As part of the "Green Finance – Strategies and Instruments for Financing the Ecological Modernisation Process" project, the Federal Environment Agency organized a workshop to discuss initial research findings on the financing requirements for a green transformation in Germany on 3 March 2016 in Berlin.

The German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU) presented on 25 February 2016 a statement entitled "Environment and Free Trade: Environmentally sound design of TTIP". Following the presentation of the statement by Prof. Dr. Christian Callies, a member of the SRU, a panel discussion was held. Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow, Ecologic Institute, was one of the participants, next to Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan and Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner.

The launch of the University of Pennsylvania's 2015 Global Think Tank Ranking Report found Ecologic Institute increasing its position in several categories while remaining a top ten environment think tank for the sixth year in a row. Ecologic Institute placed at 9th position amongst 95 eligible institutions in the category Top Environment Think Tanks, a grouping assessing leading environmental policy institutions on a global level.

We are excited to announce the sixth webinar in our POLIMP Webinar Series, which will feature a discussion on the topic: "Beyond feed-in tariffs: the future of renewable energy support" moderated by Ecologic Institute's Head of Climate, Matthias Duwe.

In 2016, the negotiations on the legislative instruments for the EU's 2030 climate and energy targets will take off for good. Following the proposal for a revised ETS Directive in mid-2015, the next milestone for the implementing legislation will be a new Effort Sharing Decision (ESD). The European Commission is expected to publish a proposal for the new ESD before the summer.

On 28 January 2016, Policy makers, negotiators and stakeholders discussed the implications of the Paris Agreement for climate policy with 120 participants from ministries, academia, business and civil society. It was the final event of a a series of events organised and papers written by Ecologic Institute for the German Federal Environment Agency, entitled "Improving climate protection – for Paris and beyond".

The fifth webinar in our POLIMP Webinar Series will take place on Tuesday, 26 January 2016 from 10:30-11:30 CET, featuring a discussion on the topic "After Paris: Implications of the Paris Agreement for EU climate policy" moderated by Matthias Duwe (Head, Climate at Ecologic Institute). The webinar will feature guest speakers Dr. Camilla Bausch (Ecologic Institute) and Andrzej Błachowicz (Climate Strategies).

Supply-side factors are key to explaining the dramatic fall of oil prices from over $100 per barrel since late 2013 that have eaten into the profits of oil companies. However, oil industry observers are increasingly drawing attention to the long-term disruptive potential of new technologies, design methods, and business models that could also herald strong competitive pressures by weakening consumer demand for oil. The results of the Paris Climate Summit with its call for rapid emission reduction, early peaking and green-house-gas neutrality can accelerate this trend and herald a paradigm shift. As the world begins to embrace a low-carbon future by 2050, as evidenced in the Paris Agreement and many private sector initiatives, what are the strategic implications – and opportunities – for oil companies and resource owners?

As an alternative to global think-tank rankings based on perceptions, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) conducted its own systematic and criteria-based evaluation of think tanks worldwide, in part in order to lean lessons for the establishment and improvement of think tanks in China. Ecologic Institute attained 18th rank overall; the highest ranking among think tank focusing on environment, resources, energy, climate and sustainability.

The World Soil Day on December 5th 2015 marked the end of the International Year of Soils. Throughout this past year, various activities and efforts took place to raise awareness of the profound importance of soils for human life and to promote soil protection. Soils deliver essential ecosystem services such as food, fiber and biomass production, water and nutrient cycling and the storage of carbon. The protection of this resource also plays a key role in mitigating and adapting to climate change. As the International Year of Soils comes to an end, the need to stop and reverse soil degradation remains acute. In partnership with researchers across Europe, Ecologic Institute will continue to actively contribute to the development of solutions for soil protection.

On 12 December 2015, 194 countries and the EU adopted the new "Paris Agreement" under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ecologic Institute’s Ralph Bodle and Lena Donat had supported the German Delegation for several years and were on the EU negotiating team up to and in Paris.

Where do Canada and Germany stand in the field of energy policy, especially in renewable energies and energy efficiency? Which initiatives and projects are leading the way? Which impact had the Paris Climate Conference (COP 21)? Who is driving development and how can Canada profit from Germany's experiences? These and other questions framed the Canadian-German visitors program that took place from 13 until 17 December 2015 in Berlin and Düsseldorf, focusing on the theme "Energy Policy in Germany." The program hosted 10 stakeholders with professional backgrounds in policy, science and NGO works.

Ahrensfelde was a "city of the future" as part of the project "City of the future - living together sustainably" and creates a vision about what the community should look like in 2030 and beyond. In order to develop the vision, a survey was conducted among the citizens of Ahrensfelde in November 2015. Doris Knoblauch presented the results of the survey at a town hall meeting on the 30 November 2015 and she also moderated the evening.

International environmental policy is receiving a great deal of attention in 2015. In September the United Nations General Assembly committed to the Sustainable Development Goals and in December a new global climate regime is expected to be adopted at the UN Climate Summit in Paris. Dr. Camilla Bausch, Director of Ecologic Institute, discussed critical aspects of this dynamic at various events.

A group of 12 decision makers from the Midwest in the USA came to Germany from 15 until 21 November 2015 in order to explore and discuss German energy policy and aspects of structural change in former industrial and coal regions. Participants were able to speak with representatives from ministries, (state) parliaments, think tanks and businesses in Berlin, Cologne and Düsseldorf.