On 19 June 2013, Ecologic Institute hosted a Riverside Chat on the implications of Germany's "Energiewende" in a European context. The moderated discussion featured Dr. Christian Hey, General Secretary of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU). Susanne Langsdorf of Ecologic Institute moderated the discussion, which took place during a visitors program for 20 decision makers and journalists from...Read more
In 2011, the German government set the ambitious goal of an energy transition by 2050, the so-called Energiewende. Meanwhile, the EU Commission is also considering far-reaching targets. But how can these objectives be reached? Which role does energy efficiency play, and how can its potential be increased? This was the subject of Ecologic Institute’s Riverside Chat on 9 May...Read more
On 6 December 2011, the Ecologic Institute hosted a Riverside Chat on the implications of Germany’s energy policy shift for a group of high-level international visitors, including policy makers and journalists from EU Member States, Norway, Belarus, Switzerland and China. The program was co-organised by the Ecologic Institute on behalf of the Goethe Institute.
The following expert speakers presented their...Read more
General conditions for a further expansion of renewable energy in Germany are favorable: rather ambitious long-term strategic goals were set; a number of measures to achieve them were implemented; and the phase out of the use of nuclear energy was agreed upon. Remains to see what challenges will arise along the road towards a shift to 100 % renewable energy? What can other countries learn from this development? In honor of a high-ranking delegation of 21 Saudi students visiting Germany, the Ecologic Institute hosted a Riverside Chat to discuss these questions on 18 November 2011.
How should coastal zones be managed to best adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise? What is the severity of the threats involved, and what are the decisions and tradeoffs that must be made? How should the scientific community navigate the interface between science and policy? These questions and more were examined at an Ecologic International Riverside Chat that brought together Michael K. Orbach and Hans von Storch on 5 July 2011 in Berlin.
On the road to providing energy for the whole economy without significantly increasing carbon emissions and without using nuclear power, energy efficiency is one of the most important companions. Yet, its potential is still underutilized – in Germany as in most countries around the world. How to lift the potential of energy efficiency was the subject of Ecologic Institute’s Riverside Chat on 17 May 2011, featuring Christian Noll, CEO of the German Initiative for Energy Efficiency (DENEFF) and Hans-Joachim Ziesing, Senior Policy Advisor at the Ecologic Institute.Read more
In March 2011, The National People’s Congress has approved China’s 12th Five-Year-Plan, setting targets that also related to climate and clean energy issues. At a German-Chinese Riverside Chat on 31 March 2011 in Berlin, China’s commitment to international cooperation and the UN-led climate negotiation process was addressed. The Riverside Chat was held in honor of a high-ranking Chinese delegation that visited Germany as part of the Sino-German Environmental Policy Program.
Climate change, energy security and peak oil are challenges that industries, governments and citizens need to tackle in a common effort. The transformation of the energy sector offers a still widely untapped opportunity for addressing these challenges. On June 9, 2010, an international Riverside Chat brought together Ulrich Kelber, MdB and C. Brad Williams, Deputy Secretary of Energy, Oklahoma, USA to discuss ways to achieve 100% renewable energies.Read more
On June 24, 2009, an International Riverside Chat brought Michael Allegretti and Dr. Georg Riegel together to discuss transatlantic opportunities in moving toward a low-carbon future. Michael Allegretti is the Head of Government Relations at the Climate Group, and Dr. Georg Riegel is founder and CEO of deZem GmbH, a consulting company that offers services to help businesses optimize their energy efficiency.