Households across Germany felt the impact of 2022's energy crisis, suddenly being faced with a dramatic increase in energy prices. Overall energy costs in Germany surged by 31% in 2022 compared to the previous year. To combat the adverse impacts of the 2022 energy crisis, Germany passed three major relief packages the same year. This country briefing paper describes Germany's policy response to the energy crisis of 2022 and provides a microsimulation-based summary of the distributional effects of energy price shocks on German households. Overall, the net effect of the price shock in Germany and the German government's policy response resulted in average welfare losses of 2.9% in Germany for 2022, just below the EU member state average of 3.0%. This paper includes a scenario analysis of the decrease in the excise taxes on motor fuels, which clearly shows that a targeted and temporary redistribution of funds to vulnerable households would have yielded greater relief to poorer households than was achieved by decreasing the excise tax.

This report provides an independent, systematic analysis of the structures, activities, and impacts of Germany's Energy, Climate, Development, and Raw Materials Partnerships (ECDRPs). A particular focus lies on the partnerships with countries of the Global South. Based on the analysis, the report provides recommendations for the development of Germany’s partnerships by answering the central question: How can Germany's ECDRPs be made as impactful and transformative as possible to facilitate a resilient transition towards climate neutrality in Germany and its partner countries?

The state government of Baden-Württemberg has committed to updating the adaptation strategy in 2023 due to changing climatic conditions. The update of the adaptation strategy includes up-to-date vulnerability assessments for a total of eleven fields of action. A catalog of measures uses more than 100 fact sheets to show how we can prevent and counter potential negative impacts of climate change in the country. Ecologic Institute provided editorial and graphical support for the update of the adaptation strategy in Baden-Württemberg and supported the drafting of several chapters, e.g., on climate change impacts, summarized sectoral adaptation challenges and developed an abridged version of the update of the adaptation strategy.

Concentrating on the integration of species protection rules under the Birds and Habitats Directives across the EU, this meticulous research project uncovers critical insights into the availability and awareness of species occurrence data. The detailed findings point to substantial gaps in data reporting and varying levels of awareness across the different sectors, which makes the report a valuable resource for the improvement of policies and practice. Additional in-depth analyses focus on the agriculture and forestry sectors and show how the regulations are implemented in German and Austrian national law.

This report summarizes key findings and recommendations for a strategy to promote more plant-based diets. This strategy is key for a sustainable transformation of food systems as so far, there is a lack of binding policy targets for sustainable nutrition to guide the development of measures, and indicators to enable monitoring. The report discusses different options for targets and indicators, and develops policy recommendations.

Currently, the German climate debate appears to be stuck. It needs a push. Brakes need to be released. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf discusses whether and how this is possible in his article published by the Tagesspiegel.

The CLEVER Cities project's final conference "Nature in the City – Advancing social impact through nature-based solutions (NBS)" was held on 26 and 27 September 2023. McKenna Davis moderated the session "Putting Theory into Practice: Mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions into Policy". The session explored the fundamental question of how NBS can be integrated into the fabric of urban policy and governance to bridge the gap between theory and action.

On 5 October 2023, the ERRIN Working Group “Blue Economy” discussed "Water issues in the era of climate change". McKenna Davis, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Coordinator of Nature-based Solutions, was invited to hold the keynote presentation to set the scene. Her contribution introduced the variety of nature-based solutions available for water management, current research focusing on these solutions (including the Ecologic-led NICHES project), the surrounding EU policy framework, and examples of enabling local policy instruments from the Urban Governance Atlas.

On 20 and 21 September 2023, Dr. Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow of Ecologic Institute, presented two case studies on German climate change acts at workshops in Beijing, and discussed Chinese and German climate legislation with Chinese experts from governmental and municipal departments and universities. In addition, he held a lecture on the German Federal Climate Change Act at the Law Faculty of Beihang University and participated in a discussion on potential areas for future cooperation at the Center for German Studies of the University.

The status conference is intended to raise current research questions at the interface of biodiversity and climate change and to initiate a scientific exchange. The aim is to jointly identify gaps in knowledge and the need for further research. The status conference is aimed at the German-speaking scientific community and will bring together 60–80 experts in Berlin, from 6 to 7 December 2023. We are looking forward to your registration!

Join us on 23 to 24 November 2023 in the city of Envigado (Colombia), for a special conference and engagement event, through which you will be able to learn in detail from Envigado's experience, as well as from the examples of other cities from the Cities Talk Nature community of practice, and the expertise of the INTERLACE project partners. The conference will gather municipal actors and practitioners interested in tapping the potential of nature-based solutions in their cities and regions. The event will feature a variety of formats aimed at fostering exchange and learning, including field visits, practical workshops, and peer discussions. The session in the morning of Friday, 24 November 2023, will be streamed online for a global audience to watch.

The Ecologic Institute is hosting a webinar series for young people in Europe (18–35 years old) to discuss various aspects of the European Green Deal. The webinar will cover market shifts, policy events, and technological developments as well as the importance of grids and addressing bottlenecks. Experts Katharina Umpfenbach from DENA and Johan Lilliestam from Friedrich-Alexander University will discuss the transformation of energy infrastructure needed for a renewables-based future.

The EU's new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2023–2027) was agreed after extensive negotiations and came into force at the beginning of the year. In line with the "European Green Deal," it aims to support the transition to sustainable agriculture across the EU. On 7 November 2023, Aaron Scheid will address why all of us should be interested in the CAP, how much climate protection it and in the German CAP strategic plan actually foster, and what action is needed for a more climate-friendly agricultural policy in Germany. We are looking forward to your registration!

On 5 October 2023, the first trialogue on the Nature Restoration Law in Brussels commenced. We need strict and binding targets for the restoration of peatlands and must ensure a level of ambition in line with the overarching international climate and biodiversity commitments of the EU and which prevents loopholes that may be exploited by Member States. In September 2023, the largest conference of peatland experts ever held took place in Antwerp. At this conference, a declaration that calls for joint urgent action to safeguard peatlands in Europe under the tagline "empower nature, climate and future now!" was signed by over 90 signatories (representing EU funded projects, scientists, non-governmental organizations, land managers, etc.).

To support our team in Berlin, we are looking for a Researcher with expertise in Ocean and Arctic policies. Ecologic Institute's numerous projects investigate the interactions between marine ecosystems and human impacts, through which it promotes sustainable use, effective protection and restoration of the marine environment. Ecologic Institute's Mare and Arctic teams look forward to meeting you as a graduate with expertise in marine policy/arctic issues.