During the International VDI Conference-Biomethane 2013, major issues for the biogas and biomethane markets in technical, political and business areas, drawing on leading experiences from all over Europe, Russia and China were discussed. Dr. Wolfgang Urban, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented German political targets and utilization priorities for biomethane. Furthermore he spoke on the current legal framework and incentive scheme as well as the challenges and future perspectives and conclusions from amendment of legal framework. The presentation slides are available for download.

Grit Martinez' presentation during the European Climate Change Adaptation conference (ECCA) 2013 dealt with the perception of climate risks and the reasons why different measures and attitudes emerged in two communities on the German Baltic Sea coast. The research was based on qualitative analysis and document research, including chronicles and exploration of sites of local coastal heritage. Special attention was given to the respective cultural traditions in the communities, e.g., images of nature, people's relationships to the sea and their sense of place, and economic development as well as past approaches and attitudes to coastal defence.

Jenny Tröltzsch and Max Grünig presented the project results together with the project partner Hamburgische WeltWirtschaftsInstitut (HWWI) in Hamburg.The final presentation showed that still large knowledge gaps on the costs of climate change and the costs and benefits of adaptation measures exist. The cost-benefit analyses of adaptation measures in Hamburg show a large bandwidths for local case studies. But nevertheless the results suggest that higher benefits than costs exist for several adaptation measures, for example a green roof program. Furthermore, it is important to initiate adaptation activities of private actors, to reduce damages, e.g. from heavy rain events.

On 13 January 2013 Ecologic Institute participated in a Healthy Communities Forum in Millbrae's Community Center (south of San Francisco, CA). Theme of this Healthy Communities Forum was the health of seniors – today and in the near-term future. Senior Fellow Tanja Srebotnjak presented a selection of the main findings as well as some surprising outcomes of the study on the status and trends in the health of seniors in San Mateo County. The presentation slides are available for download.

In his presentation, Dr. Wolfgang Urban, picked out the future expansion of renewable energies. He presented, from the perspective of the German federal government, the challenges and prospects for biogas. After the placement of bioenergy in the "orchestra of renewable energies" he examined the contribution of biogas and biomethane in order to achieve the policy objectives. He ended his remarks with a presentation of the latest developments and the conveyor frame. The presentation slides are available for download.

The 12th Cairo Climate Talk on "The way forward after Doha" brought together decision makers, academics, and representatives of businesses and non-governmental organizations to discuss the outcomes of the climate change negotiations in Qatar. The Egyptian Environment Minister Dr. Khaled Fahmy showed great interest in increasing the involvement of non-governmental actors in the Egyptian political process. Dr. Camilla Bausch of Ecologic Institute presented the negotiation results and European perspectives on possible future regimes.