What does Germany actually have to do with the Arctic and what impact do our daily decisions have on it? These and further questions were discussed on 22 October 2018 during Ecologic Institute's evening event on Germany's activities in protecting the Arctic, which was organized as a part of a project for the German Environment Agency (UBA). The evening brought a broader audience together with experts in a Science Arena and enabled also the exchange with various German organisations at information stalls. To begin the evening, the premiere of the short explanatory film "Footsteps in the Arctic". The film explores to what extent we in Germany are responsible for the changes in the Arctic and what we can do.

Following the movie premiere, the audience was able to ask the scientific experts their questions, moderated by Susanne Bergius (Handelsblatt). Dirk Notz (Max Plank Institute for Meteorology) explained the specific impact of every individual on the melting of the Arctic sea ice and the interconnectedness with our region. Kristina Schönfeldt (Bonn University) gave insights into the complex legal patchwork applicable in the Arctic region. Ilka Peeken (Alfred-Wegener Institute) elaborated on the pathways of plastic waste and microplastic into the environment. Gerold Lüerßen (Wadden Sea Secretariat) stressed the importance of Germany and other countries also outside the Arctic to secure resting sites along the routes of migratory birds.

Before and after the science arena, the audience engaged directly at the stalls with German institutions and civil society organization working on Arctic environmental issues, including the Alfred-Wegener Institute (AWI), the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), the UBA and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).