Projects

Project
 
This project for The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) aims to convey in an effective and accessible way that our actions today have an impact on the future, especially on nature and the livelihoods of future generations. Through carefully designed visualizations that are based on scientific research, we want to show how the climate crisis is affecting nature and the German landscape, and how climate protection and adaptation can prevent damage, mitigate the effects of the biodiversity crisis and ultimately improve our lives.

The Impacts of Climate Change in Germany

Research and Visualization

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Project
 
In a project for the European Climate Foundation (ECF), Ecologic Institute assesses the implementation status and the quality of the national implementing measures of selected provisions of these EU laws in six Member States. Ecologic Institute conducts country fiches on Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany and Spain, while Reform Institute conducts a country fiche on Poland. The project aims at getting a picture of the challenges of a timely and adequate implementation, also with a view to the recent amendments of the EU legislation within the "Fit for 55" package.

Analysis of the Implementation of EU Provisions for the Clean Energy Transition in Selected Member States

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The project aims to communicate the benefits and challenges of emissions trading and provides information to interested partner countries. The upcoming project phase focuses on intensifying the dissemination of knowledge on emissions trading within the framework of various events. Workshops, informative panels and side events are organized by the consortium in Germany and abroad, for and with foreign governments, government-related institutions and interested stakeholders.

Capacity Building on Emissions Trading to Support Bilateral Cooperation 2023-2025

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Project
 
In this research and dialogue project on behalf of the Climate Neutrality Foundation, Ecologic Institute analyzes the complex landscape of Germany's bilateral and plurilateral partnerships in the fields of energy, climate and raw materials, with a focus on partnerships with countries of the Global South.

Germany's Partnerships for Energy, Climate, Resources and Development

How to make their work more transformative towards climate neutrality

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Project
 
In collaboration with the International PtX Hub, we analyzed the emerging EU and international regimes and develop recommendations on GHG accounting and PtX sustainability. In a series of bilateral online workshops, we provided guidance to policy makers and other stakeholders from Algeria, Chile, Colombia, India, Kenya, Jordan, Namibia, South Africa, Uruguay and Vietnam.

Analysis and Dialogue on GHG Accounting, Standards and Certification for Green Hydrogen and PtX

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Project
 
Carbon pricing is gaining traction around the world, as more and more jurisdictions implement emissions trading systems or tax carbon emissions to achieve their climate objectives. The annual "State and Trends of Carbon Pricing" is the flagship report of the World Bank to provide a concise, up-to-date overview of what is happening in this field. With over 70,000 annual downloads, it is one of the most prominent publications on this matter. 2023 marks the 10th edition of the State and Trends report. A consortium of adelphi and Ecologic Institute supported the World Bank in developing the 2023 edition of the report.

State and Trends of Carbon Pricing Report 2023

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Project
 
This research project will examine various proposals for providing low-cost electricity from renewable energies for industry on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK). The aim is to ensure the availability of green electricity for industry at stable, favorable prices so that companies can invest in climate-neutral production processes

Industrial Electricity Price

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Project
 
Roofs still offer enormous potential for solar electricity generation. In order to achieve the ambitious expansion targets of the German government, this potential must be raised. In a new project, Ecologic Institute and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) analyze different system concepts and evaluate their economic viability. Existing barriers to the expansion of photovoltaic systems on buildings are identified and the extent to which the Renewable Energy Sources Act 2023 will remove these barriers is examined. As a result of the project, recommendations for further improvements of the regulatory framework will be elaborated.

Restrictions of the EEG Regulations for the Use of PV Electricity in the Building Sector

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Project
 
The transition to renewable energies and persistent bottlenecks in the German transmission grid represent key challenges for the German electricity supply system in terms of the need for security of supply. A so-called capacity mechanism could be an important solution to this. On behalf of the four German transmission system operators (TSOs) Amprion GmbH, TenneT TSO GmbH, 50Hertz Transmission GmbH and TransnetBW GmbH, the foundations of a capacity mechanism for the German electricity market that is compatible with the European legal framework for the energy market and European state aid law are therefore to be developed. In an interdisciplinary research team led by Consentec, the Ecologic Institute is responsible for examining energy law issues in the project.

Development of a Capacity Mechanism for the German Electricity Market

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Project
 
The Covid-19 pandemic and, most recently, the war that has erupted in Ukraine have shown that such crises can have a major impact on European emissions trading. This raises the central question: Can and must the European emissions trading system become more crisis-proof? In the present project, concrete crisis scenarios are developed that could put a strain on the European emissions trading system (EU ETS). This is followed by an analysis of the possibilities that the existing laws and regulations offer for reacting to such crises. The further aim of the project is to show ways to improve the handling of crises within the trading system.

Crisis Resilience of the European Trading System

Legal report for the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) at the German Environment Agency

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Project
 
In this project, Ecologic Institute undertook an inventory of climate policies, emissions pathways and complementary measures in the G7 countries. This is intended to help identify gaps in the existing policy landscape of global decarbonisation efforts. Based on the findings, possible improvements were proposed. The project report is available for download.

G7 Climate Crossroads

State of Play

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Project
 
Ecologic Institute was commissioned by WISE Netherlands to take a more in-depth look at how Member States are spending their auctioning revenues, and if and how they are using them for climate action. Furthermore, we wanted to understand the political context and the narrative around auctioning revenues. For this purpose, we conducted eight country case studies, namely Czech, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. We based our analysis on Member States' reporting to the European Commission regarding the use of auctioning revenues, desk research on legal documents and interviews with relevant experts from ministries and NGOs.

The Use of ETS Auctioning Revenues in EU Member States

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Project
 
The EU has specified climate neutrality as a legally binding 2050 target. This transformation requires bold policy tools that can deliver concrete results – sector-by-sector. To inspire policymakers across the EU to get active, Agora Energiewende is compiling best practice examples of policies that are successful in initiating progress towards climate neutrality. Ecologic Institute contributes to this project by researching and drafting fiches for ten best practice cases. Moreover, the team is supporting Agora Energiewende in selecting suitable cases. Ecologic Institute draws on its in-house expertise in a wide range of sectors.

Transitioning to Net Zero' Success Stories

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Project
 
Regional governments are key players in driving the transformation towards climate neutrality, as they are the ones who enable and implement solutions on the ground. For the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development, Ecologic Institute together with partners identifies EU regions that are successfully transforming their economies towards climate neutrality. Based on six case studies, the project distills key drivers, conditions and mechanisms for a successful transformation of regional economies – leading to concrete policy recommendations for the EU level on how to support in this effort.

EU Regions in the Transformation Towards a Climate-neutral Future

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Project
 
Podcast cover
Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) described the European Green Deal as "Europe's man-on-the-moon moment". With this plan, the European Union aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, protect and enhance nature, and sustainably transform the European economy and society. But what exactly is the European Green Deal? Which role does it play in our everyday life? And what challenges does it pose? In our podcast and webinar series "Green deal – Big Deal?" we take a critical look at these questions and discuss various aspects of the European Green Deal with experts from policy, business and science.

Green Deal – Big Deal? Discussing Europe's Green Future

Podcast & Webinar Series about the European Green Deal

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Project
 
By 2030, 80% of the electricity generated in Germany is to come from renewable sources. For this to succeed, electricity market regulations must be further developed. On behalf of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Environment, Ecologic Institute analyzes various fundamental questions regarding the marketing and promotion of renewable energies. In an interdisciplinary research team led by consentec, Ecologic Institute is responsible for energy law-related issues. Among the central topics are reform approaches for the Renewable Energy Sources Act, the regional steering of the development of renewable energy sources, the marketing of green electricity and the regulation on self-consumption of solar energy.

Sustainable Marketing and Promotion of Renewable Energies in Germany

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Project:Horizon 2020
 
To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, EU policy will have to be reoriented – from incremental towards structural change. As expressed in the European Green Deal, the challenge is to initiate the necessary transformation to climate neutrality in the coming years, while enhancing competitiveness, productivity, employment. To mobilise the creative, financial and political resources, the EU also needs a governance framework that facilitates cross-sectoral policy integration and that allows citizens, public and private stakeholders to participate in the process and to own the results.

Transformative Policies for a Climate-neutral European Union (4i-TRACTION)

Innovation, Investment, Infrastructure, and sectoral Integration

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Project
 
Regions play a central role in achieving the substantial acceleration of renewable energy deployment required to reach the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets. This project examined the socio-economic effects of renewable energy deployment at the regional level in the EU and subsequently identified factors that are conducive to an equitable energy transition. Ecologic Institute conducted a case study on the role of renewable energy and its socio-economic imparts in the North German region Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Exploring the Socio-economic Impact of Energy Transition in EU Regions

Case study Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

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Project
 
Project logo on blue background with corrected series title
The Arctic Winter College was a series of weekly webinars, featuring diverse experts and hosted by organizer Victoria Herrmann (President and Managing Director of The Arctic Institute). It focused on the theme "Arctic on the Move." The class schedule featured 20 great researchers, policy practitioners, and Traditional Knowledge holders.

Arctic Winter College 2021

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Project
 
Photovoltaic technology is a key lever for decarbonising Berlin's power consumption and for social participation in the transformation process, especially for tenants. Therefore, solar energy and projects on rental apartment blocks are key elements of the Berlin Senate's Energy and Climate Protection Programme. In the research project "ElectricityNeighbours", Ecologic Institute and IÖW evaluate the experience gained so far in implementing such prosumer projects in Berlin, outline innovation potentials for the field and develop ideas on how the regulatory framework can be further developed. In doing so, the team looks beyond pure tenant electricity projects to the potentials of sector coupling.

ElectricityNeighbours – Can tenants in Berlin's apartment buildings become prosumers through solar power projects and sector coupling?

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Project
 
The aim of this project is to assess – for a selection of EU Member States – the impacts of policies and measures (PaMs) as described in their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). To this end, the project team identifies specific policy instruments and related ex-ante and ex-post evaluations, to collect and compare impact estimates and analyze the implications for achieving the energy and climate goals. The assessment also provides insights into the methodological uncertainties of evaluations in different policy areas. The considered policy areas are energy efficiency, renewable energy, cross-cutting instruments and agriculture and the NECPs from the following Member States are included; Germany, Denmark, France, Slovenia and Sweden.

Assessing Policy Evaluations in the Context of the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs)

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Project
 
Ecologic Institute concluded the project "The Future of the EU – Make Climate Action its Trademark". The project established a network of think tanks from eight EU Member States – Germany, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Poland. The project monitored the domestic debates on the Conference on the Future of Europe (CFE) and its link to climate policies. The project also facilitated dialogues on the CFE between Member States, and contributed regularly to national debates on the CFE.

The Future of the EU – Make Climate Action its Trademark

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Project
 
In this project, Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) and Ecologic Institute organised a series of 10 online briefing events (webinars) to inform journalists about the key elements and topics of European energy and climate policy. In total, more than 130 journalists from 30 countries participated in the ten events, dissecting topics like the 2030 EU climate target, the UN climate change conference COP26 and the EU's carbon border levy plans. The attendees ranged from journalists representing smaller local publications to those from established media such as Bloomberg, NY Times, the Guardian, Euractiv and Die Welt.

Event Series on the European Energy Transition

journalist briefings with Clean Energy Wire (CLEW)

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Project
 
Network of icons showing various climate-related indicators
In this project, Climact and Ecologic Institute analysed the impact assessment for the new EU climate target proposed by the Commission in September 2020. After examining policy options and modelling results, they were compared with recent studies, in particular with Climact's modelling results for 2030. A policy brief highlights key points where the Commission differs from other studies and identifies climate change potentials that deserve more attention in future analyses.

Assessing the Impact Assessment for Raising the EU's 2030 Climate Target

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Energy prosumption through the deployment of residential renewable energy technologies reduces GHG emissions, speeds up the energy transition and provides important community benefits. In this project "Energy Prosumption in Europe", Ecologic Institute, CE Delft and Fraunhofer ISI help the European Energy Agency to better explain how energy prosumerism works in the agency’s 32 member countries – with the aim of inspiring citizens and decision-makers at all governance levels to expand prosumerism.

Energy Prosumption in Europe

A lever for the transition of our energy systems?

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Project
 
Around the world, an increasing number of countries have decided to phase out coal, both to achieve their climate targets, but also to modernise their electricity sector in the transition from fossil to renewable energy supply. This includes Germany, which long had one of the highest shares of coal use in Europe – and Chile, as one the first Latin American country to move beyond coal. To support the dialogue in the Chilean-German Energy Partnership, Ecologic Institute, Agora Energiewende and Chilean experts were commissioned to draft a paper comparing the coal phase-out processes in both countries.

Phasing Out Coal in Germany and Chile: A Comparative Analysis

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Project
 
In the project "Knowledge. Transformation. Berlin.", the Ecornet Berlin research network pursued the goal of expanding Berlin's pioneering role in innovative approaches for a liveable, climate-neutral and resource-efficient city. Therefore, the research network focused on the existing strengths and diversity of Berlin, but also on the existing ecological and social challenges. The goal was to expand Berlin's pioneering role in the development of innovative approaches in an innovatively way. To this end, the associated institutes worked on several projects in the thematic fields of social climate transformation, sustainable economies and digitalization.

Knowledge. Transformation. Berlin – Transdisciplinary research for a social and ecological metropolis

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The Ariadne project shows ways in which the climate goals can be achieved. The focus is on research for energy transition strategies, their systemic effects, and which sectoral interactions arise as a result. The project investigates policy instruments to help achieve climate goals in an efficient and socially balanced way. With the help of evidence-based assessments, the scientific basis for shaping the energy transition is to be expanded and any learning processes in politics and science are to be triggered.

Evidence-based Assessment for the Design of the German Energy Transition (Ariadne)

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Project
 
Ecologic Institute investigates the extent to which transport and buildings are already affected by the existing EU emissions trading scheme, e.g. through district heating networks and electromobility. Furthermore, Ecologic Institute contributes case studies on non-European emissions trading schemes covering transport and/or buildings (including California, New Zealand and Tokyo). Furthermore, Ecologic Institute provides analyses on which price-based instruments are already applied in selected EU member states. Finally, Ecologic Institute examines how the expansion of emissions trading would affect competitiveness and the EU's existing climate policy instruments.

Possible Extension of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) to Cover Emissions from the Use of Fossil Fuels in Particular in the Road Transport and the Buildings Sector

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Project
 
Addressing energy consumption and related GHG emissions from buildings constitute a major challenge in the light of the climate crisis. At the same time, the interplay of building policies with other policy areas comes into focus with sector coupling, digitalization but also lifecycle considerations and adaptation to climate change. For the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), Climact, Creara Consultores and Ecologic Institute investigate which lessons can be learned from already existent integrated policy approaches for new buildings and buildings undergoing a major renovation.

Integrated Approaches for the Renovation and Modernisation of the Built Environment

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The European commission strives for carbon-neutrality in Europe by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, the energy intensive industries will have to reduce their emissions substantially. On behalf of the European Parliament, CE Delft and Ecologic Institute will summarise how energy intensive industries in Europe can transition to a carbon-neutral energy economy while preserving their global competitiveness.

Energy Intensive Industries: Challenges and opportunities in energy transition

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Ecologic Institute starts dialogue with conservative climate and energy policy makers. The dialogue aims to build bridges for effective climate action through all segments of society. The project is carried by Ecologic Institute in cooperation with Szazadveg Foundation, a Hungarian Think Tank. The dialogue consists of a number of meetings, publications and a concluding conference in Brussels.

Building Bridges – A High Trust Network with Conservative Groups for Ambitious Climate Action

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Project
 
Without a thorough transformation in the transport sector, the energy transition will not succeed. On the one hand, emissions caused by mobility must be significantly reduced. On the other hand, the two sectors of transport and energy need to be linked. Lower Saxony, where the dominance of car traffic is more pronounced than in other German regions, has initiated many sustainable mobility projects in recent years. Now it is a matter of spreading the word on new mobility concepts. To contribute to this broader goal, the WenaMoNi project carries out a comprehensive cross-sectoral analysis in the field of sustainable mobility in Lower Saxony and then identifies opportunities and obstacles.

New Approaches to Sustainable Mobility in Lower Saxony (WenaMoNi)

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Infrastructure systems are undergoing a process of profound transformation. They are under great pressure to change in order to contribute to changing social objectives. Expectations and challenges with regard to climate adaptation and climate protection, the circular economy, energy system transformation including the phasing out of nuclear power, coal, mobility, decarbonisation, as well as the long-term processes of urbanisation and demographic change are setting new goals, which also affect the development of infrastructures. The new technical possibilities of information and communication technologies in the wake of the digital transformation, including the increasing familiarity of the users in their application, together with the new objectives lead to a great dynamic of change towards more efficiency, comfort and partly completely new services.

Transformation Towards Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructures (TRAFIS II)

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Project
 
With the National Climate Initiative (NKI), the Federal Environment Ministry has been supporting climate protection projects throughout Germany since June 2008, contributing to the achievement of Germany's climate protection goals. During this time, the NKI's guidelines and calls for proposals have been further developed and new guidelines and calls for proposals initiated, in order to tap strategic climate protection potentials, particularly in the target groups of municipalities, business and private households. All along this process, Independent experts have continuously evaluated the impact of the National Climate Initiative, assessed gaps and identified potentials for further development of the NKI. Overall, the effect of the National Climate Initiative to date has been largely positive, also in terms of its contribution to national climate protection targets. In the fourth edition in a suite of contracts on the evaluation and further development of the NKI, a consortium of Öko-Institut, IFEU, Fraunhofer ISI, Ice-Tex, Prognos, Dr. Tews, Prof. Dr. Klinski and Ecologic Institute is examining and evaluating the NKI's funding programmes and developing proposals for their further development.

Evaluation, Monitoring and Adaptation of Existing Funding Programmes and Further Development of the National Climate Initiative (NKI) 2019-2023

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The National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are a key tool of the Energy Union Governance towards achieving the EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets. All Member State had to submit their drafts by 31 December 2018. The Ecologic Institute, together with CLIMACT, developed a methodology to rate and rank the draft NECPs. Funded by the European Climate Foundation, this project sheds light on how well Member States are fulfilling the obligation of the Governance Regulation and thereby, how well Member States are supporting the achievement of the 2030 targets.

National Energy and Climate Plans – A review of EU Member States climate action planning towards 2030

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Project
 
Biofuels form a large part of renewable energy consumption in the transport sector in the EU. The use of biofuels has many challenges for consumers and it is therefore necessary to better understand the different problems and trends of consumption in the EU. "Study on the use of feedstocks for biofuels in selected EU countries" evaluates the availability of data on different sustainability aspects of biofuels in selected EU member states. In addition, it provides information on relevant policy measures to support biofuel consumption.

The Use and Share of Feedstocks for Biofuels in Selected EU Countries

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Project
 
The objective of this project is to support DG Climate Action (European Commission) in its assessment of Member States’ key challenges to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and related policies recently put into place. The information should also help DG CLIMA in enhancing the role of climate policies in the European Semester. With this project, Ecologic Institute continues the work in this field since 2012.

Collection and Assessment of Information on Climate Policies in the Context of the European Semester

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Project
 
From June 2018 to the end of January 2019, the Commission on "Growth, Structural Change and Employment" met as an independent body comprised of covering a broad cross-section of social, political and economic actors. As per its mandate from the German Federal Government adopted on 6 June 2018, the Commission was requested to develop a plan for ending coal-fired power generation in Germany, which would both contribute to meeting the Federal Government's climate policy goals, but also deliver recommendations on manging structural change in the coal regions and create new, future-proof jobs.

Scientific Support for the Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment

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Project
 
Within the Paris Agreement, the European Union (EU) committed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced in the EU by 20% between 1990 and 2020, and by at least 40% between 1990 and 2030, with the aim of keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C. In order to achieve this, Europe has to invest approximately 179 billion € additionally per year. The post-2020 EU budget could contribute to this sum and help to engage private investors. In this regard, the Ecologic Institute analyzes the EU Commission’s proposals on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027.

Analysis of Linkages between the EU Budget and Energy and Climate Targets for 2030

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Europe's energy sector transformation is now well on its way. Yet, to reach the EU's ambitious decarbonisation target for 2050, more fundamental changes will be required in the energy and transport system after 2020. To provide a solid basis for decision-makers, the Ecologic Institute supports Agora Energiewende in developing a report that delivers a snapshot of how the EU’s energy system could like in 2030. The new report "Big Picture of the European Clean Energy Transition in 2030" builds on the successful German predecessor "Energiewende 2030: The Big Picture". In a concise and accessible fashion, the report specifies key challenges in EU energy policy and shows the way forward towards higher ambition.

Big Picture of the European Clean Energy Transition in 2030

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Project
 
The aim of this project is to promote the international dissemination of knowledge about emissions trading systems, to provide practical experience from Europe and Germany and to support countries in setting up a national emissions trading system. Hence, existing teaching materials on emissions trading will be updated and expanded, new teaching modules on other topics will be developed, and network meetings, workshops and information events (e.g. side events, trade fairs) with experts will be held. In addition, foreign governments and government-related institutions will be supported on special topics by practical assignments of experts at home and abroad. The experience gained in Germany and the EU, relevant knowledge and "good practice" can thus be passed on to interested countries.

Capacity Building in Emissions Trading to Support Bilateral Cooperation

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