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Publication

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

No More Plastics in the Ocean

Gaps in Global Plastic Governance and Options for a Legally Binding Agreement to Eliminate Marine Plastic Pollution

Marine plastic pollution is a fast growing problem and it is not yet possible to estimate how severe the impacts currently are. Between 4.8 and 12.7 Mt of plastics ends up in the ocean each year, adding to the uncontrolled plastic waste already floating around the world’s seas. Despite many good initiatives and action plans, the world is about to lose the overall battle. There is an urgent need to vibrantly address the plastic pollution crisis of the oceans on a global level. This report by adelphi and Ecologic Institute provides suggestions in this regard. The report is available for download.Read more

Presentation

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

The Governance of Plastics

TimeLoc

30 November 2018

Ecologic Institute, Berlin

Germany

Linda Mederake

On 30 November 2018, Linda Mederake, Junior Researcher at Ecologic Institute, presented the Institute's activities in the field of plastics governance to a group of students from the International Degree Program Political Management (B.A.) at Hochschule Bremen, City University of Applied Sciences. The presentation took place in the context of an excursion of the study programme, during which the students got to know the "political Berlin" and exchanged views on several selected topics with various actors from research, politics, business and civil society.Read more

Publication

Le projet FIThydro: Une initiative européenne pour une hydroélectricité durable et respectueuse des poissons

Hydropower now accounts for 18% of electricity generated across Europe and 70% of renewable energy. Most of Europe's hydropower plants have been in operation for several decades. They are therefore about to be renovated, modernized and expanded. Only recently has the emphasis been placed on the protection of fish. European countries must adhere to the Water Framework Directive, which calls for environmentally friendly, socially acceptable and economically viable hydropower. The FIThydro project deals with this topic and wrote an article. Eleftheria Kampa from Ecologic Institute contributed to this article. It is available for download.Read more

Publication

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Sustainability

Water

Dem Plastik auf der Spur

Plastic in the environment is a global problem that is particularly visible in a growing volume of plastic waste in the sea. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has set up a major research focus to investigate the extent of the problem in more detail and to develop approaches to reducing it. Until 2021, a total of 18 joint projects with more than 100 institutions from science, industry, and practice will be funded with 35 million euros in one of the world's largest research programmes on plastics to date. In addition to the main areas of work, the authors of the Ecologic Institute examines the research projects in more detail.Read more

Publication

Document

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

Microplastics Analytics

Sampling, Preparation and Detection Methods

This discussion paper, edited by Ecologic Institute, presents the physicochemical investigation methods used in the research focus "Plastics in the Environment", in particular for the analysis of microplastics. Therefore, representatives of the joint research projects discussed methods and analytical approaches to identify validated methods and comparable results in the various projects. The discussion paper reflects the current state the debate within the research focus. It contributes to a pool of methods that are as standardised as possible for the relevant application fields in science, industry, and administration and is available for download.Read more

Publication

Document

Water

ECOSTAT Classification Workshop: Summary Report on Hydromorphology

The Working Group ECOSTAT of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) held a workshop on classification on 29-30 May 2018 in Tallinn. The aim of this workshop with respect to hydromorphology was to facilitate a better common understanding on the use of hydromorphological quality elements for the overall assessment of ecological status and potential. This is part of a wider work item on classification in the ECOSTAT work programme focusing on the linkage between supporting and biological quality elements (BQEs). The Workshop Summary Report presents the main discussions that occurred during this meeting and is available for download.Read more

Event

Ecosystem-Based Management for the Protection of Aquatic Biodiversity – AQUACROSS Final Conference

TimeLoc

10 October 2018 to 11 October 2018

Brussels

Belgium

On 10 and 11 October 2018, the AQUACROSS Final Conference on "Ecosystem-Based Management for the Protection of Aquatic Biodiversity – Practice and Lessons Learnt" took place in Brussels. AQUACROSS project team members presented different tools and results regarding aquatic biodiversity protection developed during the project. Conference participants from 21 countries received the eight AQUACROSS Case Studies and the Case Study Gallery with posters, photos and information material with particular interest. The presentations held during the conference are now available on the AQUACROSS project conference website.Read more

Publication

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

Umweltdelikte 2016: Auswertung von Statistiken

This publication provides a quantitative overview of the development and status of environmental crime in Germany between 2004 and 2016, based on data from the police crime statistics ("Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik") and the Federal Statistical Office's criminal prosecution statistics ("Strafverfolgungsstatistik"). The report provides both, an overview of general trends and an in-depth account of individual environmental offences. In addition, the publication contains data on administrative offences relating to trafficking of protected species. The report was prepared by a team from Ecologic Institute on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency.Read more

Presentation

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Sustainability

Water

"Dangerous" Research that Supports Societal Change – Ecologic Institute participates in agenda-setting for social-ecological research

TimeLoc

19 September 2018 to 20 September 2018

Kassel

Germany

Dr. Camilla Bausch

Dr. Grit Martinez

Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Mandy Hinzmann

Ecologic Institute contributed to the Agenda Conference for Social-Ecological Research (SÖF) by leading on and supporting research theme clusters. The event took place in Kassel on 19 and 20 September. It ended with an outlook by Florian Frank from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), who called for "dangerous" research to solve pressing socio-ecological problems. Read more

Publication

Report

Climate

International Development

Sustainable Development in the European Union – 2018 Overview

Overview of Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU Context

This brochure is a 'light' version of Eurostat's publication 'Sustainable development in the European Union – 2018 monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context', conveying its main messages in a visual and concise way. The brochure provides an updated snapshot of the current situation concerning 100 indicators related to the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). It thus provides a snapshot of the key trends related to sustainable development in the European Union. Ecologic Institute's authors covered the chapters on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land) SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The publication is available for download.Read more