Anthropogenic litter poses a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. While the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) addresses this pollution as an environmental status indicator, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) lacks such a measure. The publication, co-authored by Doris Knoblauch and Mandy Hinzmann (both Ecologic Institute) highlights how citizen science can address this issue by utilising existing litter data from related initiatives.

Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, gave a presentation on 10 September 2025 on the implementation of the 'ecocide' provision of the Environmental Crime Directive in Germany. This took place as part of a webinar organized by Europe Calling and Stop Ecocide Germany on environmental criminal law and 'ecocide'. He provided an overview of the provisions of the new Environmental Crime Directive on the ecocide-like consequences of environmental crimes, highlighted the need for implementation in Germany, and presented proposals for implementation close to the directive and an alternative implementation that already addresses the risk of serious consequences. The presentation was based on a legal opinion he had written for Stop Ecocide Germany.

How can circular principles be effectively integrated into corporate strategies beyond recycling? Which approaches work in practice? These questions guided the online workshop "From Thread to Cycle: Business Models for a Circular Future", held on 25 September 2025 as part of the BMFTR funding initiative "Resource-Efficient Circular Economy - circular sustainable textiles."

On 25 September 2025, Ecologic Institute welcomed the International Climate Protection Fellows of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to its Berlin office as part of their study tour of leading German institutions engaged in climate protection. During the visit, the fellows explored how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can foster resilient and just cities and how marine conservation contributes to climate protection.

Our Biodiversity Coordinator, Dr. Benjamin Kupilas, presented how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can drive the systemic shift toward a Nature-Positive Economy. The conference gathered policymakers, researchers, and practitioners across the Nordic region.

On 23 September 2025, experts from policy, finance, research, and civil society gathered in Berlin for the technical workshop “Opportunities and Limits of Nature-based Solutions”, hosted by the Fair Finance Institute. The event aimed to highlight and critically discuss the risks and potentials of nature-based solutions (NbS). The focus was on how financing for NbS can be made more effective and equitable, tapping the potential to deliver on sustainable development worldwide, protect biodiversity, and empower people in countries of the Global South. Ecologic Institute’s McKenna Davis opened the event with a keynote address entitled “Nature-based Solutions: More than just green? What counts, what works, and what is missing.” The event was organised with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and support from GLS Bank and Engagement Global as part of an ongoing project.

The study, developed under the ReFoPlan project "Natürlich Klimaanpassung! Resiliente naturbasierte Lösungen für Kommunen", provides an overview of the current state of NbS implementation for municipal climate adaptation in Germany. It identifies key barriers that hinder local action – from limited resources to conflicting interests – and highlights strategies and tools that can help overcome them.

The agricultural sector holds enormous potential to reduce GHG emissions, enhance carbon removals, and support climate adaptation. Delivering these environmental objectives requires adequate funding and support to unlock opportunities that drive the transition toward greater sustainability and are a useful tool as part of a broader policy mix to promote the transition.

The EU must rethink its energy security in light of increasingly renewable, decentralized, and electrified energy systems. Energy security already benefiting from the early start of the energy transition. In the transition phase now beginning, a forward-looking and adaptable approach is needed to maximize synergies and manage potential conflicts between decarbonization and energy security.

On 25 September 2025, the Sowing Solutions: Science & Policy for a Sustainable and Thriving EU Agriculture event, organized by the Environmental Defense Fund Europe, explored these challenges. A dedicated session on "livestock methane in CAP Strategic Plans" brought together scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to share evidence and discuss how the CAP can drive real impact. The goal was to spark fresh thinking, informed debate, and practical pathways forward.

On 15 September 2025, Ecologic Institute and BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change hosted the ACCREU Workshop: "Heat Resilient European Regions", focusing on what drives or hinders the implementation of health-related adaptation to heat at regional and local levels. This interactive workshop gathered insights and experiences on enabling factors and barriers, helping us understand why adaptation efforts have succeeded – or struggled –on the ground.

With the 2027 deadline of the Water Framework Directive approaching and the new Nature Restoration Regulation mandating large-scale ecosystem recovery, the CAP’s role in safeguarding rivers, wetlands, and catchments has become critical. This Policy Working Paper argues that long-term agricultural resilience is inseparable from healthy freshwater ecosystems and illustrates how water restoration can be embedded in future agricultural policies to enhance water resilience.

The adoption of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) marks a turning point in European biodiversity policy. To meet its binding targets, all Member States must prepare National Restoration Plans (NRPs) by 2026 – with a dedicated focus on cross-border cooperation. Against this backdrop, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), the Alpine Convention, and Ecologic Institute convened the international online workshop "Synergies for Nature Restoration in the Alpine Region" on 4 September 2025.

Ecologic Institute's task is to analyse the governance frameworks that influence Arctic ecosystems and to identify where adaptive management strategies could strengthen resilience. For this purpose, Ecologic Institute brings together the research results of YESSS that are relevant for governance, and investigates local, regional, and international legal and policy frameworks, including those shaped by the Svalbard Treaty and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), with the support of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and Charles University, is organising an in-person workshop dedicated to the use of climate data and services for Czech users. The half-day workshop will take place in Prague, as a side event of the Czech National Copernicus User Forum. The workshop is designed for scientists, policy officers, businesses and students who currently use or are interested in using C3S data for their work in the field of climate change.