From 15 to 21 May 2011, a visitor programme on climate and renewable energy took place in Berlin, Magdeburg and Hamburg in cooperation with the German Foreign Office. The programme, designed and organised by Ecologic Institute, was aimed at Latin American political decision-makers from the national, regional and community levels as well as interested journalists. Key to the programme were discussions with experts from the German Ministries of the Environment and Economy and the Foreign Office, as well as think tanks and NGOs. Excursions to companies in the renewable energy field (biogas, solar and wind energy) and Hamburg’s role as Europe’s 2011 environment capital constituted a substantial element of the trip.

In addition to informing the participants about the German and European climate and energy policies, the visitor programme enabled the exchange of various perspectives - including within the group - as well as created the beginnings of discussion and cooperation.

In Berlin, discussions with experts, especially from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety as well as the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology were on the programme.

In Berlin and the surrounding area as well as Magdeburg, the programme also included:

• A tour of the Reichstag
• A visit to a biogas facility in Rathenow
• A visit to the wind energy company ENERCON, including a viewing of wind turbine production
• A lecture at the RWE e-mobility Center Berlin, followed by a test drive of an electric car
• A visit to the solar company SOLON SE with a tour of its production.

In Hamburg, the following activities were on the programme:

• Lectures and discussions with representatives of the Department of Urban Development and Environment (BSU) on Hamburg’s climate change concept and Europe’s 2011 environmental capital.
• Presentation and tour through HafenCity Hamburg
• Visit to the IBA Dock of IBA Hamburg, followed by a tour of projects such as the Energy Bunker Wihelmsburg

A Riverside Chat on “Energy Efficiency: The Key to address Challenges in Economic and Climate” offered the group the chance to have discussions with other experts in Berlin and to voice their own perspectives.

Articles of journalists involved:

• Link: Logros alemanes en energías renovables [Spanish]- (Amilcar Nívar, by courtesy of Listin Diario, Santo Domingo,05/2011)
  PDF: Logros alemanes en energías renovables [pdf, 170 KB, Spanish]
• Link: Alemania vende tecnología verde [Spanish]- (Carlos Manzoni, by courtesy of La Nacion, Buenos Aires, 05/2011)
  PDF: Alemania vende tecnología verde [pdf, 133 KB, Spanish]