Transatlantic solutions for a low-carbon economy

The ongoing financial crisis in Europe and high unemployment in the United States are crowding out climate change from the political agenda. The current opposition of the U.S. Congress to climate policy in the United States make it difficult to win support for policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spur the deployment of renewable energy. Meanwhile, the EU leadership on climate policy has diminished. Nevertheless, a transatlantic partnership of the United States and Europe remains the best hope for leading an international fight against climate change.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation has sponsored The Climate Network, a two-year programme co-funded by the European Commission. The Climate Network has enabled experts, stakeholders, and decision-makers to share experiences of successful policies to drive low-carbon economic development in the United States and Europe.
 
The Heinrich Böll Foundation and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, together with the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, are delighted to invite you to this event to present the results of The Climate Network and to discuss the latest developments in U.S. climate and energy policy. The panel will discuss the best future opportunities for progressive climate and energy policies at the regional and state level on both sides of the Atlantic. Copies of The Climate Network’s final report will be available.
 
 
Date                   Monday, 7 November 2011, 12:30 – 14:30 (A sandwich lunch will be available between 12.30 and 13.00. The meeting will start at at 13.00.)
 
Venue                 Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union, Rue Montoyer 47, 1000 Brussels
 
 
Welcome            Rainer Steffens, Head of the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union
 
Speakers            Vicki Arroyo, Director Georgetown Climate Center
Artur Runge-Metzger, Director International and Climate Strategy, DG Climate Action, European Commission
 
Respondents       Thomas Legge, Senior Programme Officer, GMF
Jean-Paul Peers*, Vice President Energy Policy, Siemens
Frank Groneberg, Manager Community Solar Park Rodenäs
 
Moderator         Claude Weinber, Director Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union
 
* to be confirmed