The German Federal Ministry for the Environment is currently working on legally binding requirements concerning the use of mineral waste in construction and in soil. A first draft of an Ordinance laying down requirements on the use of mineral secondary construction material in technical buildings (ErsatzbaustoffV) amending the Federal Soil Protection Ordinance (BBodSchV) was completed on 13 November 2007. This workshop taking place in Dessau on 20-21 May 2008 was dedicated to assessing the impacts of the Ordinance and thereby complemented consultations with the Bundesländer, stakeholders and other Ministries.

This project supports the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) with the continuation of its activities in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. Activities are centred around a stakeholder workshop, which will offer a forum for the discussion of current approaches as well as future steps. The interactive concepts brings together representatives from the business community as well as civil society in Berlin in September 2007. The project consortium not only provides conceptual advice to the Council but is also responsible for innovative facilitation methods at the event as well as all organisational matters.

On 4-5 June 2007, a workshop on the Water Framework Directive and Hydropower was held in Berlin. Focus of the workshop was on hydropower use and the relationship to hydromorphological changes. The workshop aimed at the exchange of information and views on good practice in hydropower use, strategic priorities on the catchment level as well as instruments to promote hydropower and to improve water status.

Scientific evidence that climate change is caused by human activity has boosted ongoing efforts to address the problem. Now the focus is primarily on what will happen after 2012 when the validity of the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty designed to limit global greenhouse gas emissions, expires. From 11-12 April 2007, representatives of the EU, the World Bank and the new EU Member States met in Prague to discuss the challenges ahead.

This CTI Capacity Building Semniar brought together about 75 key persons from politics, business, non-governmental organisations, research institutes and think tanks from Central and Eastern European Countries, the former Soviet Union and Mongolia as well as OECD countries. Participants were given the opportunity to discuss and develop concrete projects in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They were encouraged to present first project ideas and were given the opportunity to meet experts from OECD countries to share their experiences and ideas concerning the economic potential and benefits of climate change policies. It was the 7th event of the series of CTI Capacity Building Seminars.

The mission of the Climate Technology Initiative (CTI) is to bring countries together to foster international co-operation in the accelerated development and diffusion of climate-friendly and environmentally sound technologies and practices. The promotion of technology transfer under the Kyoto Protocol as incorporated in the Marrakech Accords is at the core of CTI's work. Ecologic supports the organisation of a seminar that is part of CTI. It is the 7th event of a series sponsored by the German Federal Environment Agency.

All companies which dispose of IPPC installations must meet the requirements of the Directive by the 30 October 2007.  The central purpose of the event is to provide the entrepreneurs concerned with the basic knowledge which is necessary for the fulfilment of the requirements of the Directive.

In the framework of the EC funded Programme "Raising the awareness of trade issues in civil society", Ecologic is organising a one-day seminar in Budapest, Hungary. The aim of the seminar is to provide participants from civil society with a better understanding of the relationship between multilateral environmental agreements and WTO rules, to raise awareness on how better to participate in and influence European trade policy and to contribute to a closer co-operation and networking among civil society groups in Hungary. The Seminar languages will be English and Hungarian.