The project examined the effects, processes and support options for implementing innovative infrastructure coupling. Current developments, the associated transformation processes including supporting and hindering factors as well as potential sustainability effects of coupled infrastructure solutions were examined. The focus is on innovative, i.e. not established, couplings (understood as niche innovations) in the transport, energy, water, wastewater, waste management and information and communication technologies (ICT) sectors. The present volume provides a summary of the results, which are available in three sub-reports.

The project examined the effects, processes and support options for implementing innovative infrastructure coupling. The present volume examines local innovation processes in four case studies. Especially when it comes to innovations, there are no standard solutions. The technical systems must be embedded in supportive organisational structures, be economically feasible and implementable, function in a social context and encounter a enabling political and legal framework. Local actors, especially public utilities, are able to take the new, often uncertain paths, if the right framework conditions are in place.

The project examined the effects, processes and support options for implementing innovative infrastructure coupling. The present volume examines development paths, success factors and barriers as well as the contribution of infrastructure couplings to sustainability transformation and design options. Implementation processes are often complex, breaking new ground and requiring the cooperation of actors in completely new constellations and responsibilities. Whether sustainability transformation is successful on the local level depends on numerous factors that can also be shaped on local level in a systematic way. Innovations promote new structures, networks, new behaviour and knowledge.

The project examined the effects, processes and support options for implementing innovative infrastructure coupling.The present volume analyses the effects of innovative couplings on performance, resilience, resource efficiency, and social and economic compatibility. A "sustainability check" with 26 criteria was developed and tested in an expert survey. Coupling infrastructures does not automatically lead to greater sustainability, but coupled infrastructure systems have the potential to contribute to resource conservation and security of supply. This requires a differentiated consideration of the effects on sustainability.

This research report contains the results of the UBA-project "Environmental guidelines of a German Arctic policy". It highlights several starting points for the German environmental department to foster environmental protection in the Arctic, even from a non-Arctic state’s point of view. The report also describes the activities undertaken within the project to raise awareness with the general public on existing links between Germany and the Arctic. Those activities include inter alia an explanatory video and a public event.

This study analysed the effects of the agricultural water protection measures implemented in the collaborative approach, e.g. with regard to their potential for reducing nitrogen leaching into groundwater and regarding the level of acceptance among farmers. The study area consisted of 18 drinking water cooperations covering 20 drinking water protection zones.

The vade mecum on complaint-handling and citizen engagement delivers one of the nine actions in the European Commission's 2018 environmental compliance assurance action plan. It was prepared between May 2018 and May 2019 by Directorate-General Environment of the European Commission together with the Ecologic Institute and individual experts nominated by members of the Environmental Compliance and Governance Forum.

Scaling up climate smart soil management requires addressing a range of barriers, with one of the key barriers being the availability and access to the right kind of knowledge. A new report from Ecologic Institute, prepared under the CIRCASA project, shows the importance of empowering farmers and other stakeholders through effective knowledge creation and exchange.

As part of the ICARE-project (Interactions between international measures for Climate Action and Resource Efficiency), the present study aimed to investigate key findings on the climate-resource-nexus from literature and identify international measures for climate protection and resource conservation. The study then analysed these measures as regards (i.) possible interactions (synergies and trade-offs) between them and (ii.) their potential relevance and fit for different world regions.

Olmeda C., Šefferová V., Underwood E., Millan L., Gil T. and Naumann S. (compilers). 2020. EU Action plan to maintain and restore to favourable conservation status the habitat type 4030 European dry heaths. European Commission.

In Europe, limited information is available about the environmental characteristics of the vehicles stocks and of traded used vehicles in terms of vehicle's air pollutant and CO2 emissions. In this report Ecologic Institute and Fraunhofer ISI explore available national and European data sources of vehicle stocks and trade throughout Europe and compile the available vehicle characteristics. Based on the available characteristics, the authors derive the environmental performance of vehicle stocks and traded used vehicles and assess respective regional differences in the environmental performance of the vehicles stocks and of used vehicle trade flows. The report is available for download.

The CIS Guidance Document No. 37 proposes a common practical framework for defining the good ecological potential which is the environmental objective of heavily modified water bodies designated under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Guidance aims to assist the comparability of approaches between Member States. Its recommendations are based on a common understanding of the WFD requirements on this topic and good practice for implementation developed within the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the WFD.

This research report of the Ecologic Institute addresses how Germany can contribute, through international governance, to reduce the environmental impacts of mining activities outside its territory. It provides a stocktake of existing governance approaches at the international level or with transboundary effect. It then develops specific policy options and recommendations for the German federal government to strengthen international governance for an environmentally sound supply of raw materials.

No two climate laws are the same, but an analysis of nine existing laws in Europe finds that most draw on a set of common design elements to streamline action, align policy goals, establish expert and public review mechanisms and monitor progress towards national climate goals. The assessment of the existing national legislation highlights good practices and also identifies several improvements to European climate governance that could be made via the pending EU climate law.

This report presents for the first time an overview of anthropogenic pressures and their combined effects on Europe's seas. The assessment covers the period of 2011 to 2016 and presents how human activities and pressures on seas have changed over a longer time horizon. The highest potential combined effects are found along coastal areas of the North Sea, Southern Baltic Sea, Adriatic and Western Mediterranean. However, there are also positive developments and the report points to improvements in nutrient levels, hazardous substances and northern fish and tuna stocks.