Description: The aim of this study is to contribute to a learning process about innovative and successful approaches to overcoming problems and challenges of urban environmental protection. To this end, a detailed overview of the importance of environmental challenges, political priorities and successful solutions in selected countries and cities is given. Based on this, the study analyzes specific success factors and discusses the extent to which these can be transferred and replicated to other cities. Finally, recommendations are made for cities, countries and the international community on how environmental protection at the urban level can be further strengthened. The role of German cities and institutions will also be discussed. The case studies analyzed include Belo Horizonte in Brazil, Moscow in Russia, Kochi in India, Beijing in China, Cape Town in South Africa and Jakarta in Indonesia. These cities were selected because they have already implemented successful policies, measures and other initiatives in the past. For each city, the study analyzes relevant policy documents in order to present the respective challenges and political priorities. The analysis aims to understand the effectiveness of the plans and instruments taking into account the national political environment. Despite the cross-sectoral approach, the analysis of each case study focuses on specific sectors in order to produce well-founded results. The success factors that are worked out based on this sectoral analysis are placed in a holistic context in order to be able to make generalizable statements about success factors.

Description: The objective of this report is to use historical analysis to identify conditions that determine when offsets add value to compliance schemes while upholding environmental integrity. The indicators of success include: increased acceptance of introducing compliance schemes; raising ambition in subsequent compliance periods; the possibility to drive emission reductions outside the compliance sectors; promoting investments in sustainable development; and avoiding perverse incentives that undermine the stringency of the compliance scheme or compliance actors’ efforts in reducing their own emissions. Through undertaking in-depth case study analyzes on the effects of offsets in the European Union, Alberta, Australia, Colombia and Japan, the report identifies common conditions that explain why offsets were successful (or not) in achieving individual indicators. The report further identifies two common conditions that can help explain when offsets achieve all five indicators of success. The first is that policymakers need to be willing to design the compliance scheme to set and maintain a strong compliance price signal that justifies the need for incorporating cost containment measures, such as offsets, to avert negative political and economic ramifications. Relatedly, the second condition requires institutions, processes and infrastructure that govern both the compliance scheme and offsets to be well developed so that they can ensure offsets uphold the principles of environmental integrity, achieve sustainable development benefits, and act as a reliable cost containment measure to high compliance prices. The findings also highlight how difficult it is to achieve both conditions, as both domestic and international political economy factors determine whether policymakers and voters are willing to introduce and maintain compliance schemes that deliver effective action on climate.

Description: The Paris Agreement combines collective goals with individual countries' contributions. This hybrid approach does not guarantee that the individual contributions add up to what is required to meet the collective goals. The Paris Agreement therefore established the Global Stocktake. Its task is to "assess collective progress" towards achieving the long-term goals of the agreement as of 2023 and every five years thereafter. Corresponding to this role, this report addresses three questions: What should an effective Global Stocktake look like? What information and data are needed? Is it possible to execute an effective Global Stocktake within the mandate of the Paris Agreement?

Description: Zwei Drittel des heutigen Welthandels gründen auf globalen Wertschöpfungsketten und Versorgungsnetzen. Rein regionalwirtschaftlich organisierte Lieferketten haben in den letzten Jahrzehnten an Bedeutung verloren. Die Auswirkungen dieser globalisierten Strukturen sind vielfältig: Zum einen haben sie beschäftigungsfördernde Effekte und wirken wohlstandsstiftend. Zum anderen existieren entlang der Lieferketten extreme soziale, ökologische und ökonomische Schieflagen. Die COVID-19-Pandemie zeigt in erheblichem Maße, wie fragil bestehende Lieferkettensysteme sind. Der Lockdown unterbricht noch immer komplexe Lieferketten und viele Probleme der bestehenden Produktions- und Konsumweise verschärfen sich weiterhin. COVID-19 ist ein Beispiel einer der möglichen Krisen, welche die globalen und vernetzten Wertschöpfungsketten kurzfristig erschüttern kann. Andere Krisen entwickeln sich schleichender und damit weniger schnell erkennbar, wie etwa der globale Klimawandel. So unterschiedlich sie sind, haben die Krisen eines gemein: Sie zeigen die Verletzlichkeit globaler Gesellschafts- und Wirtschaftsstrukturen auf und verdeutlichen die Wirkungen globalen Handels auf die Regionen und Menschen der Welt. Die globale Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie setzt genau hier an - sie zielt darauf ab, Unterschiede und Ungleichheit in Chancen und Lebensqualität grundlegend zu vermindern. Deshalb sollte die Umsetzung der Nachhaltigkeitsziele auf internationaler, nationaler und regionaler Ebene eine Antwort auf solche Krisen sein. Da durch die Covid-19-Pandemie zeitgleich die komplette Welt in eine Umbruchsituation gedrängt wurde, bietet die Reaktion darauf an, Nachhaltigkeit als zentrale politische Resilienz-Strategie zu nutzen. Im Zuge der Corona-Pandemie flammte die Diskussion um resiliente Kommunen auf. Diese sollten sich stärker an regional- und kreislaufwirtschaftlichen Ansätzen orientieren, um angesichts solcher Pandemien die Versorgung weiterhin gewährleisten zu können. So wichtig und richtig die Entwicklung eigener regionalwirtschaftlicher und kreislauforientierter Ansätze im Kern ist, so wenig resilient ist es, wenn deren Entwicklung nicht unter globaler und nachhaltiger Perspektive erfolgt. Ziel sollten menschengerechte, nachhaltige und transparente Lieferketten sein, die auch bei plötzlich veränderten Rahmenbedingungen und Krisen richtungssicher die Versorgungssicherheit zur Deckung von Grundbedürfnissen und Daseinsvorsorge sicherstellen können. Das vorliegende Diskussionspapier zeichnet als Zukunftsszenario global kooperative, kreislauforientierte Regionalwirtschaften, die weltweite Ungleichheiten in Chancen und Lebensqualität grundlegend vermindern und dabei gleichsam die natürlichen Lebensgrundlagen dauerhaft bewahrt werden.

Description: On the basis of a literature research, this subtask develops a conceptional framework for a common understanding of CE within the project team and for the following work packages and tasks. After a brief introduction into the objectives and the context of a circular economy, a more elaborated look into the necessity of an explicit understanding of CE, the objectives, the spatial perspective of CE and the specific challenges within the CICERONE context will be done, in order to develop a basis for a common understanding within the project context. Circular economy can and has to be understood as an (eco-)innovation agenda. Therefore, the paper investigates the role policy has to play to support innovation for a CE transition, for creating the framework conditions and why CE has also to be build from the ground up. Finally, the paper looks from two perspectives at emerging trends and business models in a CE to sketch next steps towards the transition in a selection of central sectors. Conclusions are drawn on the basis of the insights gained by the preceding chapters.

Description: Effective policies to mitigate climate change need to be accompanied by a socially just transition. Based on experiences of past and ongoing transition policies in coal regions in Europe and with indications to the specificity of framework conditions and challenges and to the potential effectiveness and transferability of approaches, this paper presents lessons learnt which can be inspirational for similar transitions in other coal regions and for transitions in other sectors.

Description: Offsetting enables countries and companies to meet part of their climate change mitigation obligations by using mitigation outcomes generated elsewhere - in lieu of own emission reductions. This report explores the future role of offset approaches and how they could be successfully integrated into a post-2020 climate regime by focusing both the supply and demand side. For this purpose, the report develops a conceptual approach that derives a normative vision of what should be considered a successful offset use in a top-down manner to then link this vision to specific factors on the ground in sectors and jurisdictions where offsets will be generated and used. It explores how these factors influence the successful operationalisation of the offset approach and how they can inform its design. In addition, the report also explores six conceptual design aspects to providing recommendations on how to take these factors into account during the design of the offset approach. Based on these findings, the authors derive overarching policy recommendations on the integration of offsets into carbon pricing schemes.

Description: Despite a strong connection between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, climate change mitigation actions and sustainable development objectives are oftentimes not aligned efficiently, causing conflicts between the objectives. This thesis creates a systematic overview of conflicts of three renewable energy technologies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by a literature review in Web of Science. The technologies solar energy, wind energy and hydropower function as examples for climate change mitigation actions. Out of 530 screened articles, 63 demonstrated conflicts. The systematic overview reveals that conflicts are different for each technology, but conflicts in regard to biodiversity loss and the degradation of natural habitats (SDG 15) and inequalities (SDG 10) were frequently identified for all technologies. The results of the systematic overview suggest that the site selection and the decision-making process on the construction of renewable energy projects are crucial stages to avoid conflicts with the SDGs.

Description: A clear understanding of socio-technical interdependencies and a structured vision are prerequisites for fostering and steering a transition to a fully renewables-based energy system. To facilitate such understanding, a phase model for the renewable energy transition in MENA countries has been developed and applied to the country case of Iraq. It is designed to support the strategy development and governance of the energy transition and to serve as a guide for decision makers. The transition towards renewable energies is still at a very early stage in Iraq. Despite the drop in renewable technology costs over the last decade and the increasing deployment of renewables in the MENA region, the pathway towards renewable energies seems to be challenging for Iraq. This is attributable to the country's political instability and the dominant economic role played by the fossil fuel sector. The most pressing concern for Iraq's electricity sector is the need to secure a constant electricity supply. At operational level, Iraq's electricity infrastructure requires significant investment to rebuilt, retro-fit and expand its overall capacity and to improve efficiencies. Yet, the need to rebuild the energy system after the war and the subsequent violent conflicts could offer an opportunity for a transition towards renewables that would benefit Iraq in the short term and also provide a long-term economic development perspective. To take advantage of this opportunity, Iraq needs to improve the framework conditions for renewable energies and raise awareness about the benefits it offers. Renewable energy regulations need to be introduced, market development supported, a realistic timeframe for the transition process established and an appropriate and reliable legal framework developed. The results of the analysis along the transition phase model towards 100% renewables are intended to stimulate and support the discussion about Iraq's future energy system by providing an overarching guiding vision for the energy transition and the development of appropriate policy strategies.

Description: A clear understanding of socio-technical interdependencies and a structured vision are prerequisites for fostering and steering a transition to a fully renewables-based energy system. To facilitate such understanding, a phase model for the renewable energy transition in MENA countries has been developed and applied to the country case of Algeria. It is designed to support the strategy development and governance of the energy transition and to serve as a guide for decision makers. The analysis shows that Algeria has already taken first steps towards a renewable energy transition. According to the MENA phase model, Algeria can be classified as entering the "Take-Off Renewables" phase. Nevertheless, fossil fuels still play a dominant role in the Algerian energy sector and in the economy as a whole. To support the renewables take-off, strong support is therefore needed at all levels. Only then can the necessary framework conditions be created to encourage participation and to attract investment from the private sector. To this end, a long-term energy strategy should to be developed that takes into account the renewable energy potential to support an efficient transformation of the Algerian energy supply and enables a smooth transition.