At the largest annual event for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities in the United States, Michael Mehling, President of Ecologic Institute in Washington DC, described European experiences with renewable energy in agriculture.

Hannah Strauss, visiting scholar at Ecologic Institute, together with other experts on the Arctic and H.E. Danish Ambassador Per Poulsen-Hansen, discussed Europe's impact on and interest in a "New North". The panel discussion was preceded by a presentation of Matthias Hannemann’s recent book, "Der Neue Norden. Die Arktis und der Traum vom Aufbruch", and focused on various aspects related to the political and economic development of the Arctic region.

<p>&#13; At an Ecoscholars event hosted by First Solar, GmbH, David Wortmann, the company's Vice President of Policy and Public Affairs provided an overview of the company and discussed the key role of policy in the continued promotion and expansion of the renewable energy industry and fostering the market for renewable energy technologies.  The dialogue was initiated by Loni Gardner of Ecologic Institute, who coordinates Ecoscholars.  Ecoscholars is a discussion and networking group for Berlin-based international scholars and experts who are involved in climate change, energy, sustainability, and other environmental topics.</p>&#13;

At an event hosted by the Mexican Embassy, Dr. Camilla Bausch of Ecologic Institute and Secretary Miriam Medel of the Mexican Embassy in Berlin discussed the results of the latest international climate negotiations which were held in Cancún, Mexico, end of 2010. The event was opened by the Mexican Ambassador Francisco N. González Diaz. The dialogue was initiated by Ecologic Institute's Ecoscholars.

<p> Culminating the celebration of two years in Washington DC, Ecologic Institute held a policy development workshop with Worldwatch Institute entitled &quot;Sustaining Energy Efficiency Investments in Challenging Financial Environments.&quot; The workshop gathered energy efficiency policy experts from NGOs, research organizations, and federal and local government.</p>

<p>&#13; In celebration of the 10th anniversary of its Center for Sustainable Enterprise, the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School hosted a conference on Global Innovations in Energy: How Business Is Addressing Climate Change in Chapel Hill, NC, on 20-21 April 2010.  R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute provided a European perspective to a plenary session on The Energy Policy and Regulation Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities.</p>&#13; <p>&#13; </p>

<p> Ecologic Institute was invited to participate in a conference on &quot;Climate Change Policy: Lessons from the European Experience&quot; hosted on 25 and 26 March 2010 by the Center for European Studies at Rutgers University as part of &quot;Lessons from Europe&quot;, a two-year program of events exploring what US policy-makers and citizens can learn from the experiences of European democracies in addressing 21st century policy challenges.</p>

<p> European insights from the integration of emissions trading systems helped inform participants at GLOBE 2010, North America&rsquo;s largest international conference on business and the environment. Michael Mehling of the Ecologic Institute in Washington DC joined a panel sponsored by the German Consulate General in Vancouver.</p>