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Ecologic Newsletter No 52 - June 2007

Ecologic Newsletter No 52 - June 2007

Ecologic Institute Newsletter
  1. A United Nations Environment Organization - Publication
  2. Comparative Domestic Policies - Experiences at the Subnational Level - Dinner Dialogue with Miranda A.Schreurs
  3. Sustainable biomass use in Europe - Publication
  4. Disproportionate Costs in the Water Framework Directive - The Concept and its Practical Implementation - Lecture
  5. GEM-CON-BIO & EPIGOV - two approaches to make "governance" tangible - Lecture
  6. Missed Chances on Energy Security - Essay
  7. Theoretical incentive properties of contingent valuation questions: Do they matter in the field? - Publication
  8. Fully qualified lawyer in the field of climate protection and energy - Employment

1. An United Nations Environment Organization - Publication
The European Union (EU) made a proposal to upgrade the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to a UN Environment Organization (UNEO). This book chapter by Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf and Markus Knigge places the proposal in the broader political debate, by summarising the most relevant initiatives in the context of the on-going UN reform process. The chapter discusses the main differences between UNEP and a potential UNEO and presents the arguments for and against the upgrade of UNEP to a UNEO.
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2. Comparative Domestic Policies - Experiences at the Subnational Level - Dinner Dialogue with Miranda A.Schreurs
On 12 June, 2007, a transatlantic Ecologic Dinner Dialogue was held in Berlin with Miranda A. Schreurs, Associate Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Maryland, College Park. In her talk, Miranda Schreurs highlighted the increasing role of the sub-national level in the United States, especially with regard to environmental legislation. Particularly western and north-eastern states in the US have been developing cutting-edge approaches to deal with challenges in the fields of renewable energy and climate change policy. This state-level action has triggered discussion about new opportunities and challenges - ones that have practical, legal and transatlantic dimensions.
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3. Sustainable biomass use in Europe - Publication
Biomass constitutes an important but limited renewable energy source for the future. In this article, Timo Kaphengst discusses sustainability aspects of biomass use for bioenergy in the European context.
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4. Disproportionate Costs in the Water Framework Directive - The Concept and its Practical Implementation - Lecture
The concept of disproportionate cost is one of the key economic elements of the EC Water Framework Directive. The practical implementation of this concept by the Member States offers a range of possible interpretations that are more or less in line with environmental economic theory. In a contribution to the Envecon 2007 Applied Environmental Economics conference in London, Benjamin Görlach and Britta Pielen provided an introduction to the concept, its role in the Water Framework Directive, and provided an overview of the current discussion in some EU Member States.
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5. GEM-CON-BIO & EPIGOV - two approaches to make "governance" tangible - Lecture
The question of "Governance" of natural resources, in other words how societies deal with the use of natural resources, is central to each discussion about sustainability. Only "good governance" can guarantee the sustainable use of natural resources, protection of biodiversity, and indirectly help to implement the EU sustainability strategy. However it is quite difficult to measure and evaluate the level of good (bad) governance and to make the somewhat abstract concept more tangible. Rainer Müssner presented two EU funded projects dealing with the issue of "Governance of natural resources", in which Ecologic is involved as co-ordinator or partner.
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6. Missed Chances on Energy Security - Essay
The EU-U.S. Summit on 30 April 2007 passed a statement on energy security, efficiency, and climate change that is strong on rhetoric but weak on substance. Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Director of the Europe program at The Nature Conservancy and Senior Policy Advisor to Ecologic, provides some critical commentary on the substance of the summit.
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7. Theoretical incentive properties of contingent valuation questions: Do they matter in the field? - Publication
Contingent valuation studies and their results are often criticised. This paper describes the findings of an experimental survey that tests the influence of survey design on strategic behaviour.
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8. Fully qualified lawyer in the field of climate protection and energy - Employment
For immediate hire, we are looking for a fully qualified lawyer in the field of climate and energy. The position will be based in our office in Berlin.
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