1. A Climate Protection Law for Germany
2. Water Framework Directive and Heavily Modified Water Bodies – Workshop key conclusions
3. Evaluation of environmental quality in Austria in a European context – Publication
4. National Stimulus Packages – Steps toward Recovery or Pathways to Progress? – Riverside Chat with Michael Kohlhaas and Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf
5. Sustainable Development in Policy Assessment – Methods, Challenges and Policy Impacts – Updated conference programme and last chance for registration
6. Newsweek: A Green Trade War? – Press
7. On the Road to Copenhagen: Legal Aspects of the Post-2012 – Climate Law Conference
8. Ethics, Transparency and Accountability – Chairing

1. A Climate Protection Law for Germany
Although climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, the time scale for climate change targets at the international, European, and national level has, until now, been confined to 2020. Great Britain, the first country to go beyond this time scale, passed a climate protection law at the end of 2008 with climate protection goals going until 2050, entailing government reporting obligations and an independent advisory committee. On behalf of WWF Germany, Ecologic researched how middle and long term climate change goals could best be anchored in German law.
http://ecologic.eu/2823

2. Water Framework Directive and Heavily Modified Water Bodies – Workshop key conclusions
A workshop on the Water Framework Directive and Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB) was held on 12-13 March 2009 in Brussels. The workshop aimed at the exchange of information on the practical application of the HMWB designation process in EU Member States, on methods for establishing good ecological potential, as well as on objective setting and mitigation measures for HMWB. The key conclusions of the workshop are now available for download.
http://ecologic-events.de/hmwb/index.htm

3. Evaluation of environmental quality in Austria in a European context – Publication
Indicators are a major source of information for efficient economic and political decisions and provide basic quantitative support for the elaboration and implementation of policies. On behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW), Ecologic analyses the environmental situation of Austria in the context of the EU-27 Member States published in a brochure in November 2008. http://ecologic.eu/2842

4. National Stimulus Packages – Steps toward Recovery or Pathways to Progress? – Riverside Chat with Michael Kohlhaas and Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf
On 5 May 2009, an Ecologic International Riverside Chat brought Michael Kohlhaas and Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf together to discuss the opportunities of the current economic crisis for creating a more sustainable economy. Michael Kohlhaas is a Research Associate at the Department of Energy, Transportation and Environment at the German Institute for Economic Research and Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf is a Senior Fellow and Coordinator of International Governance at Ecologic Institute, Berlin.
http://www.ecologic.eu/2840

5. Sustainable Development in Policy Assessment – Methods, Challenges and Policy Impacts – Updated conference programme and last chance for registration
The detailed up-to-date-programme for this event is now available for download, including working group descriptions, speakers and location. Over 40 evaluation practitioners, academia, commissioners of evaluations, and policy makers will present their insights in working group sessions and engage in discussions which will informally continue at the joint dinner in the evening. A limited number of places are still available and we invite you to register until 1 June 2009.
http://www.ecologic.eu/soef/epos/registration.html

6. Newsweek: A Green Trade War? – Press
Some details of the climate bills discussed in the US may have undesired repercussions for the international climate negotiations, argues Stefan Theil in an article in the Newsweek Magazine issue of 4 May 2009. Benjamin Görlach of Ecologic Institute was interviewed for and is quoted in the article. The analysis points out that fears about the competitiveness impacts of climate policy on domestic industries are exaggerated, and that the measures discussed to counter such threats may backfire in international negotiations.
http://ecologic.eu/2819

7. On the Road to Copenhagen: Legal Aspects of the Post-2012 – Climate Law Conference
This conference will take place on 15 June 2009 in Berlin. It will continue the discussions that begun during the Bonn Climate Change Talks, focusing on issues faced in climate regulation and the carbon market. The event will bring together European and international lawyers, economists, academics and industry representatives. Among the speakers are Dr. Ralph Czarnecki and Michael Mehling from Ecologic Institute.
http://www.lexxion.eu/conferences/climateconf09

8. Ethics, Transparency and Accountability – Chairing
Dr. Grit Martinez, Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Advisor to the Water Integrity Network, moderated the seminar Beyond Water Bribes: How to build a Corruption-Resistant Water Sector? at the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul on 18 March 2009. Ecologic Institute had already co-convened an awareness-raising event showcasing the new Water Integrity Network (WIN) at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico.
http://ecologic.eu/2821