www.ecologic.eu Guardians of People and the Planet: Think Tanks Promoting Policies on Environment, Resources, Energy, Climate, Health, and Sustainable Development R. Andreas Kraemer Director, Ecologic Institute, Berlin – Brussels – Vienna, European Union Chairman, Ecologic Institute, Washington DC – San Mateo, California, USA Beijing, 7-9 October 2011
www.ecologic.eu http://www.ecologic.eu/ 1995 - 2011 Private, Independent, Non-Partisan, Mission-Based, Non-Profit Independent, constructive and competent Voice for: Environment in international & EU affairs International & EU dimension in environment policy Integration of environment into other policies 'Think tank’ , 6 founders, Euro 120K core capital, 1.3 m net assets ('10) Governed by company law (business), ‘ Operative Foundation’ 120 Experts & support staff in Berlin , Brussels, Vienna; Washington DC Policy-relevant science, and science-based policy analysis & advisory Project-driven, solution-oriented, inclusive and thus Trans-Disciplinary 2
www.ecologic.eu Ecologic Institute Family Structure
www.ecologic.eu http://www.ecologic.eu/ 1995 - 2010 1995 Ecologic Institute Berlin, Germany 2000 Ecologic Legal (16 staff lawyers, 2011) 2001 Ecologic Institute Brussels , EU Office 2001 Transatlantic Program 2002 Ecologic Events (in-house agency) 2005 Konrad von Moltke Fund (DE chapter 75K Euro, 2010) 2006 Relaw, Clearing House for Renewable Energy Law 2007 Ecologic Institute Vienna , Austria 2008 Ecologic Institute Washington DC 2009 Konrad von Moltke Fund (US chapter 15K US$, 2010) 2011 Ecologic Institute California, San Mateo Project Office 4
www.ecologic.eu http://www.eius.org/ founded on Earth Day 2008 Legally and financially independent Public Charity (laws of the D.C.) Qualified under US IRC Sections 170(b)(10)(A)(vi), 501(c)(3) , [509(a)(1)] Programs : Policy-relevant work but no lobbying, in six core areas: Explaining the European Union (and changing the Washington debate) Climate and Energy (e.g. carbon trading & international negotiations) Infrastructure Finance & Economics of Transition (e.g. crisis & stimulus) Transatlantic Dialogues & Exchanges (e.g. farmers, journalists, business) US & EU as Partners in the World (e.g. Arctic, UN, security) Biodiversity and Conservation (e.g. access & benefit sharing) Dedicated Team of 4+1 (end 2010) at Dupont Circle in DC Focused on Washington DC , with coast-to-coast Outreach Since 2011 with Project Office in San Mateo, CA Michael Mehling President, Ecologic Washington 5
www.ecologic.eu What is the "Environment" ? 'Media': Water, oceans, soil, air, fauna & flora (biodiversity), chemicals, ... Renewable resources (water, timber, fish, cattle, bush-meat, ...) in the wild or in management systems (husbandry, agro-forestry, etc.) Non-renewable resources (minerals, coal, oil & gas, ...) Ecosystem Services (functions), e.g. nutrient cycles, heat transfers, ... Requiring integrity and resilience of ecosystems Resources, but also threats : Floods, droughts, fires, pests, predators, ... Relevant for human health , public health, "livelihood security", ... Space for human life , relevant for identity, mental stability, spirituality, ... Today also " Climate ", a currently dominant, global theme Need to integrate environmental concerns into other policy fields ! Many Think Tanks work on specific aspects or in limited geographies; There are few "global full-service environment Think Tanks" 6
www.ecologic.eu What is Special about Environment Policy ? Environmental protection and the rational management of resources are in the public interest (even if on occasion small groups benefit) This forces environmental Think Tanks into (public interest) advocacy Environmental concerns are " urgent "; civilization is under threat, but, Environmental concerns are largely " low politics " (except for climate) This forces environmental Think Tanks to rely on attention-creating events , including environmental catastrophes, and to create regular "events" Environmental concerns play out in the long run , are "future-relevant" This forces environmental Think Tanks to work with scenarios (" speculation ") Environmental concerns are global , international, or "trans-boundary" This forces environmental Think Tanks to think globally and form networks (there are few truly global environmental Think Tanks: IUCN, IISD, WRI, ...) 7
www.ecologic.eu Environmental Science and Policy – The Interface Environmental science, technology, economics, regulation are dynamic This creates uncertainties and a need to act on " precautionary principle "; environmental Think Tanks are drawn into controversies This also creates the need for " adaptive (cyclical) policy management "; environmental Think Tanks are drawn into policy implementation The urgency of the environmental challenge comes from natural sciences Natural sciences say that individual and collective human behavior must change: Legitimacy for some, "eco-dictatorship" for others. Solutions are formulated through technology, planning & zoning etc. Solutions are implemented through social-science approaches , such as economics, political science, law, sociology, psychology, ... Environmental Think Tanks must be multi-disciplinary or trans-disciplinary which lowers acceptance of their science output and risks a loss of credibility 8
www.ecologic.eu Environmental Think Tanks – Have to Work in Low Politics Limited influence : Environment remains a marginal policy field; environment continues to deteriorate, persistence of environmentally harmful or "perverse" subsidies Subversive influence : Ideas travel and are "adopted" by politicians, origin in a Think Tank is forgotten (condition for success of the ideas) Strategic influence : Good at "packaging arguments" for the longer term, "framing the issues" and "scoping the solutions" Guerilla tactics : "Ambush" an issue at the right time, following events. Needs preparedness and "analysis on the shelf" Creating opportunities for influence : Create "policy rhythm" through regular reports, events, press releases etc. ("policy cycle management") ... 9
www.ecologic.eu Environmental Think Tanks – What is Their Influence ? Limited influence , but Influence cannot be measured or compared because of the complexity of political decisions, multiplicity of actors and the time-delays involved But case studies and anecdotes can tell stories of influence For fundraising and recruitment, perception of influence is more important than actual influence Reputation is more important than influence . But reputation can easily lead to conflicts with (political or governmental) sponsors or clients. Think Tanks engaged in contract research are in competition with their clients about visibility and media attention 10
www.ecologic.eu Guarding People & Planet: Environmental Think Tanks I "Environment" is Overarching Term, like "Sustainable Development" (Economic) " Resources " were traditional focus since 1950s, for example: Resources for the Future – RFF , USA (1952) World Resources Institute – WRI , USA (1982) Worldwatch Institute, USA (1974) did not use "Environment" " Environment " being used in Europe since the 1970s, for example: International Institute for Environment and Development – IIED , UK (1971) International Institute for Environment and Society – IIES or IIUG , Germany (1972) was first government-financed "environmental policy think tank", closed in 1992? Institute for European Environmental Policy – IEEP , Germany (1976), now London Öko-Institut | Institute for Applied Ecology, Germany (1977) Environmental Policy Research Center ( FFU ) at Free University of Berlin (1986), first "academic" think tank >> " Berlin School of Environmental Political Science " " Sustainable Development " since Brundtland Commission (1986- 1987 ) International Institute for Sustainable Development – IISD , Canada (1990) Institute for Sustainable Development & Intern. Relations – IDDRI , France (2001) 11
www.ecologic.eu Guarding People & Planet: Environmental Think Tanks II "Environment" is Diversifying into Specific Fields or Challenges: " Climate " is a "spin-off policy area" of the 1990s Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Germany (1991) Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany (1992) Pew Center on Global Climate Change, USA (1998) " Security " is a spin-off in the 2000's (after the events of 11 September 2001) Institute for Environmental Security – IES , Netherlands (2002) UNU Institute for Environment & Human Security – UNU-IEHS , [Germany] (2003) Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security – IEDS , USA (2010) " Resources " is likely to make a comeback, and link to traditional agenda: Energy Resources: Coal, Oil, Gas >> Renewable Energies & Energy Efficiency Mineral Resources: Rare Earths, Copper, precious metals >> Urban Mining Living Resources: Water, Fish, Forest, Soil >> BioDiversity & Ecosystem Services " Global Governance " is likely to grow in importance because of: Economic Globalization & "Planetary" or Ubiquitous Challenges ( Geo-Engineering ) 12
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