In this article, the online edition of IP Global, Germany's leading foreign policy magazine, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Senior Policy Advisor of Ecologic Institute, looks at the outcomes of the COP 10 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) in Nagoya, Japan, and the reasons behind them. His analysis points to opportunities on the road ahead for the international climate negotiations beyond the UNFCCC COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of 2010.

Ecologic Institute, represented by Tanja Srebotnjak and Sebastian Veit, completed a study commissioned by the European Parliament (EP) on the use of radioactively contaminated materials in the construction of residential dwellings in Gabon and Niger. In particular, the study examines practices in the disposal of materials discarded in the mining of uranium in these two countries and is based, inter alia, on a fact-finding mission to Gabon by Sebastian Veit.

<p>Climate change, energy security and peak oil are challenges that may lead to an increased use of Arctic resources and water ways. Professor Suzanne Lalonde of the University of Montreal discussed legal aspects of Arctic sovereignty and the emerging security issues.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The results of the study "Connecting public transportation with car and bike sharing programs" were presented by Dominic Marcellino at a transportation policy workshop organized by Ecologic Institute, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and the Brookings Institution.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; On 14 October 2010, the German American Energy Forum - a one-day international event that aims to open a dialogue between experts on various energy issues - was held in Washington DC Michael Mehling, President of Ecologic Institute, Washington DC, moderated the first panel focused on energy infrastructure. Ecologic Institute is a supporting partner.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; Building from previous work related to technology transfer within the international climate change negotiations, Dominic Marcellino, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, gave an overview of the current state of the negotiations and needs for diffusion at a conference held by the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS).</p>&#13;

<p>Why has Germany become a world leader in developing and installing renewable energy, while the United States was a laggard until recently? For the past few years, Christoph Stefes of the University of Colorado Denver and Ecologic Institute Berlin as well as Frank Laird of the University of Denver have conducted research to answer this question. They have recently presented the results of this research, which received generous funding from the National Science Foundation, at an event of Ecologic Institute Washington, DC.</p><p>

<p>&#13; Hessen's State Ministry for Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and its partners held a half-day conference on the themes of emissions trading and climate policy in the USA as part of a year-long series of events. Dominic Marcellino, Fellow, Ecologic Institute Washington, gave a presentation on the current political situation in the United States with respect to climate change.</p>&#13;