Ecologic Institute supported the German Environment Agency in hosting the Conference "Decarbonization and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more," which took place on 8 November 2016 at the "Ludwig Erhard Haus" in Berlin.

Conference context

Scientific underpinning leaves no doubt: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to be drastically reduced across all economic sectors to keep global warming below 2°C. Studies across EU Member States have shown that moving towards an energy system that uses 100% renewable sources is technically and economically feasible. Since the energy sector accounts for more than 80% of GHG emissions in the EU, this is an important message for policy makers. However, a transition to GHG neutral economies requires deep restructuring of infrastructures and technologies. While promising significant savings of fossil fuels, such a transition also requires huge investments in renewable energy production units, battery systems or power-to-gas/liquids systems. Such technologies and infrastructures require certain mineral raw materials, which, like Lithium or Rare Earth Elements, could become economically and/or geopolitically scarce in the future.

The "Decarbonisation and Resource Efficiency Conference" highlighted synergies and ways to minimise trade-offs between decarbonisation and dematerialisation policies. Experts from the EEA, the Joint Research Centre from the European Commission, the Club of Rome, the German Resources Commission as well as the Wuppertal Institute and others joined the discussion.

Please find the presentations held and a summary of main discussions on the conference website.