As the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol from 2008 to 2012 is drawing near, it is becoming evident that some countries will face major difficulties in fulfilling their commitments under the EU Burden Sharing Agreement, while other countries are already close to achieving their targets. What is the motivation of countries that carry out an effective climate policy, and how do countries that are far away from achieving their reduction targets justify their behaviour? In her essay on European climate policy, Helen Lückge looks at these questions from an economic point of view.

Interwies, Eduard; Benjamin Görlach; Pierre Strosser et al. 2005: The Case for Valuation Studies in the Water Framework Directive.

Rodenhoff, Vera 2005: Laufende Beratung bei der Durchsetzung und Fortentwicklung des Umweltvölkerrechts–Schlussbericht, Ecologic, Berlin.

European Commission plans indicate that the water supply should no longer be subject to municipal self-administration, but instead to European competition rules, and maybe even to a mandatory tendering procedure. Such a development would have far-reaching effects on the German drinking water supply, which is characterised by strong communal influence.

A crucial factor for improving water management is the use of economic approaches and instruments. Eduard Interwies, Senior Fellow at Ecologic, illustrated the possible use of European experiences in the Mediterranean region.

Policy makers are increasingly in need of accurate and timely information in order to meet reporting requirements linked to environmental legislation. This paper explores the extent to which Earth Observation (EO) based services, addressed by the joint ESA and EC initiative "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES)", can contribute to meeting the special reporting requirements of the major European Union water policy, namely the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Oberthür, Sebastian 2005: Fortentwicklung und weitere Ausgestaltung des Kyoto-Protokolls. Insbesondere Querbezüge zwischen dem System der Erfüllungskontrolle, den flexiblen Mechanismen und den Berichts- und Inventarisierungspflichten. Ecologic, Berlin.

In order to meet reporting requirements linked to environmental legislation, policy makers are increasingly in need of accurate and timely information on water quality. This paper explores how and to what extent new monitoring devices can help European Union members meet the special requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

The study "Control of land use – nature conversation strategies, policies and instruments" is now available for download. The study analyses the legal basis and the conceptual design of nature conversation strategies, policies and instruments for reducing or managing land use in Germany. In addition, implementation deficits of these instruments are identified.

2004: Deliverable 5 - EUROMARKET Water Liberalisaion Scenarios - Identification and Description of Plausible Water Liberalisation Scenarios. IDD/IHE/EPFL/Paris VIII/Delft UT/ENGREF/University Bocconi/Ecologic/UCL/University of Zaragoza.

Görlach, B., R. Landgrebe-Trinkunaite, E. Interwies, M. Bouzit, D. Darmendrail and J.-D. Rinaudo (2004): Assessing the Economic Impact of Soil Degradation. Volume IV: Executive Summary. Study commissioned by The European Commisson, DG Environment, Sudy Contract ENV.B.1/ETU/2003/0024. Berlin: Ecologic

Görlach, B., R. Landgrebe-Trinkunaite, E. Interwies, M. Bouzit, D. Darmendrail and J.-D. Rinaudo (2004): Assessing the Economic Impact of Soil Degradation. Volume IV: Executive Summary. Study commissioned by The European Commisson, DG Environment, Sudy Contract ENV.B.1/ETU/2003/0024. Berlin: Ecologic

Hansen, Wenke; Maria Christopher and Maic Verbuecheln 2004: Es Atlieku Tvarkymo Politika ir Regionines ir Vientines Valdzios Institutuciju Uzdaviniai. Ecologic Institut, Aplinkosaugos valdymo ir technologiju centras (ECAT-Lietuva), Kaunas.

Dworak, Thomas; Benjamin Görlach and Eduard Interwies 2004: The European Approach to Flood Management. Ecologic - Institut für Internationale und Europäische Umweltpolitik, Berlin.

Kraemer, R. Andreas; Eleftheria Kampa; Eduard Interwies 2004: The Role of Tradable Permits in Water Pollution Control. Ecologic, Institute for International and European Environmental Policy, Berlin.