Since 2007, on initiative by the European Parliament, the European Commission (DG Relex) has sponsored transatlantic dialogues with a view to developing new approaches for handling global challenges. A conference in Brussels on 16 November 2009 reviewed the results of the first 5 pilot projects. R. Andreas Kraemer presented the outcomes of the Arctic Transform dialogue initiated by Ecologic Institute.

Christiane Gerstetter, Fellow Ecologic Legal, spoke on the legal feasibility of adopting a climate change act in Germany, modeled on the UK Climate Change Act. The presentation was a contribution to a seminar entitled "How legally-binding targets can promote more effective national climate change policy" held in the British Embassy. The presentation was based on an earlier legal expertise by Ecologic Legal on the topic, which the WWF had sponsored. It is available for download.

<p>&#13; On 5 November 2009, the Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) in Frankfurt/Main hosted a workshop focusing on “Opportunities and limits of the ecosystem services concept.” Holger Gerdes, Fellow at the Ecologic Institute, gave a presentation on the application of the ecosystem services concept in policy consultancy.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The Indiana University European Union Center organized a full-day conference entitled "European Union Regulatory Policy: Lessons for Indiana." Dominic Marcellino gave a presentation on the development of EU energy and climate policy over the past decade, pointing out trends and possible future developments, and highlighting implications for Indiana.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; From 15-16 October 2009, the Center for Foreign Trade Law at the Institute for Public Economic Law of the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster hosted its 14th Foreign Trade Law Day, focusing on energy and climate change. At this conference, Benjamin Görlach, economist for the Ecologic Institute, delivered a presentation entitled ‘Economic Instruments between Kyoto and Copenhagen: quo vadis Climate Protection?’</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; At the sixth and final EPOS Network Meeting that took place on the 15th and-16th October 2009 in Budapest, Doris Knoblauch presented the analysis of the stakeholder participation processes that took place within the federal or national sustainable development strategies in five European countries. The project revealed that a major challenge was how to deal with all the input generated through the participation processes.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The potential for renewable energies is greater in the US than in Germany, and foundations can do much to unlock growth, help create jobs, stabilise communities, and phase out fossil energies and atomic power.  R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute presented the German experience at the EGA Fall Retreat in Anchorage, Alaska, on 2 October 2009.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; In a Carleton University Podcast Interview conducted by Helen Morris, R. Andreas Kraemer, Director of Ecologic Institute in Berlin, discusses policy co-operation in the area of European environmental governance.  He focuses on some of the challenges facing different policy communities such as transport, energy, and agriculture when trying to work together on environmental concerns.  He also highlights the potential for sharing ideas and for Canadians and Europeans to learn from each others' experiences.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; Successive policy challenges and EU enlargement have added layers of policy, legislation, and institutions to create the current system for addressing environment, climate, energy, and sustainable development. R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute was invited to speak on "European Environmental Governance: Options for Cooperation" at the Centre for European Studies of Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, on 28 September 2009.</p>&#13;

<p> &quot;Emerging Stronger from the Recession to Tackle the Challenges of Social Cohesion and Sustainable Development&quot; was the theme of an expert workshop convened by the European Commission (DG Employment) in Brussels on 9 September 2009.&nbsp; Ecologic Institute contributed a background paper, and R. Andreas Kraemer was invited as keynote speaker on &quot;Taking Advantage of the Crisis: Synergies between Environmental Policy and Social Inclusion&quot;.</p>

<p>&#13; From 30 August to 5 September 2009, the Foundation of German Business in cooperation with RWE organized a week-long summer academy for its scholarship holders on the present and future systems of energy supply. Benjamin Görlach, economist at Ecologic, gave a presentation on past experiences with, the current state of and the future outlook on the European Emissions Trading Scheme, one of the major EU climate policy instruments.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; "Options and Opportunities for the future EU Sustainable Development Strategy" was the theme of the ESDN Conference 2009 in Prague on 17-19 June 2009, hosted by the Czech EU Presidency in cooperation with the Swedish EU Presidency.  Ecologic Institute contributed a background paper, and R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute was invited to speak on "Economic Stimulus Packages in Europe", and comment on the coherence of policy strategies in Europe and the challenges of policy integration.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; On behalf of the WWF, Ecologic Institute researched how middle and long term climate change goals could best be anchored in German law. At a Parliamentary Evening of the WWF on June 17th, Stephan Sina, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, presented the expert report. Its results were discussed afterwards in a debate including the members of Parliament Eva Bulling-Schröter (Die Linke), Michael Kauch (FDP), Ulrich Kelber (SPD), Sylvia Kotting-Uhl (Bündnis 90/Grüne) and Prof. Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf (PIK). The Moderator was Regine Günther (WWF).</p>