On September 2021 at the online Future Forum, the research network Ecornet Berlin discuss the future of cities and their relationship to the surrounding areas with an expert panel

The Berlin Energy and Climate Protection Program 2030 gives solar energy a central role, as it is the most important renewable energy source that can be developed locally. The state government wants to cover 25 percent of Berlin's electricity supply from solar energy as quickly as possible. In the densely populated city, this also requires the roofs of apartment buildings to be used. In the discussion format Wandelwecker on 8 September 2021, Fabian Zuber from the Reiner Lemoine Foundation and Ecologic Institute's Katharina Umpfenbach discussed options transforming the regulation of tenant electricity and local solar power supply. The event was moderated by Valentin Tappeser from IÖW. It became clear that solar expansion can only be achieved at the required speed with a fundamentally new regulatory approach centered around joint self-supply that intelligently links on-site power generation via solar systems with charging of electric vehicles and heat generation.

In EU policy, the textile value chain is currently in the focus of efforts to build a circular economy. Textile recycling in the EU is still in its infancy, although promising innovative technologies are about to enter the market. How can policy support the industrial uptake of textile recycling? This was topic of a webinar held on 31 August 2021. Members of Ecologic Institute's Circular Economy Team presented policy recommendations to the European Commission to enhance systems for the collection, sorting and recycling of textile waste - and to create a market for recycled textiles.

How circular economy approaches in the construction sector can be strengthened is discussed in this episode of Wandelwecker together with two proven experts in circular construction.

Re-using goods and products offers numerous economic, ecological and social potentials. An exciting case example for the reuse of building components and furnishings was presented on 15 July 2021 at the online expert dialogue "Re-use of building components and furnishings in the construction project of the church community of Staaken".

On 7 July 2021, Ecologic Institute organized an online event to discuss insights on Sustainable Adaptation Pathways gained in the project "Joint implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement". The panel discussion was moderated by Camilla Bausch, Director of Ecologic Institute and took place as a virtual event parallel to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2021 of the United Nations.

Across Europe, national climate advisory bodies exist in many shapes and forms. Most countries have one or more such institutions. While many of the existing advisory bodies bring together a range of stakeholders and cover a broad range of sustainability issues, over the past five years there has been a surge in the creation of independent scientific councils, dedicated to climate policy.

How well is the EU doing in its pursuit of climate neutrality by 2050? Are national long-term strategies and national energy and climate plans up to the task? Are the recovery efforts in line with this goal? Across EU policy, a range of processes are in the process of developing methods to assess progress towards climate neutrality – but there is no integrated set of "net zero indicators" being developed to do the job. And simple greenhouse gas emission data is not enough to judge whether the necessary transition is happening "under the hood" of Europe's economic sectors.

The aim of the SPRINT project (Sustainable Plant Protection Transition: A Global Health Approach) is to support the transition towards more sustainable plant protection. This relies on close interaction with stakeholders along the whole supply chain, civil society and regulatory bodies. The SPRINT Stakeholder Introductory event, co-organized by Ecologic Institute, took place on Tuesday 22nd June, 2021. With 117 participants and a lively discussion in breakout groups, the meeting was a great way to kick-off our exchanges with stakeholders.

On 17 June 2021, representatives from Berlin's public administration, business and civil society discussed how to accelerate the expansion of tenant electricity in Berlin in the virtual expert workshop of the StromNachbarn project. Practical experience inputs enriched the discussion.

What innovations are needed to develop a climate-neutral energy system of the future? How can the national and European climate targets be achieved in 2030? What can Germany do to advance the European Green Deal together with the other member states? These and other questions will be the focus of the virtual Copernicus Symposium on 9 and 10 June 2021.

The recent decisions by the Constitutional Court and the German government on national climate legislation have brought new wind to the climate debate. But what does this mean for Berlin? Are the new targets suitable for transfer to the capital? Is the level of ambition sufficient to limit CO2 emissions "in line with Paris requirements" and allow Berlin to shoulder its fair share of the 1.5 degree target? And which areas of improvement do Berlin's politicians have to tackle now in order to set the course towards a climate-neutral Berlin 2045 without burdening the city's most disadvantaged residents in particular?

Nature-based solutions have been gaining attention as effective solutions to address important global challenges. A virtual breakfast briefing was held on 18 May 2021 with around 140 participants to discuss these topics and launch the Think2030 paper 'Using nature-based solutions to foster synergies between biodiversity and climate: Missed chances and opportunities for a sustainable future', co-written by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and Ecologic Institute.

The 6th expert dialogue on sustainable timber construction took place on 6 May 2021. Speakers included architects and engineers as well as experts from relevant research projects who presented and discussed practical topics related to timber construction in the capital region.

On 30 April 2021 at the online Berliner ENERGIETAGE, the research network Ecornet Berlin presented how tenants can benefit from the energy transition.