Publications – Ecologic Institute US

International Development

Energy

Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps - Study

Potential for a new CCAC Initiative

This study by Ecologic Institute examines the current landscape of lighting efforts and initiatives, as well as market growth and development for modern, sustainable off-grid lighting alternatives. The study considers the benefits and costs of upgrades in target regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Policy recommendations are given for action from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) that would enhance existing efforts and achieve more rapid black carbon reductions and climate benefits. The study is available for download.Read more

Publication

Policy Brief

International Development

Energy

Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps

Potential for a New CCAC Initiative

This policy brief contains recommendations for action from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) that would enhance existing efforts and achieve more rapid black carbon reductions and climate benefits. The policy brief is available for download.Read more

Publication

Implementing the Precautionary Principle for Climate Engineering

The precautionary principle is used in arguments both for and against climate engineering: On the one hand, the principle can suggest caution against climate engineering so as to minimize the (unknown) risks of proposed techniques to the environment and health. On the other hand, arguments can be made that climate engineering is a precautionary measure against the (known) risks of climate change. This article, written by Elizabeth Tedsen and Gesa Homann, provides an overview of this debate and what the precautionary principle means in a climate engineering context.Read more

Publication

Article

Do Emergency Department Closures have Ripple Effects on Surrounding Communities?

An Analysis of Closures on Inpatient Mortality for All-Comers in California, 1999-2010

Hsia, Renee Yuen-Jan; Charles Lui; Tanja Srebotnjak and Judith Maselli 2013: "Do Emergency Department Closures have Ripple Effects on Surrounding Communities?: An Analysis of Closures on Inpatient Mortality for All-Comers in California, 1999-2010". Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 62, No. 4, 157.Read more

Publication

Legal Implications of TTIP for the Acquis Communautaire in ENVI Relevant Sectors

Ecologic Institute and BIO IS were commissioned by the European Parliament to investigate the potential impacts of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on the EU’s environmental and food safety policies and the EU’s right to regulate. TTIP is currently being negotiated between the US and the EU. The study provides recommendations regarding the role of the European Parliament in the negotiation of TTIP. The study is available for download.Read more

Publication

Sustainability

2013 Report: Indicators For A Sustainable San Mateo County

Seventheenth Annual Report

Ecologic Institute again assumed the role of coordinator for the 2013 Indicators Report for a Sustainable San Mateo County. From September 2012 to April 2013, the team gathered data for more than 40 indicators for the 3Es: Economy, Equity, and Environment, which were further enriched by current policy developments, innovative local initiatives, and tips for more sustainable individual behaviors. The report is available for download.Read more

Publication

Transatlantic Program

5 Years Ecologic Institute US

5 years ago, on Earth Day 2008, we founded the Ecologic Institute in Washington, DC. A recognized public charity under U.S. law, Ecologic Institute has since expanded its presence with a second office in San Mateo, California, and actively engages partners and stakeholders in government, academia, and civil society throughout North America. In our brochure we introduce our team and our programs in the US, give some insights into our project work on both sides of the Atlantic, and introduce our partners, donors, and networks. In conclusion, we demonstrate how our project value has increased in the recent years. The Ecologic Brief 5 Years Ecologic Institute US [pdf, 4,8 MB, English] is available for download.Read more

Publication

Financing Sustainable Transportation: An Overview of Finance Mechanisms and Cases from the U.S. and Germany

This policy report compares approaches to sustainable transportation financing in the U.S. and Germany, with a focus on Northern Virginia and the Stuttgart region. Max Gruenig and Dominic Marcellino, Senior Fellow Ecologic Institute Berlin and Fellow Ecologic Institute Washington DC respectively, are co-authors with Andrea Broaddus, PhD Candidate at the University of California at Berkeley. The policy report is available for download.Read more

Publication

Article

"How Much Will I Get Charged for This?"

Patient Charges for Top Ten Diagnoses in the Emergency Department

The study examined the charges levied on patients for the diagnosis and treatment of the ten most common outpatient conditions handled in the emergency department (ED). The results of research undertaken by scientists and faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, Stanford University, the University of Minnesota, and Ecologic Institute have been published in the scientific journal PLoS One. Based on a cross-sectional study of the 2006–2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the analysis was limited to outpatient visits with non-elderly, adult (years 18–64) patients with a single discharge diagnosis. A sample of 8,303 ED encounters was analyzed, which is representative of a total of 76.6 million ED visits during the studied 3-year period. It was found that charges varied significantly by diagnosis and across EDs for the same diagnosis. The study is available for download.Read more

Publication

Indicators

Senior Health in San Mateo County

Current Status and Future Trends

The report aims to provide those working to improve senior health in San Mateo County with a wide variety of information on current and projected senior health. To achieve this, it relies on many sources of information, chief among them the San Mateo County Health System, specifically the Aging and Adult Services Division and the Health Policy and Planning Division. Their work is supplemented with statistics from the US Census Bureau, especially the American Community Survey, as well as a broad range of academic and policy studies, geospatial statistics and visualizations.Read more

Publication

Transatlantic Program

Is Emergency Department Closure Resulting in Increased Distance to the Nearest Emergency Department Associated With Increased Inpatient Mortality?

Srebotnjak, Dr. Tanja et al. 2012: Is Emergency Department Closure Resulting in Increased Distance to the Nearest Emergency Department Associated with Increased Inpatient Mortality?Read more

Publication

Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2012

Report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

It is difficult to deny the fact that Earth's climate is changing. Almost all scientists consider the emission of greenhouse gases, mainly through the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, to be one of the main reasons. The impacts of climate change include rising average and extreme temperatures, shifting patterns in snow- and rainfall, and rising sea levels. These changes threaten not only fragile ecological equilibria but also our economies and societies. Ecologic Institute's Senior Fellow Tanja Srebotnjak was involved in the indicator review for the report "Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2012," published in December 2012 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Read more

Publication

Ecologic Brief

Resources

Integrating Resource Efficiency, Greening of Industrial Production and Green Industries

Scoping of and Recommendations for Effective Indicators

Fostering sustainable industries and industrial development requires the use of effective indicators. Though a multitude of indicators exist, their applicability to sustainable industries remains largely unaddressed to date. In the RISI project, Ecologic Institute reviewed the available scientific knowledge in order to evaluate existing indicators and propose recommendations concerning their usability and the potential need for further indicator development. Read more

Publication

Article

Sustainability

Migration and Risk

Net Migration in Marginal Ecosystems and Hazardous Areas

The results of a research project undertaken by the Center for Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University to which Ecologic Institute Senior Fellow Tanja Srebotnjak contributed have been published in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters. The study produced geospatially explicit estimates of human net migration across ecosystems between 1970 and 2010.Read more

Publication

Policy Assessment

Market-based Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Climate Change Regime

In the international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Parties are discussing new market mechanisms that expand the concept of crediting emission reduction efforts with tradable units beyond the existing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to include a broader group of mitigation opportunities that could involve entire economic sectors of advanced developing countries.Read more

Publication

Dissolving the 'Westphalian system'

Transnationalism in Transboundary Water Management

The "Westphalian system" of international relations, based on delineation, non-interference, and separation, hinders effective management of environmental resources, such as trans-boundary rivers. In this article, R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute explains how cooperation and sharing responsibilities over watercourses between states provided the basis for the US Constitution and the institutional order of the EU, and now drive a new transnationalism that erodes the Westphalian system. The article is available for download.Read more

Publication