Richard Melson

Impacts of Linking the EU Emissions Trading System: Conference documentation online
On 29-30 May 2006 the Wuppertal Institute organised the conference "Linking Schemes: Potential Impacts of Linking the EU Emissions Trading System with Emerging Carbon Markets in other Countries" in Brussels. The conference website with a documentation, including a summary of findings, and downloads of all presentations is online now.

Wuppertal Paper no. 160: Materializing Policies for Sustainable Use and Management of Resources
Stefan Bringezu supports the discussion on the further pursuit of the EU Thematic Strategy on Resources suggesting a dual corresponding approach. On the one hand, the socio-industrial metabolism needs to become more mature in the sense of resource efficiency, higher share of renewables and a balanced physical growth. On the other hand, specific material flow systems (e.g. iron & steel, aluminium, PGM) need to be further optimised e.g. for recycling and to tackle hot-spots of environmental pressure.
This Wuppertal Paper can be downloaded as PDF file (0,8 MB).

Wuppertal Spezial no. 33: Japanese-German Impulses for Climate Policy
The new Wuppertal Spezial "Climate Policy 2005 and Beyond" reports on a conference and a workshop on climate policy that was organised by the Berlin Office in Tokyo as part of the "German Year in Japan 2005/2006". The experts and participants evaluated the experiences with market instruments in Germany/Europe and Japan and discussed the further involvement of stakeholders in the climate policy process (business, local
communities and NGOs).
This issue can be downloaded as PDF file (2,2 MB).

Prof. Dr. Ronald Schettkat joins the team of the Wuppertal Institute
Prof. Dr. Ronald Schettkat, head of the chair economic policy at Bergische Universität Wuppertal, joins the team of the Wuppertal Institute as scientific consultant. Within the Research Group "Sustainable Production and Consumption" he will contribute to combine employment and growth related approaches of economics with microeconomic approaches and the research of consumption. Furthermore, he will organise a workshop of economics where the contribution of internationally renowned scientists is expected.

Manfred Fischedick becomes vice president of the Wuppertal Institute
In consultation with the Ministry of Innovation, Science, Research and Technology of the federal state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Manfred Fischedick has been appointed vice president of the Wuppertal Institute. Manfred Fischedick remains director of the Research Group "Future Energy and Mobility Structures". Appointing him to his office the Institute recognises his long lasting merits, amongst others as an expert in the enquete commission no. I of the NRW parliament.

WISIONS of Sustainability
New PREP-brochure: Energy in Schools - New PREP-call: Corporate Energy and Material Efficiency
WISIONS is an initiative of the Wuppertal Institute with the objective to combine spreading knowledge about existing successful projects with promoting and furthering new project ideas. Recently the new brochure on the topic "Energy in Schools" was released. This and previous brochures are available at www.wisions.net/pages/Downloads.htm.
At the same time the new PREP-call on the topic "Corporate Energy and Material Efficiency" was launched. WISIONS aims to collect successfully implemented projects. The fields of interest include corporate projects that focus on both energy and material efficiency; recycling of materials with corresponding higher energy efficiency rates; development of new products with reduced energy need in the production cycle and eco-industrial parks. Companies around the world are asked to present their good practice examples. Details for application are available at www.wisions.net/pages/PREP.htm.

Presentation of EU project HYCHAIN: 16th World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC 16) in Lyon
HYCHAIN provides the frame for deploying 160 fuel cell vehicles for small transport applications under commercial conditions in four regions in Europe - one of these being North Rhine-Westphalia. HYCHAIN is coordinated by Air Liquide S.A. and represents one lead project of the European hydrogen and fuel cell demonstration activities. Within the consortium the Wuppertal Institute is in charge of the "Innovation Activities" covering the broad range of impact assessment studies as well as dissemination and exploitation actions. The project will be presented at the 16th World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Lyon (June 13 - 16, 2006), including an exposition of demonstration vehicles. Further information can be obtained from the project website www.hychain.org that will be officially launched during the WHEC.
Contact: stephan.ramesohl@wupperinst.org.

Sustainability A-Test: Final Conference and Website Launch
From 2004 until 2006 a consortium of about 30 European institutes have reviewed "instruments" (indicators, methods, models etc.) for an improved impact assessment. The instruments can be used for an ex ante impact assessment as well as for ex post policy appraisal. The "A-Test"-project has developed a web-handbook on impact assessment. The web-handbook for experts, practitioners and decision-makers will be launched on June 20, 2006 at the final A-Test conference in the Royal Academy in Brussels.
Contact: philipp.schepelmann@wupperinst.org.

KyotoPlus - Escaping the Climate Trap
New Targets - New Technologies - New Policies - New Alliances
New targets, new technologies, new policies and new alliances: The international congress "KyotoPlus: Escaping the Climate Trap" will combine these four approaches in a "magic square" of climate policy. The international conference organised by Heinrich Böll Foundation, European Climate Forum, Wuppertal Institute and WWF Germany will be held in Berlin, on September 28 - 30, 2006.
More information at www.kyotoplus.org.

First Call for Papers: Conference "Sustainable resource management & resource productivity"
Jointly with the College of Europe in Bruges, the Wuppertal Institute organises a conference on "Sustainable resource management, raw materials security, Factor-X resource productivity - tools for delivering sustainable growth in the European Union" on December 6 - 7, 2006. The call for papers is now open. The research program IHDP-IDGEC endorses the conference, some additional support is given by the Aachen Foundation.
Conference chair: Raimund Bleischwitz. Conference Manager: Katrin Fuhrmann, College of Europe Bruges, e-mail: kfuhrmann@coleurop.be
More information (PDF, 137 KB).

Available for public comment: Global Reporting Initiative Apparel and Footwear Sector Supplement
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has initiated a process of developing an Apparel and Footwear Sector Supplement, aiming at providing guidance for companies to report on economic, social and environmental performance at their organisational level as well as in their supply chain. Volker Türk, Wuppertal Institute, has been part of the multi-stakeholder working group consisting of 18 individuals from a wide range of constituencies and regions. Their disclosures and indicator proposals cover a wide range of key sustainability issues in the sector, including material use and life-cycle approaches to address environmental impacts, labour conditions and the implementation of code of conduct.
The draft Supplement and accompanying comment form can be downloaded at www.globalreporting.org/guidelines/sectors/apparel.asp.

A booklet on Energy Efficiency for CSD 14
The CSCP together with the Wuppertal Institute contributed to the preparation of a booklet displaying practical examples in the area of energy efficiency of household appliances and buildings. This booklet has been developed by a co-ordination of the Norwegian ForUM for Development and Environment with funding from Norwegian government. It is intended to show the gap between best available technologies and current practices as well as available alternatives that enable energy users to substantially improve efficiency with relatively small adjustments. The CSCP and the Wuppertal Institute collected a wide range of examples applied in different contexts - in developed and developing countries, for the rich and the poor, in urban and rural areas and identified eight representative case studies. The booklet had been presented at the fourteenth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14) meeting held in the UN Headquarters in New York on 1-12 May 2006 in order to contribute to policy discussions over the realisation of the recommendations from the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
More information on the brochure and download at www.scp-centre.org.

INFER Research Edition vol. 10: Environmental Economics
This book edited by Raimund Bleischwitz and Oliver Budzinski contains the proceedings of INFER annual conference 2004, organised at the Wuppertal Institute in Germany.

Wuppertal Reports
With "Wuppertal Reports" the institute starts a new series of publications which can be downloaded from its homepage. Wuppertal Reports are final reports of projects realised on behalf of clients. The reports are published after having being authorised by the respective clients; they are to provide the results of the Institute's project work to interested parties and also to invite to critical discussions.

Internship offering at the International Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP)
The Wuppertal Institute is looking for qualified candidates wanting to join the "International Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP)" for an internship.
More information (PDF, 47 KB).

WI-News - the electronic newsletter
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