussels) about the essential role of climate policy integration on the path to the EU's climate neutrality transition. We delve deeper into the EU's legal and governance aspects that are necessary for successful climate policy integration, highlighting the significant role of the European Climate Law in setting a legally binding climate neutrality target, alongside the EU Governance Regulation.
In this episode of "Green Deal – Big Deal?", we tackle the complex world of natural resources, a topic that underpins many aspects of Europe's ambition for a green future. In conversation with guests Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director-General of European Commission’s DG Environment, and Janez Potočnik, Co-chair of the International Resources Panel, hosts Ewa Iwaszuk and Aaron Best discuss how the use of natural resources is closely linked to the climate and biodiversity crises, highlighting the global nature of resource use and its impacts.
The book and e-book "Climate Change in Germany" was republished in March 2024 by the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS). The open access book is a comprehensive presentation of climate change and the consequences of climate change in Germany. The interdisciplinary work brings together specialist areas and topics from 165 experts from the climate, natural, environmental, social and human sciences. The work highlights various options for action for adaptation and climate protection activities in individual regions in Germany and across different sectors. Dr. Grit Martinez from Ecologic Institute is co-author of the article "Further development of climate change adaptation strategies".
This report analyzes the challenges and opportunities arising from the phase-out of coal in Germany, with a specific focus on the three major coalfields: the Central German, Rhenish and Lusatian coalfields. It offers a detailed insight into the challenges and strategic approaches and emphasizes the need to develop regional infrastructures in a targeted and sustainable manner in order to meet the economic, social and ecological challenges of the three major German coalfields. Innovative technical solutions and a stronger integration of different infrastructure sectors can support the transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a sustainable and resilient regional development.
This study assesses the progress of EU Member States in embedding participatory governance processes to foster transformative climate governance. Through comprehensive criteria-based analysis and in-depth interviews across several nations, this publication unveils the current state of MLCED implementation, challenges in stakeholder engagement, and the adequacy of mechanisms designed to steer us towards a climate-neutral future.
Urban water management is facing new challenges due to climate change. Intensified precipitation is putting additional stress on stormwater systems, leading to increased flood risks, more frequent combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and resultant risks to public health and urban biodiversity. These topics are addressed in a new publication co-authored by Gregory Fuchs and McKenna Davis of Ecologic Institute entitled 'Sitting in our own soup? Combined sewers, climate change and nature-based solutions for urban water management in Berlin.'
To achieve the ambitious climate targets of the Federal Climate Change Act a rapid expansion of renewable energies, particularly wind and photovoltaics (PV), is crucial. In this context, achieving 215 GW of installed PV capacity by 2030 has become a specific target of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). This report deals with the central role that buildings play in meeting PV expansion targets, with the potential to cover up to 25% of EU electricity consumption through rooftop PV.
In this 4th episode, together with investment and finance experts Julie Evain (I4CE) and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin (I4CE), we unpack the regulatory framework for mobilizing green investments that are needed for a climate-neutral future. Can current EU financial policies provide predictability to economic actors? Which policies do we need to ensure long-term vision toward climate neutrality? We also explore the role of the banking sector and the use of banks' transition plans to ensure banks consider climate-related risks and direct investments properly.
This briefing reviews the European Commission's first ever assessment of progress towards the 2050 climate neutrality target. Furthermore, it proposes steps that could be taken in the next two years to improve the system and provide a compass for the path to climate neutrality.
Achieving carbon neutrality in the EU is more than reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It's also about ensuring that the transition to a sustainable future is fair and equitable. That’s where the idea of Just Transition comes in, with its aim to ensure that no people or regions are left behind. In this episode, we dive into the multifaceted nature of Just Transition, covering its environmental, economic, social, and political aspects.
Climate protection is losing political clout. The climate movement is no longer seen by many as a broader societal concern. There are many reasons for this. Strong polarization is one. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses in the Tagesspiegel what could be done.
The PONDERFUL Sustainable Finance Inventory consists of a total of 22 financing instruments for nature-based solutions (NBS). Each instrument is matched by at least one concrete example of the financing instrument in action. Different financing instruments have different strengths and weaknesses, making them more or less appropriate for different contexts and actors. The Inventory aims to support pondscape developers to understand financing options and identify the finance instruments best suited to their pondscape NBS project.
This policy brief offers a nuanced analysis of the outcomes from CBD COP15. It particularly focuses on the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and its ramifications for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The document articulates policy recommendations designed to ensure the GBF’s ambitious restoration targets are achieved efficiently and on schedule.
The Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) proposal of the European Commission and the proposed amendments by Council and European Parliament include minimum sustainability criteria for carbon removals. These criteria are vague and require specification. A new paper by Oeko-Institut and Ecologic Institute examines the sustainability criteria in detail. The German Environment Agency published the paper.
A new report by the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut explores the role of carbon removals in the EU's climate framework for 2040. The report gives an overview of past trends in carbon removals in the EU, and explores possible contributions from natural and technical sinks to reaching the 2040 climate target. With a focus on measures and policies governing and incentivizing carbon removals, the report also examines the extent to which temporary and permanent carbon removals can contribute to achieving the EU's 2040 target.
Recent Multimedia Publications by Ecologic Institute
Event:Digital Event
The webinar "Naturally resilient: anchoring nature-based solutions in municipal climate adaptation concepts" will discuss how nature-based measures can be meaningfully integrated into climate adaptation concepts and what challenges and opportunities exist in practice.
As a proud partner of the Nature of Cities Festival 2024, we cordially invite you to be part of an extraordinary three-week event that focuses on the importance and beauty of urban nature. This multifaceted festival offers a wide range of activities both online and in person - from inspiring discussions to collaborative workshops that allow participants from all over the world to actively engage at any time.
In this webinar, ECNO invites stakeholders to reflect on the changes in approach to industrial transition that have been taking place over the last year.