This discussion paper outlines different options to design a standard-setting scheme that addresses these problems.

Is there a legal right to weather? Weather modification technologies have been used for over 50 years. Clouds are seeded with chemicals in order to induce or prevent rain, hail or snow. In his article, Ralph Czarnecki, Senior Fellow at Ecologic, analyses perspectives on a future weather law against the background of scarcer precipitation and the ensuing problems such as "rain theft" and distributional justice.

In a discussion paper for the recently launched Forum for Atlantic Climate and Energy Talks (FACET), Camilla Bausch and Michael Mehling look back on the recent negotiations at the U.N. climate conference in Bali, Indonesia, and analyse the implications of the "Bali Roadmap" for the future of the international climate regime.

Based on the first three years of experience with the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the European Commission has put forward its proposals for a review of the scheme on 23 January 2008. This article by Benjamin Görlach, Olaf Hölzer-Schopohl, and Hauke Hermann, a Fellow with Ecologic, summarises some of the main changes proposed by the Commission in response to identified deficits, and outlines some of the most contentious points expected to feature prominently in further debate.

<p>&#13; On 23 January 2008 the European Commission put forth an integrated proposal for Climate and Renewable Energy Action. The Commission’s ambitious objective to achieve an overall binding target for the European Union of 20% renewable energy by 2020 and a 10% minimum target for the market share of biofuels by 2020, has received much attention around the world.  At the ACG’s dinner discussion “Renewable Energy: A Boom for Germany and Europe?” Stephanie Schlegel, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, gave a presentation on the current policies and developments of renewable energy in the European Union.</p>&#13;

The debate regarding the expansion of nuclear energy capacity has gained new prominence in the face of climate change. In scientific and political scenarios, nuclear energy is often seen as an important element of a future energy system. Against this backdrop, the Climate Talk tried to evaluate the actual contribution of nuclear energy towards greenhouse gas reduction targets. Taking into account existing and emerging alternatives, the experts assessed the future role of nuclear energy in the international climate policy regime.

<p> Chaired by Madeleine Albright, the Aspen Atlantic Group (AAG) is an initiative of former serving North American and European foreign ministers, from across the political spectrum.&nbsp; The AAG dedicated ist 8th Meeting on 6 to 9 March 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to the Political Implications of Climate Change, and invited R. Andreas Kraemer to speak on European and American Approaches to Climate Change: Prospects for a Common Transatlantic Agenda. Deliberations at the meeting covered a range of topics, including U.S. movement to address climate change, the integration of emerging countries, the national security implications of a climate shift, the prospects of a global deal during the Copenhagen 2009 summit, and European and American approaches for dealing with this issue.</p>

More than any previous year, 2007 saw momentum build for concerted international action on climate change. With a lively public debate and several high-profile events, global warming enjoyed unprecedented media attention and also a prominent place on the political agenda as the year came to an end. In this article, Camilla Bausch, Head of Energy and Climate at Ecologic, and Michael Mehling, Head of the Ecologic office in Washington, D.C., review central developments in the area of international climate policy in the last quarter of 2007.

The aim of this paper, prepared by the Arctic Centre in September 2008 as part of the Arctic TRANSFORM project, is to present the situation of the Arctic indigenous peoples in relation to the changing marine environment. The Arctic region is home to several groups of indigenous peoples (including Inupiat, Yup’ik and Aleut in Alaska, Inuit in Greenland and Canada, Saami in Fennoscandia and Russia and, Yup’ik, Chukchi, Even, Evenk and Nenets in Russia). Out of the total population of 4 million people in the Arctic, 10 % are indigenous. Climate change significantly impacts the traditional harvesting and other activities of indigenous peoples.

The lecture tour from 31 March to 4 April 2008 was initiated by the World Affairs Council of Rhode Island (WACRI) and involved a number of universities, law firms, local chapters of the WACA, and Eric M. Warburg Chapters of the ACG, as well as representatives from consular offices of EU Member States.

On 27 February 2008, an Ecologic Dinner Dialogue was held in honour of Suedeen Kelly, Commissioner at the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In her initial remarks, Suedeen Kelly pointed out that many electric utilities in the United States are indeed aware of the potential new grid technologies have – the “fairy kiss” by information technology seems to be happening. However, the deployment of smart grids is not going to happen on its own.