Ecologic Institute, Vienna
Ecologic Institute 2010 Milestone: 15 Years
This year, the Ecologic Institute turns 15. Since its founding, Ecologic Institute has built a reputation for excellence in transdisciplinary and policy-relevant research. As an environmental think tank, Ecologic Institute uses its extensive project experience and network of partners on both sides of the Atlantic to address a broad range of environmental challenges. Read more ...
Deutsch15 Years for Ecologic Institute
This year there is even more reason than usual to celebrate: 15 years of successful work at the Institute and the 50th consortium project within the research framework programmes of the European Commission. In addition to this, we are able to welcome our 100th colleague to the Ecologic team with the arrival of Prof. Dr. Christoph Stefes. Ecologic Institute will be celebrating all of this on Wednesday the 1 September 2010, starting at 6pm at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (BBAW) at Gendarmenmarkt in the Berlin-Mitte district. Read more ...
Climate change — water scenarios, impacts & adaptation measures
This project is an important project of the European Commission for preparing its comprehensive adaptation strategy. It aims at evaluating water related vulnerability to climate change impacts and identifying adequate adaptation measures. It sheds light on vulnerability and adaptive capacity in different affected sectors and across Europe’s river basins. The project shall thereby support coherency, timeliness and effectiveness of climate change adaptation efforts throughout Europe. Read more ...
Framework Contract Development Policy
The committees of the European Parliament play a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness of EU policy both during the development of legislation and policy and its subsequent implementation. The Committee on Foreign Affairs (called AFET for 'Affaires étrangères') is one of the 20 Committees of the European Parliament and is, among others, responsible for the Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP) and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). Ecologic Institute is leading a consortium of six institutes given a framework contract to provide the European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committees with independent expert advice on a range of issues relating to developmental and environmental policy. During the course of this project, standard briefings, ad-hoc briefings, studies and workshops will be conducted. Read more ...
Comparison of Draft River Basin Management Plans
The goal of this project was the comparison of six draft River Basin Management Plans required under the Water Framework Directive from France, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Read more ...
International Comparison of the Implementation of the WFD in EU Member States
To achieve the “good status” of Community surface- and groundwater bodies by 2015, Management Plans and a Programme of Measures have to be formulated and implemented in all EU-river basin districts (RBD) and international RBDs. Draft plans and programs were published by the majority of Member States in December 2008, and the aim of this project was to provide a basic overview and a comparison of selected European Member States for the Dutch government. Read more ...
Development of basics for the appliance of exemptions under the WFD in Austria
Under certain situations, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) allows Member States exemptions to achieving “good status” in water bodies. This project supports the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management of Austria in the identification of exemptions under the Article 4.4 – 4.7. Read more ...
Assessment of agricultural measures included in the draft River Basin Management Plans
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EC) has introduced a legal framework for sustainable management of water resources across Europe. According to this directive, Member States (MS) had to prepare drafts of the river basin management plans (RBMPs) and respective programmes of measures (PoMs) by the end of 2009. Successful implementation of the WFD strongly depends on agricultural land use; therefore, this report summarised the results of an in-depth assessment of how the draft plans and programmes address agricultural pressures on EU water resources. Read more ...
Modelling the factors influencing the commercialisation of paper mulberry bark
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) can be an important source of income for rural inhabitants of Laos. One such NTFP, which has been promoted by the government of Laos, is the paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera (L) Vent). This study was performed to understand the factors influencing the commercialisation of paper mulberry bark in Oudomxay province (Northern Laos) and to investigate the potential of the paper mulberry tree as a source of steady income. Read more ...
Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategies (RCCAS)
The scarcity of concrete regional adaptation strategies (RAS) across the EU suggests that guidelines for designing regional strategies can be helpful in assisting regions to prepare for the effects of climate change. This Policy Guidance is intended to assist regional authorities and other regional bodies formulating RAS. It draws on the experience of thirty-one regional adaptation strategies, a review of existing guidance documents, and on the results of a stakeholders’ workshop that conveyed regional authorities to discuss a draft of this guidance. Read more ...
Catalogue of measures to address diffuse pollution from agriculture
In order to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and address key pressures and impacts from agriculture activities, this project developed a catalogue of measures for tackling agricultural pollution. The catalogue serves as a EU-wide information base and is designed to support Member States in developing programmes of measures in their river basin management plans. This catalogue of measures is a living document that is updated on a regularly basis, which is particularly important to make use of the experiences gained under the first cycle of the WFD in future planning cycles. Read more ...
Evaluation of environmental quality in Austria in a European context
Efficient economic and political decisions are dependent on the regular supply of reliable data. Indicators are a major source of such information and provide basic quantitative support for the elaboration and implementation of policies. In June 2008, Ecologic was commissioned to analyse the environmental situation of Austria in the context of the EU-27 Member States using selected environmental indictors and to identify sectors where additional effort is necessary to take a leading position among European countries. Read more ...
Alternative water supply options
This project focuses on analysing alternative water supply systems in Europe regarding their water saving potential. The main task is to evaluate and show the risks as well as the social, ecologic and economic impacts of these systems. Furthermore, the negative effects and the sustainability of these alternative methods will be researched and demonstrated. Read more ...
Convergence with EU Nature Protection Policies – Short Guide for ENP Partners and Russia
The ongoing decline in biodiversity threatens fundamental ecosystem functions. An increased fragmentation of habitats in continental Europe has yielded a gradual loss in animal species and plants which jeopardizes human utilization of natural resources. Willing to complement the EU’s efforts to halt this trend, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) promotes nature protection cooperation between the EU and its Eastern and Southern neighbours. Read more ...
Ecologic Institute 2009 Berlin - Brussels - Vienna - Washington DC
This brochure provides a general survey and overview of the range of topics addressed by the Ecologic Institute. It includes examples of relevant events and projects, and key financial information. The brochure captures essence of the Ecologic Institute at a crucial time in our development. The past years have brought consistent growth, increasing diversification, strong management, and the establishment of a number of offices and subsidiaries. Read more ...
Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Luxembourg
In order to implement the Water Framework Directive (WFD) properly, Member States have to develop management plans for their national waters. The project supports the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in developing its management plans by analysing the costs and the effectiveness of the intended measures to reduce stress on water bodies. Therefore, appropriate methods have to be developed and analysis and calculations of the measures have to be undertaken. Read more ...
European Water Conference 2009
The implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has been an intensive on-going process since the Directive’s adoption in 2000. The aim of the WFD is the achievement of "good status" of surface water and groundwater by 2015. To reach the environmental objectives of the WFD, river basin management plans and programmes of measures must be formulated and implemented in all river basin districts (RBDs) of the EU, including international RBDs. Read more ...
Linking CAP & WFD Facts – Results - Upcoming issues
16 June 2008, Brussels - Thomas Dworak
The meeting, which took place at COPA-COGECA in Brussels, was attended by representatives from different agricultural unions of the EU. Thomas Dworak focused his lecture on the main links between the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Common Agricultural Policy. Read more ...
Evolution of the Greek national regime for water resources
The Water Framework Directive acts as a driver for integrated water management in EU member states. In this paper, Eleftheria Kampa, Fellow at Ecologic, and Hans Bressers, Professor at the University of Twente, use a conceptual framework from institutional resource regime theory to characterize and explain the development of the Greek national water regime in terms of integration. The article was published in the Journal "Water Policy" 10/5. Read more ...
Cost Effective Measures to Minimise Nutrient Pollution in the Black Sea Region
This project introduces national policy makers in the Black Sea countries the basics of selecting cost-effective measures to reduce nutrient pollution. The measures considered within this project are both technical measures that can be locally applied as well as instruments, such as N-taxes, applied on a national/basin wide level. Additionally, this project presents case studies dealing with nutrient pollution in each of the following sectors: agriculture, industry and municipal. The reports are available for download. Read more ...
Agri-environmental extension services around the Baltic Sea
This project focuses on analysing the potentials of voluntary agri-environmental extension services to reduce diffuse agricultural pollution in the Baltic Sea area. Read more ...
The role and significance of voluntary agri-environmental advisory services in minimising water pollution from the agricultural sector
6 – 7 December 2007, Riga - Thomas Dworak
At an international expert seminar Thomas Dworak gave a presentation on the role and significance of voluntary agri-environmental advisory services in minimising water pollution from the agricultural sector in the Baltic Sea Region. His presentation and a short note are available for download. Read more ...
Innovative processes and practices for wastewater treatment and re-use in the Mediterranean region (INNOVA-MED)
Wastewater treatment and re-use should be an essential part of sustainable water management strategies in the arid and semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean. The Coordination Action INNOVA-MED aims at coordinating research activities of ongoing and recently completed EU and national projects dealing with the development of innovative technologies and practices for wastewater treatment and re-use in the Mediterranean region. Read more ...
WFD and Agriculture – Participation to the ICPDR Workshop in Malinska
On behalf of the European Commission, DG Environment, Ecologic Fellow Thomas Dworak participated in a workshop on the WFD and Agriculture and gave a presentation on EU agricultural policies and water management. The workshop was held in Malinska, Croatia on 25-26 April 2006 and organised by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) together with the UNDP-GEF Danube Regional Project. Read more ...
Water Framework Directive and Agricultural Linkages at the EU Level: State of Play
25 April 2006, Malinska - Thomas Dworak
On behalf of the European Commission, DG Environment, Ecologic Fellow Thomas Dworak participated in a workshop on the WFD and Agriculture and gave a presentation on EU agricultural policies and water management. The workshop was held in Malinska, Croatia on 25-26 April 2006 and organised by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) together with the UNDP-GEF Danube Regional Project. Read more ...
Danube River Basin Stakeholder Conference
On Danube Day 2005, about 100 stakeholders from the entire Danube River Basin convene on 28-29 June 2005 in Budapest on invitation of the International Commission for the Protection of the River Danube (ICPDR). Participants learn about ICPDR activities and provide feedback on the ‘2004 Roof Report’, which had been prepared to meet the official reporting requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. The conference contributes to a common understanding of the challenges lying ahead and formes an important basis for tackling them in future. Read more ...
Eastern Enlargement: An Opportunity for Environmental Business!
An important issue with regard to the Middle and Eastern European enlargement of the European Union is the development of environmental infrastructures. The EU promotes this process, e.g., with the financing programme ISPA. For German enterprises this provides new business opportunities. Therefore Ecologic organizes this seminar, informing the respective businesses about existing challenges and risks. Read more ...
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