Press

Getting the balance right – reforming the European Union’s Emissions Trading System in an even way

Press releases 05/19/2026

A policy brief by Oeko-Institut shows that the proposed two changes would be sufficient to meet demand in the EU ETS 1 by 2040 without the need for further measures to increase supply.

Action needed on public transport in Europe

Press releases 05/19/2026

A new study by the Oeko-Institut, commissioned by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe, examines mobility poverty in up to 33 European countries. It shows that public transport is, for many people, unavailable, too expensive, inaccessible or insufficiently usable in everyday life. Those particularly affected include people on low incomes, older people and women. The study identifies possible solutions, such as better regional connections, more frequent services, affordable fares, accessibility and improved safety on public transport.

Joint press release of Oeko-Institut and Agora Industry

CCS: How to successfully develop an infrastructure for carbon capture and storage

Press releases 02/12/2026

Achieving climate neutrality requires the capture, transport and safe storage of carbon dioxide (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS) where there is no alternative means of reducing emissions. However, key financial and regulatory frameworks are still lacking for the expansion of CO₂ storage sites and transport infrastructure. Furthermore, CCS is significantly more expensive than is often assumed.

Designing artificial intelligence to be environmentally-friendly

Press releases 11/25/2025

Debate about artificial intelligence (AI) is currently focused on energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, the more crucial ecological challenges lie deeper: algorithm-based decision-making systems (ADS), which are increasingly based on AI, are shaping human behaviour and social processes. This is giving rise to socio-technical mediation of environmental impacts; such mediated impacts have been largely overlooked to date by existing environmental legislation. In a new study, Oeko-Institut, along with the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU), the Society for Institutional Analysis (sofia) and experts from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Jade University and IOW Rostock, has analysed how environmental law can be adapted and extended to respond to this development.

From legal obligation to real impact: The challenge of implementing mandatory energy-efficient procurement in Europe

Blog 05/22/2026

Public procurement wields enormous market power and is therefore an effective tool for promoting climate and resource protection. In the third part of this blog series, Ashleigh McLennan examines the European perspective and highlights gaps in the implementation of European regulations.

Draft carbon farming methodology under the EU CRCF falls short of key integrity principles

Blog 05/07/2026

The European Commission presented a revised draft of the certification methodology for carbon farming activities under the Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming Regulation (CRCF) in April 2026. In this blog post, Anne Siemons examines the robustness of the proposed rules and highlights why CRCF units from carbon farming activities may not be backed by actual emission reductions or carbon removals.

International carbon credits as a safety reserve

News 05/05/2026

The European Union (EU) is currently considering what role international carbon credits should play in achieving its 2040 climate target. In a policy brief, the Oeko-Institut explores key options and makes recommendations for the use of international carbon credits.

Carbon cost splitting in practice – how much do landlords and tenants pay?

Blog 04/15/2026

Fossil heating causes carbon emissions — but who should pay for them in rental homes? Germany splits these costs between landlords and tenants based on building efficiency. In this blog post, Dr Sibylle Braungardt explains what the first evaluation reveals about how this works in practice.