Report | Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

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Publication

Consumer Rights in International Trade Agreements

In principle, increased trade resulting from trade agreements can offer consumers access to goods and services that are less expensive or of higher quality. At the same time, there is a risk that rules in trade and investment agreements limit the sovereign right of states to adopt measures for consumer protection at the domestic level. Hence, much depends on how these agreements are designed. A study, compiled by Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Christian Pitschas, provides an overview of consumer-related rights in recent international trade agreements. The study is available fro download.Read more

Publication

Report

Soil

Updated Inventory and Assessment of Soil Protection Policy Instruments in EU Member States

Based on a comprehensive analysis of EU laws and nationally initiated policies in 28 Member States, a new study led by Ecologic Institute assesses how existing EU legislation protects soils, identifying gaps and incoherencies in policy coverage. Nationally initiated policies do not consistently address these gaps in EU legislation, leading to a situation where requirements for soil protection can vary significantly across Member States. The study provides an up-to-date understanding of soil protection policies in Europe, delivering a baseline on which to discuss further EU soil policy action. The study is available for download.Read more

Publication

Report

Governance

Governance of the Energy Union

Assessment of the Commission Proposal for a Governance Regulation

This paper analyzes the proposal of the European Commission for a new regulation on the "Governance of the Energy Union". The analysis is framed around two questions: Is the proposed system adequate for supporting the implementation of the 2030 targets? Will it help Europe to get on a long-term pathway to a zero carbon economy? The paper focuses on the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) as well as compliance and contains concrete proposals in legal language on how to improve the Commission's proposal. This paper builds on related papers by the Ecologic Institute and takes inspiration from intense discussions with colleagues in the ECF Governance cluster.Read more

Publication

EU Energy Market Policy

Local and Regional Experience and Policy Recommendations

Afman, Maarten et. al. 2017: EU Energy Market Policy: Local and Regional Experience and Policy Recommendations. European Committee of the Regions: Brussels.Read more

Publication

Developing the AQUACROSS Assessment Framework

Deliverable 3.2

Gómez et al. (2016) Developing the AQUACROSS Assessment Framework. Deliverable 3.2, AQUACROSS, European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Grant Agreement No. 642317.

Publication

Report

Climate

Energy

Robust Review and Ratcheting Up Targets – EU Climate Policies after 2020

The Paris Agreement states that Parties will scale up their commitments with every consecutive nationally determined contribution. A new paper by Ecologic Institute shows how EU legislation can help implement this requirement. The paper is available for download.Read more

Publication

Report

Coastal + Marine

Water

Assessment of Eutrophication Abatement Measures Across Land-based Sources, Inland, Coastal and Marine Waters

This report provides an overview of measures to reduce nutrient pollution from point and diffuse sources, as well as an analysis of the implementation of European policies for eutrophication abatement of inland, coastal and marine waters. Examples of eutrophication abatement strategies in eight case studies are presented and analyzed regarding different aspects such as governance issues, the role of research, stakeholder participation and the choice of measures and funding instruments. The report is available for download.

Publication

Report

Cities

Climate

Bau einer emissionsarmen Wirtschaft

Praxis auf lokaler Ebene in Polen und Deutschland

Bach, Inga; Nick Evans; Zbigniew M. Karaczun et. al. 2016: Bau einer emissionsarmen Wirtschaft. Praxis auf lokaler Ebene in Polen und Deutschland. Warschau.

Publication

Report

Water

Common Understanding of Using Mitigation Measures for Reaching Good Ecological Potential for Heavily Modified Water Bodies

Part 1: Impacted by water storage

The Water Directors of European countries agreed to set up a specific Ad-hoc Task Group (ATG) on best practice and guidance to deal with hydromorphology. One of the core activities of the Working Group (WG) ECOSTAT of the WFD CIS has been to compare the ecological quality expected by different countries for water bodies impacted by water storage. This report is based on information collected via a template on mitigation measures for water bodies impacted by water storage, which was completed by 23 countries.Read more

Publication

Final Synthesis Booklet POCACITO

Major Findings and Outputs of the POCACITO Project

Cities are of outstanding importance in addressing climate change since they are not only the centre of economic and social initiatives, but also responsible for the majority of global energy consumption and for approximately 60% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Stakeholders at the city level thus face significant challenges, which are addressed by the European research project Post-Carbon Cities of Tomorrow (POCACITO). The POCACITO project facilitates the transition of cities to a sustainable or "post-carbon" economic and societal model in a global context. POCACITO uses a participatory approach that engages local stakeholders to create custom made transition strategies for ten case study cities. These strategies are then used to create a EU 2050 Roadmap, a stakeholder-driven guide towards the model "Post-Carbon City of Tomorrow" that merges climate, energy and social urban transitions. This booklet gives an overview of the POCACITO project, focussing on the methodology used and most importantly on the major findings, results and outcomes of the project.Read more