The recent devastating flash floods in Europe have highlighted the need for stronger linking disaster risk management with climate adaptation efforts. This report introduces the concept of Sustainable Adaptation Pathways that can act as guidance when planning and implementing integrated policies to foster sustainable adaptation measures in line with disaster risk reduction efforts. The main findings relevant to implementation in practice are summarized in a briefing note and were presented during a virtual panel discussion parallel to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2021 of the United Nations. During the event organized by Ecologic Institute, a diverse and international expert panel discussed interlinkages and overlaps between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, climate adaptation goals under the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The publications are available for download.

In the 3rd cycle of the German Forum Fish Protection and Downstream Fish Migration, coordinated by Ecologic Institute, Fact Sheets on selected technical aspects are being developed. They are intended to summarize the current state of knowledge on fish protection and downstream fish migration in a clear and concise manner. The first five Fact Sheets were published on the following topics: Fish Protection Targets in Europe, Targets for Fish Protection and Downstream Fish Migration in Germany, Evaluation of Primary Damage to Fish at Hydropower Sites, Technical Functionality of Large Fish Protection Screens in Practice and When is a Screen a Fish Protection Screen?

International trade agreements have repeatedly been criticized for promoting trade interests at the expense of other policy objectives, such as environmental protection. The fact that many trade agreements include dispute settlement mechanisms and sanctions for violations reinforces such fears; environmental or human rights agreements do not usually have such mechanisms. Against this background, Dr. Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow in Ecologic Institute's Legal Team, examines in her PhD thesis how the dispute settlement bodies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have decided non-trade cases.

A few days after the US and Germany agreed to launch a new climate and energy partnership, Dr. Camilla Bausch (Director of Ecologic Institute) and Samantha Gross (Director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at Brookings) were invited to discuss new dynamics, opportunities and challenges presented by transatlantic climate cooperation. A recording of the panel discussion is available online.

Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow of Ecologic Institute, gave a keynote speech at the China-EU Conference on Climate Change Legislation on 29 June 2021. He presented the main features of the Climate Change Act (KSG) and its latest amendments based on the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court on 24 March 2021. He also participated in the discussion session after the presentations.

Current policy instruments, such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, are generating optimism and a great deal of political attention. Are these processes enough to tackle the biodiversity crisis? Or is radical change and rethinking necessary all the same? On 15 June 2021 approaches for the protection of biodiversity were discussed at the 6th Future Forum Ecornet, which was organized by Ecologic Institute in cooperation with ISOE. A recording of the discussion is available online.

In the dynamically growing metropolis of Berlin, construction projects are the order of the day. They create new space for housing, business and innovation, public facilities and refurbish or preserve existing buildings. In this episode of Wandelwecker, the question "How circular economy approaches in the construction sector can be strengthened?" is discussed  together with Ecologic Institute's Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers and Andrea Klinge (ZRS Architekten). Please register to attend.

For the next training year starting in September 2021, we are looking for a motivated and communicative trainee to become an Office Management Assistant. During your training in our Office Management department, you will acquire comprehensive and well-founded knowledge in the most diverse areas of office management, including secretarial and assistant tasks, event and travel planning as well as purchasing.

Ecologic Institute is pleased to receive your application for a compulsory internship as a Clerk for Office Management.

To support our team in Berlin, we are looking as soon as possible for a Student Assistant in the field of environmental law. As Student Assistant in the field of environmental law, you will support our team in interdisciplinary research projects in the field of environmental law and policy at the national, European and international level.

To support our team in Berlin, we are looking as soon as possible for a Student Assistant in the field of climate and energy. As Student Assistant in the field of climate and energy, you will support our team in projects related to national, European and international climate and energy policy.

To support our team in Berlin, we are looking for a Fellow in the field of EU agriculture and climate policies. The agriculture team of the Ecologic Institute addresses the questions of how European agriculture, environment and climate policy can shape the transformation to a climate-neutral economy and resilient agricultural systems. Which policy instruments do we need to initiate the transformation in different fields of action, and how can these be combined into a coherent strategy?

To support our team in Berlin, we are looking – as soon as possible – for a Fellow with expertise in climate policy and a background in economics. Ecologic Institute addresses the question of how German and European climate policy can shape the transformation to a climate-neutral economy. Which policy instruments do we need to initiate the transformation in different fields of action, and how can these be combined into a coherent strategy? What is the role of economic instruments such as carbon pricing in this process? What conflicts are to be expected, and what could be the solutions?

To support our team in Berlin, we are looking for a Fellow with expertise in climate policy with focus on political science. Ecologic Institute is looking at the ways in which German and European climate policy can shape the transformation to climate neutrality and the framework conditions needed to achieve this. What goals need to be set – and for whom? What role does strategic, long-term planning play in achieving these set goals, and how should effective monitoring be designed? Who should be involved in the processes, in what capacity and for what purposes? And what is the legal framework in which these aspects are organized and coordinated?