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Relaxation of wolf protection status – EU ambassadors approve Commission’s move: EU countries, including Germany, have initiated a relaxation of wolf protection. This represents a change of course in German wolf policy, with both Agriculture Minister Özdemir and Environment Minister Lemke supporting the decision. Lemke justifies this with the development of population numbers and the needs of grazing livestock farmers, and the plan envisages downgrading the protection status of the wolf from „strictly protected“ to „protected“, which would probably facilitate shooting. However, the process is not yet finalised; after formal adoption at ministerial level, the EU must submit an application to the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, an international treaty for the protection of European wild animals and plants. welt.de, euractiv.de

Election results in Austria: The FPÖ becomes the strongest party in Austria: According to initial projections, the FPÖ becomes the strongest party in Austria, leaving the ÖVP behind. The far-right party is clearly the strongest force. The Greens, who previously governed with the Conservatives, shrink significantly. derstandard.at

Electric cars too expensive: At the car summit under Economics Minister Habeck, the Greens called for cheaper electric cars. Greenpeace proposed a premium for vehicles up to 30,000 euros, financed by a new registration tax on petrol guzzlers. The problem is that there are only a few electric cars under 30,000 euros available in Germany. The cheapest model, the Volkswagen ID.3, starts at 36,900 euros. The car summit did not produce any concrete results. Economics Minister Habeck wants to work out a concept behind the scenes. faz.net, rnd.de

On 52 out of 71 German beaches

plastic particles have been detected in sand samples. However, the contamination varies greatly depending on the location. Particles from a size of one millimetre were evaluated. The scientists explained that the concentration could be even higher if smaller plastic particles were included in the analysis. welt.de

Vehicle emissions: Union strives for relaxed limits – Greenpeace warns of impact on climate and drivers: The EU emissions rules for car manufacturers are currently at the centre of a controversial debate. While some politicians and car manufacturers are calling for the limits to be relaxed, the environmental organisation Greenpeace is warning of negative consequences for the climate and consumers. Greenpeace estimates that a postponement of the limit values would lead to 100 billion euros in additional costs for car drivers. The car industry is resisting the planned tightening of EU fleet limits and is receiving political support from the FDP, CDU/CSU and AfD. According to Greenpeace, a relaxation could lead to 11.8 million more combustion vehicles being sold, which would result in additional CO₂ emissions and higher fuel consumption. The Union goes even further and is calling for a gradual withdrawal of the EU’s Fleet limit value specifications with a simultaneous increase in CO₂ pricing. Critics see the car industry’s demands as an attempt to continue making profits from combustion engines, albeit at the expense of climate protection and consumers. fr.de

Insurance against extreme weather events: The German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu) is in favour of the introduction of subsidised insurance against extreme weather events in agriculture, but emphasises the need for increased climate adaptation measures in the agricultural sector. Nabu President Jörg-Andreas Krüger demands that farmers should first implement measures such as improving soil quality and optimising crop rotations on their own. The proposed insurance should only serve as residual risk cover and be mandatory. The association criticises the current focus on compensation instead of prevention and adaptation. According to Krüger, the exact form of insurance – whether joint funds, under public or private law – requires further discussion. cash-online.de

 

Animal welfare officer calls for certificate of competence for pet owners: The federal animal welfare officer, Ariane Kari, is calling for a mandatory certificate of competence for pet owners. She emphasises the need for „basic knowledge“ for everyone who keeps animals, especially dog owners, in order to reduce biting incidents. Kari also argues in favour of a nationwide requirement to neuter cats and measures against cruelty breeding, including bans on importing and keeping animals. She emphasises that existing pets would not be affected by new regulations and that exceptions should apply to adoptions from animal shelters. The aim of these initiatives is to reduce the demand for animals bred in an agonising way and to improve the overall welfare of pets. zeit.de

 

Big Oil’s influence on Brussels‘ climate policy: New research by Transparency International and Fossil Free Politics reveals the massive influence of the fossil fuel industry on EU climate policy.1,000 meetings took place between 2019 and 2024 between representatives of the seven largest fossil fuel companies and EU officials. Two thirds of these meetings concerned the Green Deal. With a lobbying budget of almost 64 million euros, these companies are among the most influential in Brussels.the studies also show a strong presence of these lobbyists at COP28 in Dubai, where the decision against a complete phase-out of fossil fuels was taken.during Ursula von der Leyen’s term of office, there were almost 900 meetings between Commission representatives and fossil fuel industry lobbyists. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provided these companies with additional opportunities to advise the EU on energy issues. euronews.com

BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:

Der Klima-Atlas 80 Karten für die Welt von morgen

Stunning facts, unusual graphics, bold future scenarios: the climate crisis in 80 cards

Who feels threatened by global warming – and who really is? Where in the world has civil engagement already successfully led to new climate laws? And what could a diet that is good for people and the planet look like? In 80 maps and infographics, Luisa Neubauer, Christian Endt and Ole Häntzschel present surprising figures and statistics – making the seemingly abstract climate crisis tangible. The authors vividly and concisely show what the climate crisis means for Christmas in Munich or the Japanese cherry blossom, which utopias were first demonised and later implemented and how cities have to change in order to withstand global warming. They make it clear how serious the situation is, but also what political, economic and technological course we can still set. A clever and optimistic book that shows what a fair, climate-neutral world could look like.

rowohlt.de

 


IN A NUTSHELL:

Less money for humanitarian aid: The Federal Foreign Office has to streamline its humanitarian aid. The budget is forcing it to do so. Germany is in danger of losing influence as a result .tablemedia.de
EU fleet limits: postponement could cost billions and exacerbate climate crisis. fair-economics.de
Energy management: How cold stores can protect the climate. handelsblatt.com
Global warming: Climate change has exacerbated rainfall in Eastern Europe.sueddeutsche.de
London:
Environmental activists go to prison – renewed „soup attack“ on Van Gogh painting.deutschlandfunk.de
Activists occupy LNG construction site in Brunsbüttel:
They want to stop the construction of another land-based liquefied natural gas terminal on the Elbe. zeit.de
Historic gardens:
Almost 60 per cent of all trees damaged.mdr.de
Climate models:
German research team builds AI with „unprecedented accuracy“.t3n.de
Decline in sandy areas:
dying beaches“ on Mallorca – fewer sunbeds in future. spiegel.de
Climate change:
Changes the taste of wine.weather.com
FPÖ:
Renowned climate researchers show how fact-free the FPÖ’s politics are. derstandard.at
Great Britain:
Last coal-fired power plant to be shut down. Electricity production is to become completely CO2-neutral by 2030.faz.net
The cold snap that won’t be:
The possible collapse of the Gulf Stream was big news in February. A new study casts doubt on this.taz.de

Study: Durability of electric car batteries has improved significantly. ecomento.de
Portugal: Introduces 20-euro ticket – also for intercity trains. hna.de
Price increase for 49-euro ticket: Associations call for social tariff and price guarantee for Germany ticket. zeit.de
More modern buses and trains: Cities demand billions for local transport. tagesschau.de

Hydrogen in the energy transition: for Germany to be climate-neutral in a good 20 years, it needs green hydrogen for everything that cannot be electrified. But this is still a long way off.t3n.de
Gigantic hydrogen project in the desert: In Namibia, Germany wants to build an industrial plant in a national park of all places to produce millions of tonnes of green hydrogen. spiegel.de
Green hydrogen: Already competitive in niches. ndr.de
Too expensive: No hydrogen pipeline between Norway and Germany. businessportal-norwegen.com
First roadmap for hydrogen strategy: It is intended to bring more certainty to the national hydrogen strategy. It defines essential guidelines for the development and expansion of the technical regulations – also in mobility. springerprofessional.de
Low-CO2 hydrogen: The EU Commission is about to finalise the long-awaited EU definition of low-CO2 hydrogen. euractiv.de

The seventeen goals magazine tells inspiring stories about how people move the world and shows how everyone can make a contribution to achieving the sustainability goals.


PODCAST OF THE WEEK:

Has the East voted climate protection out of office?

What impact do the electoral successes of the AfD and BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) in the East German state elections have on climate protection? Both parties recorded significant increases in votes in Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia. While the AfD rejects climate protection measures, the BSW is in favour of a return to Russian gas and the preservation of the combustion engine. Both parties suggest that the ecological reorganisation of the economy is not necessary. The BSW could be involved in government in all three states, and the AfD has achieved a blocking minority in the state parliaments of Brandenburg and Thuringia. Concerns have been expressed as to whether the AfD could block the energy transition at municipal level, as it holds an absolute majority in many municipalities. Fritz Reusswig from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research is to explain the possible consequences of these political developments for climate protection measures in the podcast „Gradmesser“. The article suggests that these election results could have significant consequences for the implementation of climate protection measures in the affected federal states.

tagesspiegel.de


COMMENT OF THE WEEK:

Scrapping the scrappage scheme!

by Andreas Niesmann

In every major or minor crisis, sooner or later the scrappage scheme is brought up as a possible solution, yet it is a prime example of misguided economic policy. Andreas Niemann criticises the current SPD proposal to reintroduce the scrappage scheme and sees a positive aspect in the federal government’s tight budget situation, as it prevents such „nonsensical and expensive ideas“. The 2009 scrappage scheme is an example of misguided economic policy. It cost the state 5 billion euros, was of little use to the German automotive industry, but helped foreign manufacturers. It also destroyed economic assets by scrapping roadworthy cars and damaged the used car market, garages and scrap dealers. The positive climate effect was cancelled out by higher motorisation and production emissions. New car sales collapsed after the subsidy expired. Despite these negative aspects, the scrappage scheme is considered a success in politics, which the article attributes to its popularity with voters. The text argues that the current pressure to economise prevents the reintroduction of such ineffective measures and therefore has a positive side effect. the whole commentary at rnd.de


LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:

Bundestag to be more closely involved in the sustainability strategy: In a motion (20/12981), the CDU/CSU parliamentary group calls for the Bundestag to be more closely involved in updating the German Sustainability Strategy. It criticises the fact that Parliament has so far largely only been a spectator in this far-reaching strategy. The parliamentary group proposes that an annual sustainability week be included in the Bundestag’s rules of procedure, in which the progress of the strategy is discussed with the participation of the responsible ministers. In addition, the content and strategic development should be decided in agreement with the Bundestag. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group emphasises the need for parliamentary legitimation and involvement in view of the long-term effects of the strategy. It calls for the update of the Sustainability Strategy 20/4810) to be adopted by Parliament in order to ensure a more in-depth debate and change the role of the Bundestag from a spectator to an active participant.

Youth delegate Stehle criticises sustainability policy: Fidelis Stehle, Youth Delegate for Sustainable Development, sharply criticised the Federal Government’s sustainability policy during a meeting of the Parliamentary Advisory Council. In particular, he criticised the weakening of the Climate Protection Act and the lack of progress on the 2030 Agenda, where only 17 percent of the goals are „on track“. Stehle called for urgent climate protection measures, real greenhouse gas reductions instead of compensation measures and an end to climate-damaging subsidies. He also criticised the planned cuts in development cooperation and humanitarian aid and emphasised the long-term financial benefits of investing in global crisis resilience. For Germany, Stehle proposed a reform of the debt brake to enable more public investment in the common good. Overall, he warned that the current policy does not do justice to Germany’s historical responsibility and shifts the burden onto young people. bundestag.de

Unutilised potential in the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure: A draft law to accelerate the availability of hydrogen was discussed at a public hearing of the Committee on Climate Protection and Energy. The experts welcomed the project in principle, but identified several areas for improvement. They called for an extension of the scope to include hydrogen transport and infrastructure as well as more comprehensive acceleration measures. Concerns were expressed regarding the „overriding public interest“ and shortened participation periods. A lack of staff in the authorities was cited as an obstacle to effectively speeding up procedures. In addition, consideration of competing uses of water was called for and the need to strengthen Germany’s competitiveness in the face of high energy costs was emphasised. One individual expert fundamentally criticised the use of hydrogen as an energy source. Overall, the experts emphasised the importance of a balanced approach that reconciles climate protection goals, economic interests and ecological aspects. Federal government draft bill, bundestag.de

Offshore proceeds for marine conservation to flow into foundation: The German government is planning to earmark a portion of the auction proceeds for offshore wind power licences in a foundation under the umbrella of the Federal Environmental Foundation for marine conservation. This is intended to secure long-term funding for marine nature conservation projects, regardless of the budget situation. In addition, a 65 million euro emergency programme will be set up. The funds are to be used for the protection of endangered species and habitats, the environmentally friendly design of offshore wind energy expansion as well as monitoring and accompanying research. The CDU/CSU demands that the funds only be used for measures in accordance with the implementation concept. The coalition parties welcome the concept in principle, with the SPD expressing concerns about long-term financing. The AfD criticises the offshore expansion as ecologically harmful, while Die Linke calls for a reassessment of the compensation measures in light of climate change. bundestag.de

 

TAKEN LITERALLY:

„By far the biggest challenge in planning and implementing climate adaptation measures is the lack of human and financial resources. But also the municipal administrative structure: more than 80 per cent of respondents stated that the task of climate adaptation challenges the existing structures in local government. This has a lot to do with the fact that the cross-cutting issue of climate adaptation is the responsibility of several offices or departments. This means that successful climate adaptation requires cross-departmental cooperation within the municipalities, which must be well coordinated and intentional.“

Thomas Friedrich from the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) in Frankfurt am Main,…as far as financial resources are concerned, the federal and state governments are of course also involved, as they already offer many funding programmes. However, it must also be recognised that many funds are not called up because there is a lack of qualified personnel to submit applications in the municipalities. We need to react to this. The approach of specifically promoting the recruitment of municipal climate adaptation managers is certainly the right one. Such experts are already working in around twelve per cent of local authorities. wissenschaft.de

 

AFRICA:

Africa at the UN General Debate: The 79th UN General Debate in New York opened under the motto „Leaving no one behind“. Central topics were the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine as well as African demands for a reform of the UN Security Council. African heads of state such as Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa) and João Lourenço (Angola) sharply criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza. Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone) called for ceasefires in various conflict regions, and one of the main concerns of African countries is the reform of the UN Security Council with the demand for two permanent seats with veto rights and three non-permanent seats for Africa. The USA supports two permanent seats but rejects a veto right, and a „Pact for the Future“ was adopted at the parallel UN Future Summit, which provides for reforms in various areas, including improving Africa’s representation on the Security Council. However, the implementation of these reforms requires an amendment to the UN Charter with the broad agreement of the member states. voanews.com

Opposition politicians arrested in Tanzania: Several opposition politicians in Tanzania, including Freeman Mbowe and Tundu Lissu of the CHADEMA party, have been briefly arrested and released on bail. The arrests took place before a planned demonstration against alleged abductions and murders of party members, which was banned by the police. A total of 14 people were arrested and the political climate in Tanzania is intensifying in the run-up to the upcoming elections. The government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been criticised for suppressing the opposition. Human rights groups and diplomatic missions are calling for an independent investigation into the incidents and the opposition plans to continue its resistance, while it remains unclear whether the president will continue to increase political pressure or seek dialogue. The situation clouds hopes for political reform under the leadership of President Hassan. bbc.com

Finance: „Without debt relief, Africa fights climate change with its hands tied“ fair-economics.de
Kenya: Budget under pressure as rising interest rates jeopardise domestic borrowing plans. theafricareport.com
New government in Congo: Ambitious goals, much disillusionment. dw.com

MORE KNOWLEDGE:

Urban planning faces new challenges: Climate change presents cities with new challenges in urban planning. On the one hand, they need to create more green spaces to reduce temperatures and allow water to seep away, but on the other hand they also need to provide affordable housing. A new EU law stipulates that green spaces in cities must increase from 2031, leading to conflicts of interest, as shown by the example of Berlin, where 272,000 new flats are needed by 2040. Other cities such as Vienna are focussing on social housing and intensive greening of buildings in order to combine both goals. handelsblatt.com

Too slow for the climate: Sloths, especially those in the highlands of South America, are threatened by climate change. Scientists from the Sloth Conservation Foundation have discovered that rising temperatures increase the sloths‘ energy consumption, while their digestion does not speed up accordingly. This leads to an energy deficit. faz.net

Energy storage innovation – batteries made of aluminium instead of lithium: A research team at TU Bergakademie Freiberg is developing an innovative aluminium battery as a pioneering alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. This new technology is intended to meet the growing demand for sustainable and cost-effective energy storage systems for the energy transition. The battery consists of an aluminium anode, a graphite cathode and a new type of polymer solid electrolyte. This special electrolyte offers several advantages: It is leak-proof, resistant to moisture and oxygen, reduces corrosion and enables more cost-effective production. energiezukunft.eu

 

CALENDAR:

Consultation on the amendment of the Energy Services Act

Time: Wednesday, 9 October 2024, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, meeting room E.800
The meeting is open to the public and will be broadcast on www.bundestag.de.

Amendment of the Energy Services and Other Efficiency Measures Act, amendment of the Energy Efficiency Act and amendment of the Energy Consumption Labelling Act“ is the title of a public hearing to be held by the Committee on Climate Protection and Energy on Wednesday, 9 October 2024. The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. and last around two hours. A draft bill has been submitted by the Federal Government (20/11852).

The meeting will be broadcast live on parliamentary television and online at www.bundestag.de.

The 33-member committee is responsible for all aspects of the energy transition and the associated climate protection issues, as well as the topic of energy saving. Energy consultations focus on new regulations under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), grid expansion and energy efficiency. (24.09.2024)

Hearing on the potential of nature-based tourism

Time: Wednesday, 9 October 2024, 3 to 4.15 p.m.
Location: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, meeting room 4.600
The hearing is open to the public.

Main topics of the hearing:

  • How can conflicts of interest between tourism and nature conservation be minimised?
  • What opportunities does digitalisation offer for visitor guidance?
  • The role of integrative trail management, digital visitor guidance, route planning and knowledge transfer in a responsible and contemporary experience of nature
  • The potential of cycling and hiking sports and their expansion options
  • Framework conditions for the expansion of sustainable, nature-friendly and digital infrastructures, especially for cycle tourism
  • How can the international marketing of nature-based offers be improved?

Interested visitors can register with the secretariat of the Tourism Committee (e-mail: tourismusausschuss@bundestag.de) by 4 October 2024, stating their first name, surname and date of birth.

Consultation on the introduction of sustainability reporting

Time: Wednesday, 16 October 2024, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, meeting room 2.600
The meeting is open to the public.

Draft bill

2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference

When: 21 October- 1. November 2024
Where: Cali, Colombia
Further information: Press release
Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity(COP16) and the meetings of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol.
At COP16, governments will be tasked with reviewing the status of implementation of the Kunming and Montreal Global Biodiversity Frameworks, which were adopted at COP15 in Montreal, Canada, in December 2022.

2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29)

When: 11-22. November 2024
Where: Baku, Azerbaijan
Further information: Press release from COP28
At last year’s COP28 conference in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), countries agreed for the first time to move away from fossil fuels and to finance the Fund for Loss and Damage.
In November, heads of state and government and delegates from around the world will meet again in Azerbaijan for the biggest climate event of the year to set a new global target for climate financing.

Session of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties (COP16)

When: 2-13 December December
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
More information: Website
Not to be confused with the UN Biodiversity Conference: COP16 will bring together world leaders to take action on drylands under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Since the last UNCCD Conference of the Parties in May 2022 in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), this will be the world’s largest summit on land issues.

THE LAST:

E-hiking trousers: the pinnacle of comfort

Who would have thought that the next step in the evolution of mountaineering would not be a revolutionary climbing technique or a ground-breaking training concept, but simply trousers with a built-in electric motor? Yes, you heard that right: the outdoor industry has managed to turn our beloved hiking trousers into little power stations: There you are dragging yourself up the mountain, panting, and suddenly an obese hiker whizzes past you with the ease of a Marsupilami, thanks to his magical e-trousers. Who needs years of training and iron discipline when you can simply switch on the turbo in your pants? The mountain world is being democratised – now really anyone can conquer Mont Blanc, provided the battery lasts, but don’t worry, there is a silver lining for all purists and traditionalists: while the e-pants wearers are storming the summits, peace is finally returning to the lower altitudes. And who knows, maybe the sight of dozens of hikers charging their trousers in mountain huts will be the starting signal for a whole new kind of après-ski party. One thing is certain: with e-pants, mountaineering will never be the same again – whether for better or worse remains to be seen.
sueddeutsche.de

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