A coherent German foreign climate policy is essential for the success of the national and European energy transition, as well as for the effective support of ambitious climate policies outside the European Union. This Ariadne background paper provides cornerstones and discusses options for the elaboration and further development of Germany's foreign climate policy. To this end, it distinguishes four categories of relevant goals: traditional climate policy goals, industrial policy goals, security and trade policy goals, and broader foreign policy goals. For each goal, it is necessary to identify appropriate means by which it can be achieved and barriers that stand in its way and need to be considered accordingly.
This report presents an approach to studying the EU’s procedural climate governance, namely the frameworks, instruments and institutions that shape and support the climate-related decision-making process of the EU.
This report by Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut discusses the level of ambition of a 2040 EU climate target. The report analyses the implications of a 2040 climate target for Member States and sectors. It also discusses the political context in which the EU 2040 climate target will be negotiated.
This paper focuses on co-creation for nature-based solutions, providing practical examples and guidance for local decision-makers. It sheds light on the effective utilization of co-governance approaches, encouraging participatory processes and collaborative creation in the realm of nature-based solutions.
This publication provides a quantitative overview of the development and status of environmental crime in Germany between 2010 and 2020, with a supplementary presentation for the year 2021, based on data from the police crime statistics ("Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik"), as well as statistics from the Federal Statistical Office's criminal prosecution ("Strafverfolgungsstatistik"). The report provides both an overview of general trends and an in-depth account of individual environmental offences. Additionally, the publication contains data on administrative offences relating to the trafficking of protected species. The report was prepared by a team from Ecologic Institute on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency.
The EU Climate Law legally binds EU countries as a whole to become climate neutral by 2050. Achieving this goal requires transforming the way we produce, consume, travel, and eat. EU institutions have already put in place many measures to guide and support governments, businesses, and citizens in this transition. To be effective, policy-makers must now understand how – and at what pace – these measures translate into changes in the real world. The European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) flagship report is the first ever assessment to provide this information at an economy-wide level.
This draft report compiles seven legal discussion papers that were produced as part of a research project for the Federal Environment Ministry on modernising soil protection law. The discussion papers serve as a technical basis for preparing a draft bill and address the challenges identified by the BMUV in an evaluation (white paper of March 2022). The discussion papers elaborate several options and explain their pros and cons. They are intended to stimulate a broader technical discussion on soil protection law.
This study analyzes different approaches to ensure the competitiveness of export-oriented companies and evaluates them based on different criteria. While a free allocation of certificates as well as export subsidies score poorly in the evaluation, the study authors recommend targeted innovation promotion as a particularly beneficial policy instrument.
This report discusses the question of what degree of importance German environmental policy should attach to the regionalization of value chains and the role this approach might play in a socio-ecological transformation of the food system.
This report analyses how a circular economy can contribute to halting biodiversity loss. It concludes that while circular economy measures (directly and indirectly) contribute to meeting biodiversity and climate strategic objectives, the combination with biodiversity-friendly sourcing is crucial in order to halt biodiversity loss.
This report summarises key aspects that should be accounted for in the design of policy instruments to support the implementation of climate-friendly soil management measures. It outlines overarching aspects that need to be considered for any type of policy instruments, including land use competition, impacts on soil health, biodiversity impacts, ownership and rights to use of soils and social impacts.
This report presents a work plan for incorporating the issue of pharmaceuticals in the environment into the education of the medical and pharmaceutical professions in Germany. It first presents an overview of the relevant German structures in the education and training of medical and pharmaceutical professions. In a second step, it provides concrete recommendations for the integration of the topic into teaching (studies and vocational training), continuing education and training.
The Commission's proposal on the Carbon Removals Certification Framework puts the EU on a dangerous track that facilitates replacing emission reductions with removals. Integrating carbon removals into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme carries similar risks. Effectively, the debate on the role of carbon removals puts EU climate policies at a cross-roads.
Carbon pricing is gaining traction around the world, as more and more jurisdictions implement emissions trading systems or tax carbon emissions to achieve their climate objectives. The annual "State and Trends of Carbon Pricing" is the flagship report of the World Bank to provide a concise, up-to-date overview of what is happening in this field. With over 70,000 annual downloads, it is one of the most prominent publications on this matter.