The European Commission has tabled initial proposals for new targets and some changes to key instruments such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS) upon which the EU Heads of State and Government are to make decisions later in 2014. This study assesses the status quo of EU climate and energy policy and experience with the current set of targets and instruments – and distills from it concrete recommendations for a new package for the period until 2030. The study is available for download.

The international community has come up with numerous and often complex suggestions for the design of a new climate agreement to be adopted during the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in 2015 (‘2015 Agreement’). These design options are currently being discussed under Workstream 1 of the ‘Ad-hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action’ (ADP) by Parties to the UNFCCC. This report provides a practical criteria matrix to assist policy makers in evaluating and comparing different proposals for the 2015 Agreement.

Within this report, a total of 39 valuation studies containing 110 individual value estimates have been identified and evaluated, in order to provide an overview of the magnitude of the estimated economic value derived from (sub)tropical biodiversity in ORs ant OCTs. It was found that the value of individual ecosystem services differs widely among the covered regions and ecosystems.

Stefes, Christoph; Andrew Reid; Lucy Smith et. al. 2014: Climate Change Impacts in the Atlantic Basin and Coordinated Adaptation Responses. ATLANTIC FUTURE scientific paper no. 16, Berlin.

This collection of country reports assesses climate and energy policies in all 28 Members States of the European Union (EU). The reports support the DG CLIMA of the European Commission in its contributions to the European Semester. Focusing on the period between February 2013 and November 2013, the reports provide insight into national policy developments and progress towards the achievement of the EU’s climate and energy targets. The reports are available for download.

In this analysis for the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), Camilla Bausch, Matthias Duwe and Benjamin Görlach discuss how the outlook for an ambitious climate and energy have shifted with the start of Angela Merkel's third term in office, and the new political constellation. The authors discuss both the challenges at the national level, Germany's possible role in the EU climate and energy policy, and the effect on international climate negotiations. The analysis is available for download.

This study, launched in October 2012, seeks to identify performing EPR schemes for different waste streams (e.g. ELV, WEEE, Batteries, Packaging, Paper, Used Oil) and prepare detailed case studies, in order to identify common characteristics across schemes, which could serve as a guide for improving the effectiveness of such schemes. The study should allow the Commission to formulate new proposals to ensure an optimal use of EPR schemes. The study is available for download.

Based on a comprehensive analysis of the existing regulatory framework and its gaps, the authors of Ecologic Institute identify general options and specific recommended actions for the effective governance of geoengineering. A key consideration is that the recommendations can be implemented in practice.

Chapman, Sophie; Martijn Wilder; Alfred Gichu et al. 2014: Creating an Enabling Legal Framework for REDD+ Investments in Kenya. Baker & McKenzie, Cambridge Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Research, Cambridge.