The "Berlin Seminar on Energy and Climate" (BSEC) was launched in October 2009. BSEC is a joint initiative sponsored by Ecologic Institute, The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), the German Institute of Economic Research (DIW), the Öko-Institut, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Technical University of Berlin (TU). The BSEC's first event focused on "Linking national and international efforts on carbon pricing." Dr. Camilla Bausch, Head of Climate & Energy at the Ecologic Institute, spoke on current developments in American climate policy.

Other speakers included Prof. Toru Morotomi and Prof. Thomas Heller. Prof. Morotomi teaches at the Kyoto University, Graduate School of Economics, and is a member of the experts committee on emissions trading in the Japanese Ministry of Environment. Prof. Heller, Stanford University, is an expert in legal institutions, energy law, and international climate regulation. The BSEC offers a forum for the exchange with selected experts on developments and findings in the broad field of climate and energy research and policies. The events will take place monthly and are by invitation only.