Fukushima has been a painful reminder that each energy source has its drawbacks, and none comes without side effects. To realise our ambitious climate objectives, we must above all stop wasting energy and use energy in a much smarter and more efficient way. This is not a new insight, but turning this insight into action has proven remarkably difficult. How the existing obstacles to energy efficiency can be overcome, and which initiatives have worked successfully for Germany and the UK so far, was the topic of a discussion event at the UK Embassy in Berlin, moderated by Benjamin Görlach, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute.

<p> Europe can shift to a low-carbon economy, enjoy secure energy supply, environmentally sustainable development, and rising employment.&nbsp; On 10 March 2011, the European Commission presented its &quot;Roadmap 2050&quot; in Berlin, Germany, exposing divisions within the German Federal Government.&nbsp; R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute moderated the event.</p>

The economic crisis starting in 2008 stopped the momentum of transformation towards renewable energies and sustainable transport systems, but also provided opportunities for sustainable development.  The 7th Conference of the British-German Environment Forum (BGEF) meeting at Wilton Park on 24-26 February 2011 investigated the potential for green growth and moving economic policy Beyond GDP by increasing resource efficiency and decoupling of economic development from resource depletion and pollution. R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute is an initiator and coordinator of the BGEF.&#13;

<p>&#13; Electric vehicles can potentially make significant contributions towards achieving the EU’s climate protection goals in the transport sector. In the context of the Dresden university days on ecological-social market economy and sustainability, Max Grünig, Fellow at Ecologic Institute Berlin, presented a summary of the potential and limitations of electric vehicles.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The European Sustainable Development Network (ESDN) convened a workshop on "Reforms for Measuring Welfare and Wealth in the Context of Sustainable Development" in Berlin on 2 and 3 December 2010. R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute moderated the event discussing "Beyond GDP", which was hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Environment (BMU) and the German Bank for Reconstruction (KfW).</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; On 14 October 2010, the German American Energy Forum - a one-day international event that aims to open a dialogue between experts on various energy issues - was held in Washington DC Michael Mehling, President of Ecologic Institute, Washington DC, moderated the first panel focused on energy infrastructure. Ecologic Institute is a supporting partner.</p>&#13;

Ecologic Institute co-convened the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on "Environmental Security in the Arctic Ocean" in Cambridge, England, on 14 to 17 September 2010.  R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute introduced and moderated the session entitled "Environmental State-Change in the Arctic Ocean" on the consequences of environmental change for security.

As the Cold War ends and the ice is melting in the Arctic, security and arms control, climate change and energy, present a new situation for the relations among nations and the joint management of the region. On 29 September 2009, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Rideau Institute convened an expert meeting in Ottawa to take stock of "The Arctic Today and Finding Common Transatlantic Ground". R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute acted as discussant and moderated a session on energy and the environment. The key findings and a summary report of the Arctic Future Forum in Ottawa, ON, on 29 September 2009 is available download.

<p>&#13; The One Planet Economy Network held its Workshop on Scenarios and Policy Analysis in Brussels (Belgium) on 8 and 9 September 2010.  R. Andreas Kraemer moderated the workshop, which was part of the One Planet Economy Network: European Union (OPEN:EU) joint research project sponsored by the European Commission, DG Research, as part of the 7th Framework Programme for Research.</p>&#13;

<p> The Slovenian Government&#39;s annual Bled Strategic Forum promotes high-level dialogue among leaders on key issues facing Europe and the 21st Century world, allowing Europe to better use its strategic space and leverage, and builds political commitment to these strategies. At the 2010 forum, R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute provided input and moderated the panel on &quot;The Water Challenge&quot; focusing on threats to and from the water environment, human security, cooperation, and the avoidance of international conflict.</p>

R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute moderated a panel entitled "Quo Vadis Carbon Trading?" at the conference "The Great Transformation – Greening the Economy", which was jointly organized by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, the Center for American Progress, and the Mercator Foundation. The panel focussed on economic instruments in climate policy, the EU Emission Trading Scheme and its links to carbon markets and also Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in other countries.<p></p>

<p>&#13; The Water Integrity Network (WIN), hosted by Transparency International (TI) in Berlin, convened 20 experts for a consultation on the nexus of water corruption and integrity, environment and climate change.  The consultation on 29 March 2010 was held in the headquarter of the Heinrich Boell Foundation; it was chaired by R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute, and supported by Grit Martinez of Ecologic Institute and WIN.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; On 12 June 2009, Michael Mehling of the Ecologic Institute in Washington DC moderated a plenary session on the “Global Climate Policy Debate” at Carbon Finance North America 2009, an annual trade conference organised in New York. The panel focused on preparations for a post-2012 climate regime and the integration of US policy into an international post-Kyoto agreement, reviewing developments since Poznan (COP 14) and expectations for Copenhagen (COP 15).</p>&#13;

Dr. Grit Martinez, Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Advisor to the Water Integrity Network, moderated the seminar "Beyond Water Bribes: How to build a Corruption-Resistant Water Sector?" at the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul on 18 March 2009. Ecologic Institute had already co-convened an awareness-raising event showcasing the new Water Integrity Network (WIN) at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico.