The project’s objective is to provide expert policy advice to the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in the field of international climate policy. Ecologic will focus on institutional design and organisation of the international negotiation process in the context of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. Special attention will be given to the various questions relating to the future development of the international climate change regime beyond the year 2012.

The project focuses on the institutional and legal aspects of the design of international climate policy. Important aspects of Ecologic´s work are the implementation and further development, not only of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, but also of the decisions made by the Parties. Particular emphasis is given to the further development of the future climate protection regime. The project helps to clarify Germany’s and Europe’s positions on the above mentioned topics. In the context of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Parties agreed to initiate an international dialogue about long-term co-operation in the fight against climate change. This dialogue provides a forum to discuss new ideas regarding the further development of the climate protection regime. Articles 3.9 and 9 of the Kyoto Protocol provide the framework to negotiate on a future regime under the Protocol. Ecologic´s main task is to provide expert policy advice on the aforementioned issues, and to help design solutions that preserve and enhance the functionality of the international process. In particular, Ecologic provides advice on a European level to expert groups, e.g. the Expert Group on Future Action (EGFA) and the Expert Group for Legal Questions (LEX).