The G8 climate change outcomes, recent action in the U.S. Senate and developments on the subnational levels within the U.S. constitute a potential crossroad for transatlantic climate change policy. In light of these developments, Senior Fellow Markus Knigge participated in an expert policy maker seminar on subnational strategies for clean energy investment, technology deployment and innovation.

The event took place in Montreal on 3-5 October 2005. As host of the 11th UNF CCC Conference of the Parties (COP 11) and first Meeting of the Parties (MOP 1) in Montreal, Canada, from November 29 to December 9, 2005, the Canadian government will put special focus on climate change activities at the subnational level such as those undertaken by U.S. States, Canadian Provinces and German Länder. One goal of this subnational component to COP 11 will be to join national governments, business, civil society and cities in the comprehensive efforts to combat climate change beyond greenhouse gas reductions through the development and deployment of clean energy technologies.

The expert and policy maker workshop aimed at continuing the dialogue and cooperation started at Renewables 2004 and at providing substantive input prior to Canada’s focus on subnational activities on climate change at the upcoming events.

The goals of the workshop were in particular:

• to discuss clean energy investment strategies and the potential for state-level partnerships to take joint action against climate change through investing in renewable energy technologies;
• to consider long-term technology and innovation approaches to climate change mitigation;
• and to provide the outcomes of the workshop as input to subnational activities at COP 11 / MOP 1.

The workshop was jointly organized by the CleanEnergyGroup and the Heinrich Boell Foundation.