Title: International Network to Advance Climate Talks (INTACT)
Coordinating Institutions: German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)
(Link to Process)
Objective: In January 2002, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Europe's largest foreign policy think tank, started the project International Network To Advance Climate Talks (INTACT), supported by a grant from the German Marshall Fund of the United States. According to many comments and responses, INTACT has since then established its reputation as an independent exchange center of ideas and as a source of competence. It has found its niche in the political landscape, most particularly for its commitment to vigorously promote the climate change issue on the transatlantic agenda.

In 2003, the SWP entered into a strategic partnership with the Brookings Institution, Washington D.C., for cooperating on international environmental issues, most prominently within the INTACT project. Building on its successful first project year, SWP and Brookings want to continue to facilitate dialogue and greater understanding around the transatlantic challenge of climate change.

INTACT's aims:
  1. To raise the topic's status on the transatlantic political agenda;
  2. To debate how to structure the climate discussion in the years ahead;
  3. To provide leading decision-makers with balanced and first-hand knowledge and thus to act as an unbiased clearing house for information; and
  4. To stress the opportunities for and the feasibility of policies and measures which serve both the climate and the economy.
Project Description:

INTACT is organized as a US-European communication platform only in its first phase. Important activities include the exchange of ideas and approaches focusing on a new Transatlantic partnership through the gathering of eminent decision-makers and key experts within Europe and the US. An extension of the network to include countries of the South will follow in the second stage of the project. The overall timeframe for the initiative is six years (2002-2008).

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