Climate change policy, shale gas and oil, trade, and the advancement of renewables are highly current topics for the transatlantic exchange of best practices and ideas. The mission of the ELEEP Network is to foster transatlantic exchange and discourse. With this conference, the ELEEP Network convened a vital contribution to transatlantic exchange on these energy and climate topics. The speakers and participants underscored the relevance of this exchange and asserted that further discussions and cooperation are imperative.

The Emerging Leaders in Environmental and Energy Policy Network (ELEEP), an initiative of Ecologic Institute and the Atlantic Council's Young Atlanticist Program and Energy and Environment Program, hosted the Transatlantic Cooperation on Energy Security and Climate Change Conference on Thursday, 3 October 2013 at the Atlantic Council's headquarters in Washington, DC. Over 130 people attended, including 31 ELEEP Members. The conference’s sessions featured high-level energy and climate representatives from Britain, the Czech Republic, and European Union; senior officials from three US presidential administrations; nonprofit experts; and leading journalists from Bloomberg News and the Washington Post. The conference was sponsored by a grant from the Robert Bosch Foundation. The ELEEP Network is also receives significant funding from the European Union.

After welcoming remarks from Damon Wilson (Executive Vice President, ACUS) and Michael Mehling (President, Ecologic Institute US) three panel discussions followed.

The conference's unique model provides ELEEP's members – exceptional young professionals in the energy and environmental policy space – the opportunity to share the stage with established thought leaders, senior experts, and policy makers. Some of the expert speakers included: Vaclav Batruska, Ambassador-at-large for energy security for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic; the Honorable C. Boyden Gray, former US Ambassador to the EU; Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, special representative for climate change at the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Christian  Burgsmueller, Head of Transport, Energy, Environment and Nuclear Affairs  Section, the European Union Delegation to the United States; and Georg Maue, First Secretary for Climate and Energy Issues, the German Embassy to the United States.

The event concluded with a special post-conference networking and recruiting event for the ELEEP Network for DC based young professionals in the energy and environmental policy community.

For more information about the ELEEP Network or to apply to join the ELEEP Network, please contact Dominic Marcellino, Fellow at Ecologic Institute.