The efficient implementation of energy efficiency measures was a central challenge in European energy policy. The multEE project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, addressed this issue by developing innovative monitoring and verification (M&V) systems and improving vertical coordination between administrative levels. These measures ensured better alignment of national and local energy efficiency plans and enabled more precise assessment of their effectiveness. This report described the project, its objectives, and the methods applied.

Boteler, Benjamin et. al. 2015: Dissemination Plan – Strategy for disseminating AQUACROSS results and findings. Deliverable D1.1. Berlin, unpublished.

This document sets out the overarching communication strategy of REFRESH. It introduces the dissemination-related objectives of REFRESH, identifies relevant target groups, describes the different communication instruments of REFRESH and explains the role of the consortium partners in dissemination.

Kemper, Melanie 2015: Kurzkonzept für die Erweiterung des Informationsangebotes der Website des Forums "Fischschutz und Fischabstieg" – www.forum-fischschutz.de, Berlin, October 2015. Unpublished.

The dissemination activities of the DEMEAU project were planned in the beginning of the project and outlined in the dissemination strategy. After three years of project work, we have a look at the achievements of these target group specific dissemination activities.

The European Council agreed that flexibility within the non-ETS sectors will be "significantly enhanced" after 2020. A new paper by the Ecologic Institute analyses options to enhance flexibility. The paper focusses on project-based mechanisms and is available for download.

Wolff, Franziska and Timo Kaphengst 2015: Exploring Options for Strengthening Sustainable Land Use within the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. GLOBALANDS Discussion Paper. Öko-Institut, Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

The European Council decided to develop a "reliable and transparent governance system" for the 2030 EU climate and energy policy framework. The European Commission proposed a number of details of the new governance framework. However, neither the European Council nor the Commission specified the relationship between relevant legislation, up-coming legislative processes and this new governance system. Against this backdrop, this paper discusses options and requirements for an effective governance framework for climate and energy policy beyond 2020. The discussion paper is available for download.

Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, prepared a discussion paper on "The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and its relevance for global sustainable land use" as part of the GLOBALANDS project. The paper is available for download.

Wunder, Stephanie and Franziska Wolff 2015: International Governance Screening of Global Urban Policies and their Impacts on Sustainable Land Use. Discussion Paper prepared by GLOBALANDS Project. Öko-Institut, Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

Investment protection and investment tribunals are among the most contentious subjects of TTIP and CETA. Could a permanent Court of Arbitration address the problems of ad hoc tribunals? In this comment (German only), Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses the pro and cons of a permanent Court of Arbitration. The comment is available for download. <br /><br /><br /><br />

Since 2007, the European Council has played an increasingly active role in shaping the details of future EU climate policies. This involvement raises important questions about potential interference by the European Council regarding the decision-making process for and content of the implementation of the 2030 climate framework. In a broader perspective, concerns have been raised about the establishment of a constitutional practice, which could in fact circumvent the possibility of adopting implementing acts by qualified majority vote. This would alter the balance of power between the EU institutions. Ecologic Institute's Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses the role and mandate of the European Council. The paper is available for download.

Kemper, Melanie and Mascha Schacht 2015: Konzept Online-Informationsangebot "Umweltverträglicher Pflanzenschutz" – www.uba.de/pflanzenschutz-im-garten-startseite, Berlin, February 2015, unpublished.

This think piece draws together evidence on the state of the economy, society and the environment to show that the EU's multiple challenges may be tackled simultaneously by the use of policy changes to change the direction of market demand. Christian Hudson, the author of this document is Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute. The document is available for download.

Is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) the beginning of a new era of investment protection under free trade agreements, one that addresses long standing concerns surrounding investment protection? The answer to these questions is, by and large, no. CETA's investment chapter is not only superfluous but harmful because, among other reasons, it distorts competition at the expense of domestic competitors. The comments of Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, are available for download.