News

The recently published textbook Urban Nature: New Directions for City Futures, co-authored by McKenna Davis from the Ecologic Institute, offers a global perspective on reimagining urban spaces in the face of climate, biodiversity, and sustainability challenges. Featuring insightful case studies, practical focus boxes, and rich visuals, the book is designed for students of geography, sustainability, and urban environmental studies. It encourages readers to view cities as transformative spaces and to prioritize nature-based solutions. Perfect for academic courses, it includes online resources, thought-provoking questions, and recommended readings. A must-read for anyone looking to redefine urban nature!

The INTERLACE project, dedicated to enabling cities to restore and sustainably manage urban ecosystems, has launched two new publications. These works aim to deepen the understanding and practical application of nature-based solutions (NbS) in urban planning and governance. Both publications underscore the transformative potential of nature-based solutions in creating resilient, sustainable, and inclusive urban environments. Ecologic Institute played a key role in both publications by collating research findings and developing specific recommendations for action.

The pandemic, supply chain challenges, and growing geopolitical tensions have led decision makers and scholars to reconsider the roles of public policy and state intervention. This policy brief from Ecologic Institute, PIK and IER discusses what EU industrial policy should look like, what principles it should follow and how it interacts with the set of existing EU climate and energy policies. The report proposes six principles for an EU industrial policy that embraces climate action and discusses the 'industrial policy trilemma' of navigating goals in climate action, competitiveness, and security.

How can municipalities use innovative approaches to finance nature-based solutions? In our webinar on 26 November 2024, participants gained valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of financing climate adaptation measures. Practical examples, such as the Munich Green Bond or the tiered charging model for rainwater in Berlin, showed ways to successfully finance sustainable projects.

The fifth round of negotiations (#INC5) to agree on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution took place from 25 November to 1 December in Busan, South Korea. Originally intended to be the last round of negotiations leading to a plastics treaty, UN member states failed to agree on such a treaty. Many stakeholders left disappointed, and both member states and observers will have to meet again at an INC5.2 in 2025 to continue their work to end plastic pollution.

The Ecologic Institute is looking for a Head of Communications and Event Management (full or part-time) to strategically advance communication on sustainability topics and organize innovative events. The application deadline is 5 January 2025.