Plastic waste is omnipresent, the pollution in the environment easily recognizable. This makes the issue relevant even for the youngest children. This is why the Ecologic Institute, within the research focus "Plastics in the Environment", together with the AOK Bundesverband, Stiftung Lesen and Carlsen K – the children's media agency of Carlsen Verlag – has developed an exclusive "Lesemaus" edition especially for day-care centres.

The topic of plastic in the environment is particularly easy for children to understand because plastic products and waste are everywhere. The PIXI book "Flupp aus der Plastikflasche" (Flupp in the plastic bottle), which was created as part of the BMBF's research focus "Plastics in the Environment", teaches children about precisely this topic.

How can sustainable food be made accessible to all? Charlotte Thielmann from detektor.fm discusses this question with experts and examines the necessary interplay of political and legal frameworks.

On 19 January 2022, Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow of Ecologic Institute, participated as an expert in a hearing of the Committee for Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection of the North Rhine-Westphalian Parliament on the motion of the parliamentary group BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN "Bekämpfung von Umweltkriminalität in NRW endlich stärken – Schwerpunktstaatsanwaltschaft und Koordinierungsstelle für NRW einrichten" (Drucks. 17/14258). Together with three other experts and the working group of the municipal umbrella organizations of North Rhine-Westphalia, he commented on the motion and answered questions from members of parliament.

In June 2021, the German Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the national climate law was inadequate, and needed to be amended. The German government reacted swiftly, and increased the ambition of the emission reduction targets implemented in the climate law. In two epdisodes of the Fidelity Kapitalmarkt podcast, Benjamin Görlach and the podcast host Carsten Roemheld take stock of the challenges ahead for German and European climate policy under the new German government. In particular, they discuss how the transformation to climate neutrality can be reconciled with industrial competitiveness and social fairness.

Transforming and decarbonising industry is essential for reaching climate-neutrality and the goals of the Paris Agreement. How can the G7 accelerate the decarbonisation of industry? Ecologic Institute's policy brief maps out a number of opportunities and potential priorities for the German Presidency. The Recommendations are available for download.

What kind of Europe do we want for the year 2035? This question is addressed by the EU initiative 'Conference on the Future of Europe', which enables European citizens to discuss their own ideas for Europe's future. Within the member states respective National Citizens' Panels, participants developed policy recommendations that were later passed on to the Conference. Ecologic Institute's Matthias Duwe gave a presentation on the topic of Climate and Environment at the Citizens' Forum in Germany on 15 January 2022.

Stephan Sina 2022: Stellungnahme zum Antrag der Fraktion BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN "Bekämpfung von Umweltkriminalität in NRW endlich stärken – Schwerpunktstaatsanwaltschaft und Koordinierungsstelle für NRW einrichten", Drucks. 17/14258. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.

This documentation summarizes the main interim results of the four-hour online workshop "Targets and Indicators for the Protein Transition in Germany" with about 35 participants. The aim of the event was to discuss possible indicators that can help to politically anchor and monitor the necessary change in dietary styles towards more plant-based and less animal-based foods.

Prof. Michael Mehling (Deputy Director, MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR)), and Dr. Camilla Bausch (Director, Ecologic Institute) were invited to contribute to the inaugural issue of the new journal "Klima und Recht" (Climate and Law). In their contribution, Mehling and Bausch provide an overview of the results of the Glasgow Climate Summit, covering not only formal decisions but also key initiatives and declarations announced at the Summit.

Natural gas and oil not only finance the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, they also lie at the heart of the problem: authoritarianism and a lack of democracy. Decarbonization is not only a climate policy necessity, but also an agenda for democracy and thus for peace, writes Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf in the Tagesspiegel.

The EU has not clarified the contribution of CO2 removals for achieving its climate goals. The Commission's communication on carbon cycles was an opportunity to provide more clarity. But it leaves important questions unanswered and chooses a wrong framing for future debates, writes Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf in the Tagesspiegel.

The transport sector plays a crucial role in achieving German, European and global climate targets. But policymakers are pursuing three goals with transport policy that cannot be reconciled. First, emissions in the transport sector are to be sharply reduced. Second, the transport policy framework is not to be fundamentally changed. Third, the financial burden on consumers resulting from a CO2 price is to be kept low. The German government now has the opportunity to embark on a mobility transition. However, this requires honestly dealing with trade-offs, Michael Jakob writes in the Tagesspiegel.

Most food waste is generated in private households. This infographic shows approaches and preconditions so that food does not spoil in the household. Another infographic provides information on various reasons why food spoils in households.

Most food waste is generated in private households. During a before-and-after survey from May to October 2022, participants in this citizen science action measured their own kitchen waste. The data was analyzed by the research team to evaluate the effectiveness of the actions. This infographic depicts the flowchart of the action and its steps for participants.