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Independent Council of Experts criticises German government targets: The Independent Council of Experts on Climate Issues has criticised the German government’s climate protection programme as insufficient and not in line with the law. Although „with consistent implementation“ it would reduce the gap towards achieving Germany’s climate targets by 2030, the programme nevertheless has „an insufficient reduction ambition“, according to the panel’s statement presented last week. „The German government does not explain how the remaining difference to the Climate Protection Act targets is to be closed,“ the experts write. Moreover, although the data provided by the government is „extensive“, it is not sufficient to confirm the assumed mitigation effect of the programme. „The Council of Experts therefore finds that the submitted Climate Protection Programme 2023 does not meet the requirement of the Federal Climate Protection Act for a climate protection programme“ faz.net, rnd.de, expertenrat-klima.de (document), Investigation Buildings and Transport
Scholz backs deep geothermal energy for energy turnaround: If new ideas and projects from this sector are given a chance, new prosperity can arise from them, he said during a visit to a construction site for a deep geothermal power plant in Geretsried, Bavaria. The federal government therefore wants to develop as much geothermal energy as possible by 2030 in order to feed ten times as much into the grid as today. But of all people, renowned geologists and geophysicists are upset by the PR idyll spread by the company and politicians: the project is „extremely risky“, its possible energy contribution „extremely questionable“. This poses the risk of „enormous damage to the image of geothermal energy as a whole“. dlf.de, taz.de
331 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
The Federal Government’s 2023 Projection Report, coordinated by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), analyses current climate protection policy. The report shows that achieving the national climate targets by 2030 and 2045 is at risk without additional measures. Even though the overall gap could be reduced by 70 percent compared to the previous projection, it still amounts to 331 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The gap will not be fully closed even by measures already planned. The goal of net greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 would not be achieved under the given circumstances.
German coastal cities could sink into the sea: Due to climate change, the sea level will also rise in the coming years. For Greifswald and many other German coastal towns, this could mean land under the sea. This is shown, among other things, by a model with forecasts of sea-level rise in 2100 from Hamburg’s Hafencity University (HCU). On the interactive map, the threatened areas are marked in red. You can choose between a forecast for a mean temperature rise of 1.8 degrees Celsius, a mean temperature rise of 3.7 degrees, and a third scenario in which additional amplifying factors such as the melting of the permafrost are included. hna.de
Global warming drives prices for agricultural commodities: One factor is becoming increasingly dominant on the markets for agricultural commodities: the climate crisis. It still affects individual products such as orange juice and olive oil. But because of rising temperatures, staple foods are also threatened by drought. However, the prices for most commodities have fallen back to the level they were at before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This means that many goods are now much cheaper than twelve months ago. For example, the price of gas, which is relevant for Europe, has fallen by 84 percent, coal by 64 percent and Brent oil by twelve percent. The same can be seen with foodstuffs, of which Ukraine is an important exporter: sunflower and rapeseed oil as well as wheat have fallen significantly in price. Meanwhile, global warming is thus contributing to inflation. The European Central Bank (ECB) has calculated that last year the heat wave contributed 0.67 percentage points to food price inflation. This year, the situation does not look any better. While the inflation rate in Germany fell slightly to 6.2 per cent in July, it was still eleven per cent for food. The Federal Statistical Office writes: „Food thus remains the strongest price driver among the goods sectors.“ klimareporter.de
Associations call for course correction: In view of the threat of failure to achieve Germany’s climate goals, associations call on the German government to change course. More than forty institutions and associations have signed a letter to this effect, including the Workers‘ Welfare Association, the Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation and the German Transport Club. The demand paper is available to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. „We call on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to finally put his cabinet on a climate course and to ensure that the climate goals are achieved by 2030,“ explained Stefanie Langkamp, head of politics at the umbrella organisation Klima-Allianz Deutschland. FDP Transport Minister Volker Wissing is „a total failure“ for climate protection, she said. „The inadequate programme is another breach of the law with regard to the Climate Protection Act.“ taz.de
How water supply can become fit for climate change: During long periods of heat, some water suppliers in Germany reach their limits. There is enough water in many regions, but the infrastructure is lacking. „People have failed to react to climate change in time and to expand storage capacities and water treatment,“ says hydrogeochemist Tobias Licha of Bochum University. „When we have temperatures of more than 30 degrees for several days, the technical water storage and water treatment systems reach their limits in some places.“ Even the rainy winter and August 2023 would not have been able to replenish the natural water reservoirs. It would have to continue raining for a few years, says Licha, for the groundwater level to rise significantly again. But one cannot rely on that. tagesschau.de
BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Die Würde der Natur
Plea for a radical change of perspective
Our western model of civilisation, which has spread almost all over the world, is in a deep crisis. This also has to do with our false image of nature: We usually only perceive its scientifically describable „outside“ and ignore or objectify its „inside“. Yet it is precisely this side of the world that gives nature its value, as it stands for subjectivity, freedom, feeling, creativity and communication. The destructive consequences of this deficient worldview have become increasingly obvious in recent decades. To overcome the global crisis, we thus need a different view of nature and, linked to this, a transformation of our society on an ecological, social, economic and scientific level.
We need to say goodbye to the capitalist-technical culture based on exploitation, oppression and competition. Instead, we should promote a culture of cooperation, appreciation and empathy. Only in this way can we sustainably improve the world and overcome the crisis.
SPD: Wants to push through industrial electricity prices against the Chancellor’s resistance. spiegel.de
Systematic character assassination: A global network of climate change deniers spreads misinformation. klimareporter.de
EU measures: Which governments are doing the most to tackle the climate crisis. euronews.com
Species extinction: Climate crisis causes mass chick deaths of emperor penguins according to study. zeit.de
Protection of tenants: The SPD wants to introduce a nationwide rent freeze on the occasion of the debate on rising rents in Germany. handelsblatt.com
Environmental protection: EU bans fluorescent tubes. spiegel.de
The seventeeen goals magazine tells inspiring stories about how people move the world and shows how everyone can make a contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
PODCAST OF THE WEEK:
Heat as a health crisis
Martin Herrmann, a doctor, founded an organisation that has been working for years to ensure that summer heat is taken seriously as a health hazard. Because although it can cause thousands of deaths a year, the authorities are unprepared and many people in the health sector are uninformed – until now. But now something is happening and the public is slowly becoming aware of extreme heat as the most deadly consequence of the climate crisis in this country. In the podcast „Auch das noch“, the makers talk to Herrmann about what needs to be done, what helps and how a city that is prepared for heat is also a more liveable one. zeit.de
COMMENT OF THE WEEK:
by Torben Ostermann, ARD Berlin
More in view than data and forecasts
The scientists in the Climate Council are dissatisfied with the German government’s climate protection measures. But the government must also keep the will of the voters in mind. And that remains completely ambiguous. The Council of Climate Protection Experts could not have been much clearer. The efforts of the federal government: insufficient. The data situation: unclear. A coherent overall concept: non-existent. As clear as the findings are, they come as little surprise. It has been clear for a long time that Germany does not have a problem of knowledge in climate protection, but a problem of implementation. Scientists sit on the Council of Climate Experts. Scientists usually work with data and forecasts and accordingly usually come to a clear conclusion. But it is up to the politicians – the federal government – to decide what is ultimately expected of the population. And that is naturally much more difficult – all the more so when the federal government consists of three parties, some of which have very different views on what the population is willing to bear in terms of measures… It is true that a majority considers climate protection important. However, when climate protection is put into practice, this support crumbles into the ground. This was recently observed in the heated debate about the heating law. A closer look at the surveys shows that bans and restrictions meet with little acceptance. On the other hand, there is more support for new, better services – nine out of ten Germans, for example, are in favour of expanding the rail network more quickly. This is logical: the easier it is for people to replace the more climate-damaging car with the more climate-friendly public transport, the more likely this offer will be accepted. … tagesschau.de
MOBILITY:
German companies are increasingly turning to e-mobility: one in seven company cars is now an electric or hybrid car. This is the result of a study by KfW. In the commercial vehicle sector, e-mobility has so far only played a secondary role. „Companies play a key role in the decarbonisation of transport,“ said KfW Chief Economist Fritzi Köhler-Geib on the results of the study. zeit.de
German automotive suppliers are losing world market share: In principle, automotive suppliers are optimistic about the transition to e-mobility. But although German companies invest the most in research and development worldwide, they are falling behind in the market. With an average sales growth of 13 per cent last year, „they bring up the rear globally, far behind the rest of Europe (21 per cent), Asia (23 per cent) and America (25 per cent),“ the consulting firm PwC reported on Thursday. They also came last in terms of profit margin. dw.com
Reduction of the „environmental bonus“ slows down the ramp-up of e-mobility: In 2024, a total of 4.7 billion euros has been earmarked for the promotion of e-mobility in the German government’s Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF). According to information from the German Association of Motor Trades and Repairs (ZDK), only just under 810 million euros of this amount are earmarked for the purchase of e-vehicles. That is about 600 million euros less than the 1.4 billion euros previously mentioned for 2024. „If this really comes to pass, we are just witnessing another act of confusion with the environmental bonus,“ complains ZDK President Arne Joswig. „Neither the car dealers nor the customers are yet in a position to plan the purchase of an e-vehicle sensibly. This will further slow down the ramp-up of e-mobility postulated by the Federal Government.“ ecomento.de
Climate change affects shipping: About 90 per cent of global trade is conducted by ship. But drought and storms are already causing restrictions. What the climate crisis means for shipping and supply chains. Researchers at Oxford University estimate that climate-related disruptions at ports alone put an average of $81 billion a year in global trade and at least $122 billion in economic activity at risk. tagesschau.de
Climate crisis: „Rail transport becomes an important part of the solution“.telepolis.de
IAA in Munich: Climate activists announce protest – group demands „an end to car production: Climate activists are calling for a protest on the occasion of the International Motor Show (IAA) in Munich. A demonstration is planned for 10 September. Two weeks before the opening of the International Motor Show (IAA) by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), climate activists have called for actions under the slogan #blockIAA. The action alliances Sand im Getriebe, No Future for IAA and SmashIAA want to disrupt the course of the IAA in Munich and „show how capitalism turns car companies into profiteers of climate crisis, neo-colonial exploitation and armament“. merkur.de
HYDROGEN:
„Can’t afford the government“: Habeck’s green hydrogen strategy criticised: Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck announces the revised hydrogen strategy as the „big next story“. There are several points of criticism from the scientific community. To achieve climate neutrality, Economics Minister Robert Habeck is relying on hydrogen. To this end, the German government has adopted a new National Hydrogen Strategy. Above all, green hydrogen is to be promoted. „Basically, I am very positive about what Habeck has done with the hydrogen strategy. It is still a long way from what we really need,“ says Prof. Robert Schlögl, who was vice-chairman of the National Hydrogen Council (NWR) in 2020 and 2021, „Because from the point of view of science, there are still a few hiccups in the plans for green hydrogen. The scientists appeal to focus on imports rather than boosting the production of green hydrogen in Germany. So far, the strategy states that two-thirds of the demand for green hydrogen is to be imported. This is to be supplied mainly from Africa. fr.de
Natural hydrogen could drive the energy transition: For a long time it was assumed that hydrogen could not be extracted from the depths like natural gas. But now it appears that this is not true. The gas may even be renewable. spektrum.de
Hydrogen promotion: Favouritism in the Ministry of Transport? Did acquaintances of a department head in the Federal Ministry of Transport profit from subsidies for the hydrogen industry? An internal investigation group has looked into the allegations. The ministry sees allegations invalidated. tagesschau.de
Researchers present a new, economical approach to producing green hydrogen: Researchers at the University of Colorado have developed a new and efficient method for producing green hydrogen or green synthesis gas, a precursor for liquid fuels. The results could open the door to more sustainable energy use in industries such as transportation, steelmaking and ammonia production. The new study, published 16 August in the journal Joule, focuses on the production of hydrogen, or syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide that can be converted into fuels such as gasoline, diesel and paraffin. The CU Boulder team is laying the groundwork for what could be the first commercially viable method of producing this fuel based solely on solar energy. This could help engineers produce syngas in a more sustainable way. chemistry.com
LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:
Environment Ministry with less money: The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection must expect a slightly reduced budget next year. The draft for Section 16 of the 2024 federal budget (20/7800), which the Bundestag will discuss in its first reading on Tuesday, 5 September 2023, provides for expenditure of 2.4 billion euros compared to 2.45 billion euros this year. The department of Federal Minister Steffi Lemke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) is planning on revenues of 1.06 billion euros compared to 894.18 million euros this year.
Federal government report on the effect of the price brakes: Looking at the development of the price indices, but also at individual stylised households, it becomes clear that the energy price brakes also effectively relieve those households that have very high heating expenses. This applies not only to households with high incomes and large flats, but also to low-income households and flats in poor condition. This is the conclusion reached by the Federal Government in a first evaluation of the energy price brakes (20/8079). With the energy price brakes, instruments have been created which are cost-oriented on the one hand and incentive-compatible on the other hand, the government states in its briefing. They are part of the defensive shield that serves to cushion the rising energy costs resulting from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which is contrary to international law, and the most severe consequences for end consumers.
Budget 2024: 3.28 billion for energy and climate protection: With expenditures amounting to 3.28 billion euros, the area of „energy and sustainability“ is the second largest programme area in the budget of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. It corresponds to around 30 per cent of the expenditure planned in the section in 2024 according to the draft budget. Compared to this year, expenditure in this chapter is expected to be around 43 million euros higher. For climate protection (title group 04), 758.59 million euros are planned (2023: 766.4 million euros), of which 685.01 million euros for investments to protect the climate and biodiversity abroad (2023: 709.71 million euros). With the International Climate Initiative (ICI), Germany is fulfilling part of its obligations under the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement (UPCA) as well as the Convention on Biological Diversity. Around 25.7 million euros have been budgeted for international cooperation in the field of climate protection. Euros have been budgeted for international cooperation in the field of climate protection. The largest share is allocated to projects of the European Climate Initiative. more at bundestag.de
LITERALLY:
It is very ambivalent. (he economic and social fear of relegation d.Red.).Most poor people feel it is so bad that they gloss it over. They do not accept this role, they are ashamed of being poor. They also have no hope of being able to change anything about it. They are actually incapable of acting. They do not organise themselves politically and try to cope with it as an individual fate.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Kliche, political and social psychologist... But it is not principally about economic or social position, but rather about whether people have a political ideology for their view of the future, for their fears and interests, which says: politics is responsible for this. In fact, this is growing: more and more people are holding politics responsible for more and more and they want strong leadership, a united group, clear solutions and for minorities to be brought into line, especially in crises. What appears overall as an authoritarian reaction does not only concern a certain personality, it is very common and a characteristic of the handling of crises in large groups…Politics has an emotional service function. If people can blame politics, they are not responsible themselves. They can shift responsibility to experts and powerful people. The climate is a good example: I supposedly can’t do anything about it, individually. And cruises, SUVs are not so bad, the little bit of petrol, that should be fixed by politics, I am not responsible for that. mdr.de
AFRICA:
Niger -Escalation looms: The coup plotters in Niger are forging a new military alliance with several states. A far-reaching conflict is now looming in Africa. At the end of July 2023, the military in Niger ousted the democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum. In response, neighbouring ECOWAS states form a military intervention force and threaten a violent attack on the military junta in Niger. Now Niger, for its part, has formed a military alliance with the neighbouring states of Mali and Burkina Faso, as the foreign ministers of the countries announced in the Nigerien capital Niamey. Officially, it was said that the troops want to jointly secure their borders and take action against terrorist groups. fr.de
Zimbabwe: Incumbent Mnangagwa wins presidential election. stern.de
Ethiopia: The next civil war looms. The conflict in the Tigray region was barely pacified when unrest broke out in the next region. The situation threatens to escalate. zeit.de
Colonialism: What we don’t know about Africa US journalism professor Howard W. French shows how the „black continent“ was erased from the historical record – and who benefited from it. derstandard.at
BRICS Summit in Johannesburg: A more southern world is possible: The summit of the major emerging economies decides to expand the round from 2024 – and calls for further reforms. The BRICS expansion was the highlight of the summit, which otherwise celebrated the tenth anniversary of the BRICS Economic Council and paid tribute to the work of the BRICS Women’s Economic Alliance, which met the leaders of the member states in person for the first time. It also tasked the finance ministers and central bank heads of the BRICS countries to prepare a report by the next summit on the prospects for better cooperation between their currencies and in cross-border payment systems. The aim is to enable the countries of the Global South to reduce or end their dependence on the US dollar. On the occasion of the BRICS Summit, UN Secretary General António Guterres criticised the international distribution of power as outdated. The current global structures reflect the world of yesterday, said Guterres in Johannesburg, referring to international bodies such as the UN Security Council, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. At that time, many African countries were still ruled by colonial powers. taz.de, tagesschau.de
MORE KNOWLEDGE:
Forest protection certificates: The big compensation lie: Many large companies put the label „climate neutral“ on their flags – and lull customers into believing that they are doing something good for the environment by buying the products. The idea behind this: Inevitably occurring greenhouse gas emissions are compensated with environmental projects. But apparently this sounds too good to be true. As early as May 2023, a major investigation revealed that most CO2 certificates are nothing but a big advertising stunt. An analysis of forest protection projects from six South American and African countries certified by the US company Verra has now come to the same conclusion. For the study published in „Science“, 26 so-called REDD+ programmes (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) were examined. The sobering result: only about six per cent of the CO2 certificates from the projects examined are actually linked to avoided emissions. spektrum.de
Plastic waste as raw material for detergent: for researchers at the University of California Santa Barbara, one person’s disposable packaging is another’s useful raw material. In a paper just published in the journal Chem, they have redefined the value of single-use plastics and improved an innovative process that can convert polyolefins, the most common type of polymer in single-use packaging, into valuable alkyl aromatics – molecules that underlie surfactants, the main ingredients in detergents and other useful chemicals. geo.de
The climate monster is feeding on Canada’s forests: forest fires have been raging in Canada since May. It started in the east of the country; almost six thousand fires on millions and millions of hectares have been reported so far, and people have died. Tens of thousands have already had to be brought to safety; the air as far away as New York has been saturated at times with acrid gas, soot and toxic particles. In the meantime, more than 350 million tonnes of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide have literally vanished into thin air – more than twice as much as in the entire record year 2014 and about as much as Austria emitted in 17 years combined. The monster climate catastrophe, it seems, is feeding on itself. And it’s not over yet. Global climate change has more than doubled the likelihood of external conditions enabling wildfires as severe as those in eastern Canada. faz.net
Houses in France: Climate crisis causes prices of Breton holiday homes to explode. msn.com
Baltic Sea National Park: Protests against Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister President Daniel Günther on Fehmarn. ndr.de
Consumption behaviour: Diversity and inclusion are important for consumers. new-business.de
THE LAST:
E-scooters banned in Paris come to Berlin
In Paris, e-scooters will have to disappear from the streets on 1 September. In the search for a new location, some providers have found what they are looking for in the German capital. Around 15,000 e-scooters will be banned from Paris because of the ban. Now the rental scooter provider Tier eile wants to replace its Berlin fleet with models from Paris. There is currently no talk of a ban in Berlin – but the rules could be tightened. rbb.24.de
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All images, unless otherwise stated: pixabay.com
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