Institute for European Environmental Policy

Last updated

Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) is an independent, not-for-profit policy studies institute and green think tank which analyses and develops environmental policy in Europe and beyond. The institute is based in Brussels with a branch office in London and a network of partners in other countries, particularly members of the EU. These include universities, environmental and professional associations in a range of sectors, research institutes and consultancies. IEEP works on both pressing short-term questions and long-term strategic studies.

Contents

History

IEEP was originally established in Bonn in 1976 by the European Cultural Foundation (ECF). Its first director was Konrad von Moltke who believed that an institute in Bonn, whatever it was called, would be seen as a German institute, and that to be truly European it was necessary to have a presence in several European countries. So he opened IEEP offices, in Paris in 1978 and in London in 1980. Von Moltke established a monthly bulletin initially in French and then also in English called The Environment in Europe.[ citation needed ] This continued for about ten years and was sent to MPs and MEPs, Committees of parliaments that were beginning to take an interest in this new subject of environmental policy, as well as to ministries.

The London office was initially run as a joint venture with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) that had been founded by Barbara Ward. The IEEP 'office' consisted of a desk at their premises at Percy Street, then occupied by twenty or so people, including the fledgling Earthscan. IEEP London's first director was Nigel Haigh, who stayed until 1998.[ citation needed ] Four projects were planned in the first six months, one of which had to be postponed and modified. They were:

Over time structural and financial problems appeared. The head office was in Bonn; the accounts were kept by ECF in Amsterdam in florins but were often so late that they provided little basis for financial management; there were staff in four countries on the payroll of different organisations. The IEEP Board responded by initiating two debates between staff and board, one about the purpose of IEEP, and the other about its structure. The previous director David Baldock took over the running of the London office in 1998. The Brussels office was opened in 2001 as the importance of being close to the EU power structures was realised. Céline Charveriat became executive director in 2016.

Work

IEEP conducts research and analysis providing consultancy and information services, undertaking work both independently and on commissioned projects. IEEP's work focuses primarily on EU environmental and sustainable development policies, and relevant aspects of other policies such as agriculture, transport, rural and regional development, climate change, industrial pollution and fisheries. The institute is also actively engaged in the development of policy at the national level in Europe. IEEP says that it seeks both to raise awareness of the policies that shape the European environmental agenda and to advance policy-making along sustainable paths. IEEP has expert teams specialising in nature conservation, agriculture and rural development policy, fisheries and marine environment, transport, climate change and energy, industrial pollution and waste, sustainable development, impact assessment, environmental integration and governance. IEEP staff come from a broad variety of disciplines including biologists, ecologists, environmental scientists, lawyers, economists and journalists.

Clients

IEEP's clients and audience include the European Commission, European Parliament, national and local governments, non-government organisations (NGOs), industry and others who contribute to the policy debate. It has regular contacts with the full range of policy actors.

Board

[ when? ]

Publications

Manual of Environmental Policy: the EU and Britain. [1] This is an online manual produced by IEEP and published by Earthscan, which is updated twice per year to include all EU environmental policy developments.

United for Climate Justice: Background paper [2]

CAP 2021-27: Comparative analysis of environmental performance of COMENVI and COMAGRI reports [3]

Assessing and accelerating the EU progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2019 [4]

Environmental Governance in the EU Member States: status assessment [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable development</span> Mode of human development

Sustainable development is an organizing principle that aims to meet human development goals while also enabling natural systems to provide necessary natural resources and ecosystem services to humans. The desired result is a society where living conditions and resources meet human needs without undermining the planetary integrity and stability of the natural system. Sustainable development tries to find a balance between economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being. The Brundtland Report in 1987 defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". The concept of sustainable development nowadays has a focus on economic development, social development and environmental protection for future generations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Environment Programme</span> Agency of the United Nations focused on solving environmental issues

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972. Its mandate is to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic development. The organization also develops international environmental agreements; publishes and promotes environmental science and helps national governments achieve environmental targets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis</span> International research organization in Austria

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is an independent international research institute located in Laxenburg, near Vienna in Austria, founded as an East-West scientific cooperation initiative during the Cold War. Through its research programs and initiatives, the institute conducts policy-oriented interdisciplinary research into issues too large or complex to be solved by a single country or academic discipline. These include climate change, energy security, population aging, and sustainable development. The results of IIASA research and the expertise of its researchers are made available to policymakers worldwide to help them make informed and evidence-based policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Directorate-General for the Environment</span>

Directorate-General for Environment is a Directorate-General of the European Commission, responsible for the Environmental policy of the European Union. In 2010 "relevant [climate change] activities in DG Environment" were moved to the new DG Climate Action. At the same time the DG Energy (ENER) was also established. The 2022 commissioner was Virginijus Sinkevičius.

Environmental policy is the commitment of an organization or government to the laws, regulations, and other policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues. These issues generally include air and water pollution, waste management, ecosystem management, maintenance of biodiversity, the management of natural resources, wildlife and endangered species. For example, concerning environmental policy, the implementation of an eco-energy-oriented policy at a global level to address the issues of global warming and climate changes could be addressed. Policies concerning energy or regulation of toxic substances including pesticides and many types of industrial waste are part of the topic of environmental policy. This policy can be deliberately taken to influence human activities and thereby prevent undesirable effects on the biophysical environment and natural resources, as well as to make sure that changes in the environment do not have unacceptable effects on humans.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, often simply shortened to GIZ, is the main German development agency. It is headquartered in Bonn and Eschborn and provides services in the field of international development cooperation and international education work. The organization's self-declared goal is to deliver effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Reporting Initiative</span> International standards organization

The Global Reporting Initiative is an international independent standards organization that helps businesses, governments, and other organizations understand and communicate their impacts on issues such as climate change, human rights, and corruption.

John Whitelegg is visiting professor of sustainable transport at Liverpool John Moores University and professor of sustainable development at University of York's Stockholm Environment Institute.

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is an independent policy research institute whose stated mission is to "build a fairer, more sustainable world, using evidence, action and influence in partnership with others." Its director is Dr Tom Mitchell.

The Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries is a member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Virginijus Sinkevičius, who also serves as EU Commissioner for the Environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felix Dodds</span> British author, futurist, and activist

Felix Dodds, born Michael Nicholas Dodds, is a British author, futurist, and activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainability</span> Goal of people safely co-existing on Earth

Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Experts often describe sustainability as having three dimensions : environmental, economic, and social, and many publications emphasize the environmental dimension. In everyday use, sustainability often focuses on countering major environmental problems, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, loss of ecosystem services, land degradation, and air and water pollution. The idea of sustainability can guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels. A related concept is sustainable development, and the terms are often used to mean the same thing. UNESCO distinguishes the two like this: "Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal, while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Partnership for European Environmental Research</span> Environmental research cooperative

Partnership for European Environmental Research (PEER) is a network of seven European environmental research centres, created in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou</span> Greek politician

Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou is a politician regarding environmental matters, a specialized attorney in International, Environmental and Sustainable Development Law, and the recipient of the Green Star Award awarded by UNEP, OCHA, and Green Cross International for her leadership in prevention, preparedness and response to environmental emergencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camilla Toulmin</span> British economist

'Ann Camilla Toulmin, FRSE is a British economist and former Director of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). Her career has focused on policy research about agriculture, land, climate and livelihoods in dryland regions of Africa, particularly in Mali. She became a senior fellow of IIED in late June 2015, is an Associate of the Institute for New Economic Thinking, and Professor of Practice at the Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Institute for Sustainable Development</span> Think tank in Canada and Switzerland

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent think tank founded in 1990 working to shape and inform international policy on sustainable development governance. The institute has three offices in Canada - Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Toronto, and one office in Geneva, Switzerland. It has over 150 staff and associates working in over 30 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental policy of the European Union</span> Environment protection policy

The European Union (EU) Environmental Policy was initiated in 1973 with the "Environmental Action Programme" at which point the Environmental Unit was formed. The policy has thereafter evolved "to cover a vast landscape of different topics enacted over many decades" (Reuters) and in 2015 the Institute for European Environmental Policy estimated that "the body of EU environmental law" amounted to 500+ directives, regulations and decisions.

"Over the past decades the European Union has put in place a broad range of environmental legislation. As a result, air, water and soil pollution has significantly been reduced. Chemicals legislation has been modernised and the use of many toxic or hazardous substances has been restricted. Today, EU citizens enjoy some of the best water quality in the world"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in climate change</span> Climate change activists

The contributions of women in climate change have received increasing attention in the early 21st century. Feedback from women and the issues faced by women have been described as "imperative" by the United Nations and "critical" by the Population Reference Bureau. A report by the World Health Organization concluded that incorporating gender-based analysis would "provide more effective climate change mitigation and adaptation."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durwood Zaelke</span>

Durwood Zaelke is an American environmental litigator, professor, author, and advocate. As President and founder of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD) in Washington, D.C., and Paris, he currently focuses on fast mitigation strategies to protect the climate, including strategies to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, in the context of the need for speed to limit anthropogenic warming to 1.5 °C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aliyu Salisu Barau</span> Nigerian academic

Aliyu Salisu Barau is a Nigerian academic and a full professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Bayero University Kano. He is the Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Bayero University Kano and the West Africa Hub Director of the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), affiliated with the Earth Institute, Columbia University. He is also a Chartered Town Planner of the UK's Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

References

  1. "Home". www.europeanenvironmentalpolicy.eu. Archived from the original on 2010-08-29. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  2. "United for climate Justice (Background Paper)" (PDF). ieep.eu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  3. "CAP 2021-27: A comparative analysis of the environmental performance of the COMENVI and COMAGRI reports on the Commission's proposals" (PDF). ieep.eu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-07. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  4. "Assessing and accelerating the EU progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) in 2019".
  5. "Environmental Governance in the EU Member States: Status assessment".