<p>&#13; The Oikos-conference “Limits to growth – growing beyond limits“ took place from 18.-19. Oktober in St.Gallen (Switzerland). Different actors from research, economy and politics discussed the relationship between sustainable development and economic growth. During a workshop on limits to growth for renewable energies, Timo Kaphengst gave a presentation on the economic and political framework of bioenergy production as well as on the social and environmental impacts of the current bioenergy boom. His presentation is available for download.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; A conference on managing water resources in European mountain environments took place in the context of the Marie Curie Training Programme European Water Sustainable Goals (ESWG 2007-2010). Eleftheria Kampa spoke on heavily modified water bodies and hydromorphological pressures in the Water Framework Directive. Her presentation is available for download.</p>&#13;

<p> Ecologic led a study examining the potential contributions that trade policy could make to combating climate change. R. Andreas Kraemer, Director of Ecologic, made a presentation of the results before the European Parliament&#39;s Committee on International Trade.</p>

<p>&#13; This presentation provided an analytical overview of EU environmental policy from its beginnings in the early 1970s up to the present. He showed that EU environmental governance today must be understood as an amalgam of four environmental governance regimes that have successively been layered on top of each other over the past 35 years.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; Besides the potential benefits of biomass, there is increasing public awareness of the more problematic aspects, including a possible increase in the intensity of agriculture and further destruction of the rainforest. In her lecture, Stephanie Schlegel outlined the opportunities for and the risks of renewable energy expansion with emphasis on the current debate surrounding the bioenergy boom. In addition, she led a discussion with the audience about which instruments are useful for creating the bioenergy boom sustainably and the requirements for policy and consumers.</p>&#13;

<p> On 14-15 June 2007, the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) convened the international conference &quot;Europe and America: Managing the 21st Century&#39;s Agenda to look at an array of topical issues including global warming.&nbsp; Stefan Theil, Bureau Chief of Newsweek in Germany moderated, and Patrick S. Moon, Director at the US Department of State, and R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic addressed the question &quot;How to Tackle Climate Change?&quot;.</p>

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<p>&#13; At the American Corner of the city library in Skopje, Macedonia, Aaron Best discussed recent developments in energy and climate policy in the United States, seeking to explain the resurgent interest in these issues on the part of the American people.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; Aaron Best spoke at the EcoFest 2007 held in Ohrid on the shores of Lake Ohrid in the southwestern part of Macedonia. He discussed water policy and management in the USA and EU, sharing with the audience international experience on a topic of particular interest to the residents of Ohrid.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The United States  –  though the 2005 Energy Policy Act – and the European Union – through the European Energy Policy – created incentives for expanding biofuel production and use.  On 25 May 2007, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and DaimlerChrysler convened a conference in Berlin on "Transatlantic Approaches to Biofuels".  R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic spoke on Assessing European and U.S. Policies.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The United States -- though the 2005 Energy Policy Act -- and the European Union -- through the European Energy Policy -- created incentives for expanding biofuel production and use.  On 24 May 2007, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) convened a seminar in Brussels on "Transatlantic Approaches to Biofuels" and invited R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic Institute to provide indight to sustainability and trade policy aspects.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; Higher energy costs, aging underground systems, increased demands for fewer public dollars, new knowledge about ecosystem services, and anxiety over the climate are causing authorities, experts and citizens in the US to take a fresh look at water infrastructure.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; A large percentage of Europe’s territory consists of rural areas that contain more than half of its population. Many problems of European societies such as an ageing population, high unemployment rates, social disparities and the lack of adaptive potential to the global market are more pronounced in rural areas than elsewhere. To overcome these problems, it is essential to link public, private and inter-sectoral initiatives to foster innovation. Rainer Müssner presented the EU-funded project RAPIDO, that has been established to analyse current best practices concerning the development of innovation in agriculture, forestry, the food sector and the wider rural areas, as well as to analyse methods to transfer knowledge to different target groups.</p>&#13;

<p>&#13; The question of "Governance" of natural resources, in other words how societies deal with the use of natural ressources, is central to each discussion about sustainability. Only "good governance" can guarantee the sustainable use of natural resources, protection of biodiversity, and indirectly help to implement the EU sustainability strategy. However it is quite difficult to measure and evaluate the level of good (bad) governance and to make the somewhat abstract concept more tangible. Rainer Müssner presented two EU funded projects dealing with the issue of "Governance of natural resources", in which Ecologic is involved as co-ordinator or partner.</p>&#13;