Participants' Reports

Dale Medearis

Working Group 2: Energy and Environment

The " energy and environment" track for the roundtable conference on

common global responsibility was characterized by thoughtful presentations

and discussions on the most pressing and relevant issues affecting the

transatlantic relationship.

mark mccary spoke to the importance of innovative reneable energy efforts

taking place in the united states.

carrie mann addressed innovative base renewal projects focusing in

sustainability in monterey, california.

dale medearis spoke about local sustainability efforts in the united

states and the need for U.S. cities and states to learn from European

experiences with local sustainability.

uwe koch spoke about the links between renewable energy and investment

incentives.

dirk guldi discussed the ties between nanoarchitectures in energy

conversion.

The recommendations of the group included:

-  need for environmental and energy issues to be included in future

exchanges and discussions involving Europe and the United States

-  need to focus on sub-national (i.e. city and state partnerships) and

exchanges of mutually beneficial best practices

 - create a homepage on u.s./German environmental relations with links

to existing governmental, academic, and non-governmental activities

(but with particular focus on existing networks, such as Bosch,

Humboldt, ACG, or Fulbright)

-  try to institutionalize a transatlantic environmental learning program

-  work to integrate foundations’ work into the transtatlantic enviromental

learning community

-  find an american counterpart to the koerber foundation’s usable program

-  aid in the international work of the bundesstiftung umwelt and work to find

a us counterpart

-  encourage the german marshall fund to expand its environmental initiatives

January 2004