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Projects – Ecologic Institute US
Urban-rural energy investments: possibilities for EU and national policy measures
Rural energy infrastructure often lags behind that in urban areas. As studies show, the energy mix in rural communities tends to rely more heavily on coal and oil and is often less energy efficient than in cities and towns. This project prepares an inventory of rural and urban-rural energy projects and based thereon develops recommendations for new and additional policy measures at EU and Member States levels to promote effective and efficient energy investments in rural areas. Read more ...
The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and the Role of the Forestry Sector - Study Tour
From 11 to 16 March 2012 Ecologic Institute and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) hosted a one-week study tour in New Zealand for European foresters and forest policy experts to inform them about the integration of the forestry sector into its national emissions trading scheme. Traveling the length of New Zealand's north island, the participants met with forest landowners and managers (including from the indigenous Maori tribes), carbon trading experts, forestry policy think tanks, and regional and national policymakers to gain a well-rounded perspective of how the current policies were developed, how they are being monitored and implemented, and which actors are benefiting from them. Read more ...
Training Course "Energy for Development"
This project's key objective is the conceptualisation and implementation of a training course on the theme of "energy for development", that is targeted at development cooperation professionsals, which will encounter energy issues in their work outside of the home country.
Read more ...Sustainable San Mateo – The 2012 Indicator Report
For 15 years already, Sustainable San Mateo County (SSMC) has published its flagship indicator report for San Mateo County between San Francisco and the Silicon Valley in California. The overall aim of San Mateo County is to create a balance between economic growth, a healthy environment and an equitable society. In the report, approximately 30 indicators on the status and trends assess the extent to which this complex goal has been achieved. In addition, the report presents a different key theme every year, such as jobs or nutrition, which is presented and analyzed in greater breadth and detail. Read more ...
Transatlantic Sister City and Media Dialogue: Local Initiatives in Climate Protection and Renewable Energies in Germany and the US
Four German-American pairs of sister cities met in Chattanooga, TN (USA) from 29 November to 2 December 2011 in order to compare local efforts on climate protection and explore best practices in renewable energies. The Dialogue that also included German and American journalists was organized by the Ecologic Institute in cooperation with the German Embassy in Washington DC. Read more ...
European Fisheries Fund (EFF) Sustainability Criteria
A new study has found that financial support is being allocated under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) to activities with little or no evidence that they are environmentally or socially sustainable. The EFF's goal is to provide financial support for the implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Both the EFF and the CFP are responsible for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. However, most EU Member States use application forms which lack sufficient environmental and social assessment criteria. The study is available for download. Read more ...
Potential Improvements to Urban Stormwater Management through Transnational Sharing of Experience and Technology
On behalf of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Ecologic Institute is carrying out comparative study on the use of Green Infrastructure for urban storm water management in Germany and the US in order to illuminate a series of best practices that may help guide US efforts to improve existing infrastructure. The water policy team at Ecologic Institute is joined by experts at the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the George Washington University in the performance of this contract. Read more ...
The Arctic Ocean Beyond National Jurisdiction
A conference on "The Arctic Ocean Beyond National Jurisdiction" at the University of Alaska Fairbanks from 24 to 27 July 2011 explored the opportunities and challenges of expanded human use and options for future governance of the Central Arctic Ocean. R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute participated as invited expert contributor in the conference. Read more ...
A sustainable (individual-) tourism concept for Antarctica
On behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency Ecologic Institute conducted a study on the impacts of individual tourism in Antarctica. The report "A Sustainable Tourism Concept for Antarctica" sheds light on possible approaches to tourism management and develops a set of recommendations for a sustainable tourism concept in Antarctica. Read more ...
Sustainable Oceans: Reconciling Economic Use and Protection
The Dräger Foundation convenes a transatlantic conference series on "Sustainable Oceans: Reconciling Economic Use and Protection" under the High Patronage of Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Building on the Ecologic Institute CALAMAR Dialogue on Cooperation Across the Atlantic for Marine Governance Integration, it aims to initiate a European Ocean Commission, and a joint EU-US strategy on ocean policies. Read more ...
New Market Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Climate Regime
This project is about assisting the UBA with understanding the political, strategic and practical issues relating to the negotiations around emerging or "more advanced" developing economies taking on new market mechanisms in a post 2012 climate regime. The three main tasks that will be undertaken are: 1) understanding the incentives and barriers to the transition from the CDM to new mechanisms; 2) identification of most promising countries, sectors and/or regions for taking on new market mechanisms; and 3) interim solutions for this transition. Ecologic Institute is the project leader and responsible for task 1. Read more ...
Contribution to the 2011 flagship survey of the German Advisory Council on Global Change
Ecologic Institute contributed to the main survey of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen, WBGU) for 2011. In its analysis for the WBGU, Ecologic Institute analyzed the American, British, Chinese, German, Japanese and South Korean economic and financial stimulus packages and their environmental implications. The analysis is available for download. Read more ...
Review of international approaches to the integrated assessment of aquatic ecosystems
The goal of this project is to support the implementation of the european Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The Ecologic Institute has produced a study reviewing international practice examples of Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs). It analyses their applicability to the MSFD and its requirement for initial assessment. The study concludes by proposing a series of key requirements for IEAs. Read more ...
Development of a Scoring System for Assessment of Sustainable Seafood
The goal of this project is to revise and streamline the scoring criteria for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sustainable Seafood Watch Program (SFW). The SFW, albeit not without its critics, has been successful in engaging producers and buyers in improving their practices and raising their awareness towards sourcing their fisheries and aquaculture products from sustainably managed operations. Ecologic Institute Washington DC is helping to develop quantitative scoring mechanisms to streamline the process and make the assessments more transparent. Read more ...
Newly identified: 77 Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas in the Arctic marine environment
New maps identifying 77 Areas of Ecologically or Biologically Significance (EBSAs) in the Arctic marine environment are now available through a recent project led by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Ecologic Institute. The report identifies 13 "Super EBSAs" which are of key importance because they meet many or all criteria developed under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).The report is available for download. Read more ...
I-CITE: Transforming Economies through Community
The Ecologic Institute and the Atlantic Council of the United States will host transatlantic study tours as part of a civil society dialogue focused on transformation processes in three areas: agriculture and forestry; industrial redevelopment; and the energy economy. A small group of Americans and Europeans will be comprised of policymakers, opinion leaders, the media, and business, joined by participants from a specifically created online network of mid-career leadership professionals. Read more ...
International Trade Policy in the Context of Climate Change Imperatives
In their policy paper “International Trade Policy in the Context of Climate Change Imperatives” for the Committee on International Trade, Christiane Gerstetter, Michael Mehling und Tanja Srebotnjak examine the relationship between trade and climate change as well as the potential of trade and trade policies to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Read more ...
Transatlantic Media Dialogue: Economic Transformation in Aging Industrial Regions
As part of the Transatlantic Climate Bridge, the Ecologic Institute organised a Transatlantic Media Dialogue to discuss structural change and economic transformation in Germany and the U.S.A. The exchange took place from 31 October to 4 November 2010 in Gelsenkirchen and focused on the whole Ruhr region. The dialogue brought together about 25 participants – German and US journalists as well as experts on the topics discussed. The program was complemented by field trips to explore the “European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010”. Read more ...
Analysis of the South African Renewables Initiative (SARi)
The KfW Entwicklungsbank has commissioned this study to determine the feasibility of and preconditions for the South African Renewables Initiative (SARi) during the stage of its conceptualization. Special attention is to be paid to the role that the German government could play as an international funder of SARi and the implications of this support for the German government, German businesses, and the international climate change negotiations. Read more ...
Funding energy efficiency measures and R&D in emerging economies
The Urban Institute Ireland of the University College of Dublin (UCD) is conducting a project for the European Commission entitled “Transatlantic Opportunities for Meeting Global Challenges in Energy Efficiency and Low Carbon Technology”. The project involves, inter alia, the writing of seven research papers that look at different aspects of energy efficiency in the EU and the US. The Ecologic Institute contributes a research paper on the differences between EU and US funding and funding mechanisms for energy efficiency projects in emerging economies. Read more ...
