Contents:

1. Measures for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles – Publication
2. Adequate Legal Instruments for the National Implementation of Soil-related Sustainable Development Goals – Publication
3. The Future of the EU – Background Paper
4. Climate Protection Laws in Europe – Publication
5. Climate Change Laws of Germany's Federal States – Publication
6. Statement on the Second Progress Report of the German Government for the Reporting Year 2017 – Publication
7. Carbon Pricing to Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Efforts of Bangladesh – Publication
8. RECIPES. Precaution – Innovation – Science – Website Launch
9. Plastics Regulation: Solutions at the wrong end – Publication
10. Plastics Crisis? – Advantages of plastics and the problems of plastic consumption – Presentation
11. Climate Change Adaptation and Innovation – Presentation
12. Food Waste Reduction – REFRESH Conference
13. Federal and Regional Governments in Dialogue on Sustainable Food Systems – Workshop

1. Measures for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles – Publication

   This Ecologic Institute study for Greenpeace analyses ten different measures that have a direct impact on the increased uptake of electric passenger cars with respect to the measures' overall effectiveness in incentivizing EV purchases, the ease of administering them, affordability for governments and the consistency with other goals, mainly with the goal of reducing traffic. Ecologic Institute's study is available for download.

   https://ecologic.eu/16599

2. Adequate Legal Instruments for the National Implementation of Soil-related Sustainable Development Goals – Publication

   This research report by Ecologic Institute provides a legal assessment of whether German law is suitable in achieving the sustainable development goal "land degradation neutrality" (LDN) by 2030, and recommends options for improvement. The analysis focuses on regulations for erosion by agriculture in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, sealing by human settlement and contamination by industry. The report also compiles and explains key insights and lessons learned contributing to international discussion on implementing LDN. The report is available for download.

   https://ecologic.eu/16594

3. The Future of the EU – Background Paper

   The EU adopts essential climate protection measures – such as carbon taxation – by special legislative procedures. This means that the European Parliament is not an equal co-legislator and the Council has to decide by unanimous vote. Each Member State has a veto right. This is a problem because the urgency of climate protection requires swift and bold EU actions. EU climate protection measures cannot afford a governance structure that allows one Member State to hold all others hostage in essential areas of climate protection. Ecologic Institute's paper explores how to address this problem and is available for download.

   https://ecologic.eu/16650

4. Climate Protection Laws in Europe – Publication

   This study by Ecologic Institute shows that Germany can learn a lot from its neighbor's experiences to give its climate policies a robust framework and thus make it more reliable also in regards to investments in climate-friendly measures by the industry and individuals. At the same time, Germany could establish a new standard through legislation, adapted to the latest EU requirements, which would then again serve as an example for our neighbors. The study is available online.

   https://ecologic.eu/16608

5. Climate Change Laws of Germany's Federal States – Publication

   In the current debate about a Federal Climate Change Act, people often overlook that in Germany about half of the federal states already have a climate change law as a comprehensive legal framework. In a study for WWF Germany, Ecologic Institute gives an overview of the core elements of federal climate change laws and their impact on a potential Federal Climate Change Act. The study underlines the benefit of such climate change laws. It concludes that climate change laws at the federal and state levels are not only compatible but strengthen each other. The study is available online.

   https://ecologic.eu/16604

6. Statement on the Second Progress Report of the German Government for the Reporting Year 2017 – Publication

   In June 2019, the joint statement of the Expert Commission on the second progress report of the German government was published. Ecologic Institute provides scientific support to the work of the Expert Commission with a focus on the key topics that the Expert Commission selected for their joint statement. The joint statement is available for download.

   https://ecologic.eu/16628

7. Carbon Pricing to Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Efforts of Bangladesh – Publication

   Bangladesh needs to turn its pledge into an effective policy instrument to realize the promises of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation made in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). While analyzing the energy and climate policies of Bangladesh and consulting with stakeholders from Bangladesh and other countries, Shafiqul Alam, International Climate Protection Fellow at Ecologic Institute, provides insights on the possible policy instrument for Bangladesh to achieve the target of NDC and raises some fundamental policy issues. The study is available for download.

   https://ecologic.eu/16644

8. RECIPES. Precaution – Innovation – Science – Website Launch

   The RECIPES website (REconciling sCience, Innovation and Precaution through the Engagement of Stakeholders) provides an overview of the project objectives, structure and partners as well as events and news related to relevant project results. Reports, policy briefs, factsheets, recommendations and newly developed tools for policy makers will be promoted regularly on the website. Ecologic Institute is responsible for the concept, design, programming and update of the website. Users can subscribe directly to the mailing list.

   https://recipes-project.eu

9. Plastics Regulation: Solutions at the wrong end – Publication

   There are numerous regulatory approaches at international, regional and national level regarding the handling of plastic products and plastic waste. What they all have in common is their limited effectiveness. In their contribution, Linda Mederake, Stephan Gürtler and Doris Knoblauch (all Ecologic Institute) argue that this is partly because at the international level a large number of binding agreements and voluntary initiatives have developed independently of one another and are therefore not coordinated in terms of content. On the other hand, the existing agreements often reduce the plastic problem to waste disposal. As a result, they are unable to grasp the full consequences of plastics consumption. The Plastics Atlas 2019 is available online.

   https://ecologic.eu/16668

10. Plastics Crisis? – Advantages of plastics and the problems of plastic consumption – Presentation

    On 29 May 2019, Doris Knoblauch and Linda Mederake, both scientific researchers at Ecologic Institute, were guest "professors" at the Nürti Üni, the schoolchildren's university of the Nürtingen Primary School in Berlin (Germany). They held a lecture on "Plastics Crisis – Advantages of Plastics and the Problems of Plastic Consumption".

    https://ecologic.eu/16679

11. Climate Change Adaptation and Innovation – Presentation

    How can innovation help Europe adapt to climate change? And how can Europe help innovators turn their climate adaptation ideas into implementable, effective, and financially sustainable solutions? Ecologic Institute researchers presented answers from the BRIGAID project to these questions at the 2019 European Climate Change Adaptation Conference, in Lisbon (Portugal), from 29 to 31 May 2019. The presentation slides are available for download.

    https://ecologic.eu/16676

12. Food Waste Reduction – Refresh Conference

    On 9 and 10 May 2019 the REFRESH conference took place in Barcelona (Spain). It brought together 150 participants from all across Europe, China, Australia and the US to present and discuss innovative ideas for food waste reduction and valorization options across the whole supply chain. The conference documentation is available at the REFRESH website.

    https://eu-refresh.org/conference2019

13. Federal and Regional Governments in Dialogue on Sustainable Food Systems – Workshop

    On 17 June 2019 the workshop "Federal and regional governments in dialogue on sustainable food systems. From individual projects to a holistic strategy?" took place in Berlin (Germany). Taking into account the numerous good individual initiatives and projects at the federal and regional level participants discussed how strategies could be developed that address the topic of sustainable nutrition in a politically comprehensive way. The presentation slides are available for download.

    https://ecologic.eu/16660