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International climate protection is not being reached:The German government had pledged six billion euros a year for climate protection in partner countries. Future funding will not reach that level, exclusive figures show. One pledge made by the traffic light coalition was to increase funding for international climate financing to six billion euros by 2025 at the latest – which would be used to support climate protection projects abroad, among other things. According to its own figures, the German government has already exceeded this mark in 2022 and mobilized around 6.4 billion euros – three years earlier than planned. For 2023, however, the German government expects to receive only around 5.1 billion euros in budgetary funds for international climate financing, and around 5.3 billion euros for 2024. Meanwhile, a donor conference in Bonn has produced new results. So far, all industrialized countries have failed to fulfill their key financial pledges. At least some progress was made in Bonn. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has been replenished. 9.322 billion dollars in new funds have now been secured for the period 2024 to 2027. Germany alone has contributed two billion – almost a quarter – as has the UK.
Last Generation as a criminal group? The climate protection group Letzte Generation has so far not been classified as a criminal organisation in Berlin – but a corresponding examination by the Senate Justice Administration in the summer was by no means completely clear. The question could not be „answered unambiguously“, it said in the internal „review note“ of the authority of 11 July. Rather, the public prosecutor’s office had an „original margin of appreciation“. However, the decisions in other cities such as Potsdam and Munich for a corresponding initial suspicion would also have no „compelling effects“ on Berlin. The expert opinion was initially kept secret. faz.net
Less than six years
If humanity continues to emit so much CO₂, the 1.5 degree target will no longer be achievable as early as mid-2029. A CO₂ budget clock shows how much time is left before the climate targets are out of reach – and how much emissions would have to fall. rnd.de
Gas and electricity price brakes to be extended until March 2024: The federal government wants to extend the price brakes for gas and electricity by three months until the end of March 2024, but at the same time abolish the reduced VAT rate for gas and district heating at the beginning of the year. There is agreement on this within the federal government. However, the extension of the price brake is still pending a decision by the EU Commission in Brussels. This is likely to disappoint the demands of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV) and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). tagesspiegel.de
Global rules for chemicals for the first time: At the beginning of October, a gap in international environmental law was closed in Bonn: At the fifth World Chemicals Conference, a framework agreement on the safe handling of chemicals and chemical waste was adopted. The agreement should actually have been adopted four years ago. Therefore, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Inger Andersen lamented: „Since the original deadline for a new legal framework, the World Health Organisation estimates that millions of people have probably died from direct chemical pollution of air, water, soil and workplaces. Countless ecosystems and species have been polluted and poisoned. The damage is likely to amount to trillions of dollars.“ taz.de
Climate commissioners grilled: The EU Commission’s term of office is barely a year away, and yet new commissioners for climate policy and for the Green Deal have to be appointed for the last few months. Officially, a reduction target of 55 percent by 2030 and the EU’s climate neutrality by 2050 have been decided. Two partly controversial candidates – one from the conservative and one from the social democratic side – as well as the time pressure of the next climate summit in Dubai scheduled for December, were used by the smaller groups in the last few days. After two rounds of tense negotiations, candidates Wopke Hoekstra and Maroš Šefčovič received the European Parliament’s blessing on Wednesday to take over the EU’s climate and green deal portfolios. Especially from the Greens, the candidates were properly „grilled“ in two sessions of the Environment Committee. Until Wednesday morning, both candidates also had to answer questions from MEPs in writing. The EU Parliament has confirmed Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra as the new EU Climate Commissioner. On Thursday in Strasbourg, 279 MEPs supported the appointment of the 48-year-old as EU Commissioner for Climate Action, 173 were against and 33 abstained, according to the Parliament. The EU member states still have to approve the appointment – but this is considered a formality. merkur.de, klimareporter.de
Lapwing is the Bird of the Year 2024: The lapwing is on the Red List of endangered bird species. Now its election as Bird of the Year is drawing attention to the problem of dwindling habitat. With more than 33,000 votes, the lapwing has been elected Bird of the Year 2024. In the online vote organised by the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and the Bavarian Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature (LBV), the lapwing prevailed over four other candidates. This is the second time since 1996 that it has been Bird of the Year. The lapwing’s natural habitat is moorland and wet meadows. However, these are increasingly being drained – among other things to obtain arable land for agricultural use. The population of lapwings has declined drastically in recent years. Nationwide, there are probably only about 55,000 breeding pairs left, and the trend is still downward. zeit.de
BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Das Schöne bewahren
Acting for a future worth living
The beauty of life – for many it is a walk through a forest or a swim in the sea. But nature is threatened almost everywhere, and the measures and announcements to protect it so far are not enough to preserve what is beautiful and necessary for life. Politicians, companies and all of us must do better!
But how? Tom Veltmann describes concrete solutions and instructions in this book: He first shows where our way of doing business has what negative consequences and offers solutions – for each individual, for companies and at the political level.nature and climate protection, according to Veltmann, do not have to go hand in hand with renunciation, high costs and bans. oekom.de
Study: Europe’s power sector can be converted to 100 percent renewables by 2030. pv-magazine.de
EU prepares protective measures against China’s wind companies: Chinese turbine manufacturers advertise predatory prices. handelsblatt.com
Global shortage of skilled workers threatens achievement of climate goals: The green economy will be short of seven million skilled workers in a few years. The lack of personnel also has consequences for the climate. spiegel.de
Rhine: In 30 years, Germany’s largest river as we know it will no longer exist. fr.de
Australia: Stock exchange for climate protection to be established. tagesschau.de
European climate tariff: A new levy on the import of certain CO2-intensive products started a week ago. focus.de
France: Court decision against megabassins for climate protection reasons. taz.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:
How we stop climate change despite stone age brains
September in Germany this year was warmer than at any time since temperature records began in 1881. With a nationwide average of 17.3 degrees, it was also significantly warmer than the two previous record holders, the Septembers of 2006 and 2016. Nevertheless, the vast majority of people, including the author of this text, sat happily by the swimming lake or in the beer garden instead of taking action in the face of advancing climate change.
Why is that so? Why do we now feel first-hand how our world is changing, know about man-made climate change and its consequences – and yet are more afraid of wind turbines than of the consequences of the climate crisis? Neuroscientist Maren Urner provides answers in this episode of Gradmesser, the climate podcast of the Tagesspiegel. Urner explains: „Our brains are optimised for completely different living conditions than those that today’s environment has in store for us. „Our Stone Age brain doesn’t like change,“ she says. But Urner, who also holds a professorship in media psychology at the University of Media, Communication and Business in Cologne, also says: „We are both curious and interested when we feel safe.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK:
A plea for radical pragmatism
by Hans Stegemann
The successes of climate policy so far are sobering. Economist Hans Stegeman thinks: A rethink is needed – with a combination of radical systemic change and pragmatic approaches. …
By understanding the limitations and downsides of market-based approaches and rethinking our assumptions, we can pave the way for meaningful change and sustainable solutions to secure a better future for our planet and future generations. … To effectively address these challenges, I advocate a strategy of radical pragmatism. Radical, because we need systemic change, oriented towards a better future for humanity and our less fortunate fellow human beings. But also pragmatic because we recognise that it takes time to compromise and take into account the diverse needs of our society to achieve significant change. If being called a „radical pragmatist“ or an „alarmist“ implies that I can help promote arguments and solutions that challenge the status quo and pave the way for a better future for humanity, then I wholeheartedly embrace this role.
The truth is obvious to all of us: there is no easy way out of the climate and environmental crisis. We need magicians and prophets working together. We can either engage in a pointless game of hide-and-seek and ignore the truth, or face the unvarnished reality and purposefully advance workable solutions together. Only by acknowledging uncomfortable truths and working together to find solutions can we hope to create a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come! capital.de
MOBILITY:
Travel industry wants to become climate neutral: World Tourism Day is celebrated every year at the end of September. Now Norbert Fiebig, President of the German Travel Association, is drawing attention to the special responsibility of his industry: „The perspective goal is called CO²-neutral mobility. This also secures travel. As the German travel industry, we take an active role in climate protection and sustainability and support the transformation to a decarbonised, non-fossil travel and mobility era with sustainable investments. Many tour operators are taking a leading role here. But there is also still a lot to do. Through determined action by all – the economy, politics and travellers – the ecological challenges will be overcome in perspective.“ abouttravel.ch
The real estate industry is becoming e-mobile: Whether e-cars will win the race among vehicles in the future remains to be seen. One million electric cars are already on German roads. The German government would like to see at least seven million by 2030 – with consequences for real estate companies. The housing industry is reacting and changing its real estate planning – for new and existing buildings. Charging stations and wallboxes also represent a considerable increase in the value of the property. Supported by the EU requirement regarding energy and building efficiency as well as the Building Electric Mobility Infrastructure Act (GEIG for short). According to this law, the installation of a charging facility in buildings with more than ten parking spaces will be mandatory for each parking space in the future. In view of future demand, parking spaces must have protective pipes for electric cables (line infrastructure). In this way, charging points can be installed quickly when needed. haufe.de
Brussels tailwind for European cycling: EU Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean presented a European Declaration on Cycling last Wednesday. In doing so, she signalled Brussels‘ willingness to give political support to getting around on two wheels. The declaration, first suggested by former Green Deal chief and cycling fan Frans Timmermans, was presented at the Urban Mobility Days in Seville. It promises new funding and renewed political support to promote cycling and strengthen the cycling industry in the EU. euractiv.de , original document
Court stops search function in Deutsche Bahn app: Almost every rail traveller knows the search function „Show fastest connections“, but the company is in legal trouble with this online offer. The Frankfurt Higher Regional Court has banned the function – because it is misleading. spiegel.de
Why e-cars will soon run on salt – and become significantly cheaper: Batteries made with sodium instead of lithium will make affordable mass-produced e-models possible. Intensive work is still being done on this, especially in China. But a German carmaker is now getting involved. handelsblatt.com
How China is decarbonising its public transport: China is not only a pioneer in e-cars, but also in the electrification of public transport. The vehicles are produced domestically, and the whole thing is becoming an export model, so China may electrify the global South at the same time. klimareporter.de
HYDROGEN:
Start-up wants to „crack“ transport industry with ammonia: Young Suk Jo has founded Amogy with the intention of decarbonising the transport sector. The transport sector is one of the most polluting industries in the world, accounting for about 15 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Electric cars will reduce these emissions in the coming decades, but batteries simply cannot currently store enough energy to power long-distance trucks and container ships on the high seas. heise.de
New hydrogen diplomacy: The EU is betting on green hydrogen. Cooperation with Latin America in particular has enormous potential – but old mistakes must be avoided. To create a „strategic vision“ for European investment and coordinate it with cooperation and development efforts, the European Commission presented the Global Gateway Investment Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean at the EU-Celac Summit in July. However, Global Gateway’s performance so far since it was first mentioned in 2021 has been disappointing. … It is crucial that hydrogen projects are realistic as well as feasible and that export-oriented mega-projects are avoided. Previous experiences such as the failure of Desertec should serve as both a warning and a guide for the design of hydrogen strategies in Latin America. Priority should be given to local decarbonisation, even if this may be less attractive to both leading national and global political actors. ipg-journal.de
Hydrogen from Andalusia to Baden-Württemberg: Baden-Württemberg needs hydrogen as an energy carrier to achieve its climate goals by 2040. This is to come from Andalusia, among other places – with the help of a new pipeline. Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) signed a declaration of intent with Andalusia’s regional president Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla in Seville on Wednesday evening. With this agreement, Baden-Württemberg and the Spanish region want to cooperate on the development of a European hydrogen network in the future. The goal: From 2030, hydrogen could be transported via a pipeline from Spain through France to the vicinity of Freiburg and thus to Baden-Württemberg. swr.de
Green hydrogen without power grid connection: Novel solar cell for decentralised production of green hydrogen with very high efficiency. chemie.de
Sefe and Gen2 Energy cooperate on the supply of green hydrogen: Sefe subsidiary Wingas and Gen2 Energy have signed binding key data for a contract to supply green hydrogen. In a statement, both companies speak of a „significant step towards realising the import of green hydrogen from Norway to Germany“. zfk.de
This is how hydrogen is to come from Rotterdam to Duisburg: A jointly commissioned feasibility study underlines the importance of the two ports in serving the industry’s growing demand for hydrogen and its derivatives, and in mediating between policy makers, industry and future players in the hydrogen market, duisport said. OCI Global, the listed Dutch global market leader for ammonia, methanol and hydrogen, is working with both ports to demonstrate that the planned hydrogen corridor between Rotterdam and duisport is already in place and offers good conditions to meet the high demand for low-carbon and renewable hydrogen from industry in the Ruhr region. rp-online.de
LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:
Government draft of the Growth Opportunities Act: he Federal Government wants to reduce the tax burden on companies by seven billion euros annually. This is the result of its draft for the Growth Opportunities Act (20/8628). The relief is to take full effect in 2025; for 2024, the government expects a somewhat smaller annual effect. The package consists of a bundle of individual measures with which the federal government wants to „improve the liquidity situation of companies and provide impetus“ so that „companies can invest more on a permanent basis and dare to innovate with entrepreneurial courage“, as the draft states. It is important to accompany the transformation of the German economy „as well as to strengthen competitiveness, growth opportunities and Germany as a business location“.
Figures on illnesses caused by heat and sun: In an answer (20/8458) to a minor question by the AfD parliamentary group (20/8258), the federal government presented figures on heat and sunlight-related illnesses in the years 2000 to 2021. The diagnosis data of the hospitals from the Destatis hospital statistics showed illnesses caused by „heat and sunlight as well as acute illnesses caused by sunlight“, the Federal Government writes. Data beyond the inpatient sector, for example from the outpatient sector, are not available, the answer says. The data do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the „heat-related morbidity burden“.
LITERALLY:
You can’t respond to the climate crisis with individual answers. Motto: Put in a heat pump and everything is fine. The social, economic and societal consequences should have been included from the beginning. As it is, however, the uncertainties have been increased. The traffic lights need to be improved here, and not only on the subject of changing heating systems.
Michael Müller, SPD, Federal Chairman of the Friends of Nature of Germany, …new windows and external doors are needed in many old buildings, often also the insulation of the facades, and in view of the economic framework conditions such as inflation and a shortage of skilled workers, the costs would continue to rise here as well. We would therefore need non-profit financing offers for the whole package. We would need a „special fund for the future“ for the social-ecological shaping of economic development. This would be the right „turn of the times“ to end the war with nature. This special fund would be the basis for a public-law fund that would offer a non-profit „ecological savings bank“. This would provide cheap loans for the conversion in the heating sector, where necessary also with very long terms.
AFRICA:
Morocco: Morocco is known as a transit country to Europe. But the Mediterranean country is increasingly becoming a destination for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Among them also more and more women. In view of the growing number of migrants, the government in Rabat has also adjusted its integration policy. Two legalisation (regularisation) campaigns enabled around 50,000 migrants to obtain a residence permit in 2014 and 2017. dw.com
Kenya Cabinet reshuffle: Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday night reshuffled eight members of his Cabinet, placing the Foreign Affairs portfolio under the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, headed by Musalia Mudavadi. Mudavadi will now serve as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs after Alfred Mutua was moved to Tourism and Wildlife. None of the ministers were sacked, which is all the more noteworthy given that Ruto publicly rebuked his cabinet a few months ago, accusing some of them of being clueless about their portfolios. theeastafrican.co.ke
Africa – Precious water: Governments in Africa need to rethink and invest in economical water and waste management. But many African governments do not even take simple measures like separating household and industrial wastewater. Wastewater is all discharged into rivers, urban waste management is not modernised, there is no up-to-date recycling. No type of infrastructure investment in Africa would have such a strong impact on economic performance as an adequate supply of drinking water. Only then come irrigation systems, electricity or the expansion of road and rail networks. africa-live.de
Mali’s north is drowning in war: Fighting between Mali’s government troops and Tuareg rebels for control of military bases is escalating. Islamists are increasingly involved. taz.de
Mauritius: Mauritius to create conducive investment climate for Africa, says Minister Seeruttun Mauritius will continue to fulfil its promise to deliver the „Africa we want“ in line with the vision of the African Union Commission’s Agenda 2063 and work towards a common goal of creating a sustainable and inclusive environment to attract investment for Africa’s growth. The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, made this statement on the second day of the Africa Partnership Conference (APC).
The Minister of Financial Services stressed that Africa’s renewable energy opportunities are limitless, especially in terms of solar, hydro and geothermal energy sources. The continent has about 65 per cent undeveloped, rich and fertile arable land; its population is expected to reach more than two billion by 2050; and consumer spending is estimated to reach $2.5 trillion by 2030, while business-to-business investment will exceed $3.5 trillion over the same period, he said. Shifting investment to the booming African consumer market, where investment pays off in the long term, is crucial, he said. allafrica.com
World Bank: African governments ‚must give up some sovereignty‘ to make AfCFTA work: The World Bank on Wednesday released its growth forecasts for sub-Saharan Africa, expressing fears that the continent will experience a lost decade as instability increases. The bank projects growth of 2.5 per cent for the current year, down from 3.6 per cent last year, due in particular to slowdowns in the region’s major economies. For example, economic growth of 2.9 per cent is expected for Nigeria, 1.3 per cent for Angola and only 0.5 per cent for South Africa. Even more problematic for the region is its GDP per capita, which has not grown since 2015. The global financial institution indicates that growth in this indicator could be as low as 0.1 per cent per year between 2015 and 2025. Political instability and fragility, as well as an increase in conflict and violence, are cited by the institution as the main causes of the slowdown and severe recession in some countries, such as Sudan, whose economy is expected to contract by 12 per cent this year as the country faces a protracted conflict. To make matters worse, public debt remains a concern, with more than twenty countries in the region at high risk of over-indebtedness. In addition, some areas of the region are doing better, such as ECOWAS in West Africa, which is expected to record cumulative growth of 5.1 per cent, and the East African Community, whose economy is expected to grow by 4.9 per cent. africanews.com
MORE KNOWLEDGE:
Harvesting water from the air: An innovative new material harvests humidity and brings water to the desert. Viennese researchers have developed a material that can suck water out of the air even in harsh environments like the desert. Even there, one kilogram of the new material could yield 300 millilitres of drinking water per intake-discharge cycle, the research team says. Several cycles per day are possible. ingenieur.de
Gulf Stream is actually weakening: A dense data network provided confirmation: The transport of water in the Strait of Florida has slowed down by four percent over the last 40 years. When additional fresh water, for example from the melting glaciers in Greenland, enters the Gulf Stream system, the Gulf Stream reacts sensitively. Studies have shown this very early on. One of the neuralgic zones is the Florida Current. Its transport volume has steadily decreased since the beginning of the last century. This slowdown has now been quantified more precisely for the first time: A team led by Christopher Piecuch of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Lisa Beal of the University of Miami reports that water transport through the Straits of Florida has decreased by four percent over the last four decades. That this development is a coincidental data collision was ruled out by the researchers with 99 percent probability. derstandard.at
Does the climate crisis determine war and peace? The climate crisis not only increases the risk of armed conflict, but also changes the tactics of the groups involved. „After floods, armed groups no longer drive through flooded areas with tanks, but with a motorbike or jeep, for example,“ explains Florian Krampe from the Swedish peace research institute Sipri. This gives them an advantage over conventional military actors. In Mali, there are now more frequent sandstorms than before because of climate change. „This limited visibility is exploited by extremist groups for attacks.“ Calculations also show that the climate impact on conflict would actually increase if the Paris climate target were met. Research shows that poverty, political instability, social inequality and past struggles in a region have a much stronger influence on the risk of conflict than climate. However, Krampe said, it is increasingly seen that climate change influences these factors and increases the risk of armed conflict. „If climate change reduces the yield in agriculture, the population that earns its income from it is under pressure“. rnd.de
Permacultures: Pioneer of organic farming calls for polycultures. taz.de
Berlin StartUp: Fashion from rubbish. manager-magazin.de
Greenwashing or serious ambitions: How serious is Apple about climate protection? tagesspiegel.de.
Eco-Tourism in Jordan: Wadi Rum has been a Unesco heritage site since 2011. The booming desert tourism brings money to the Bedouins, but nature is in danger. taz.de
CALENDAR:
Hearing on „Climate and Mobility
The Children‚s Commission of the German Bundestag (Kiko) will deal with the topic „Climate and Mobility“ on Wednesday, 11 October 2023. The public expert discussion starts at 15 in room 2.200 of the Paul_Löbe-Haus and lasts about one and a half hours. The six-member Children’s Commission is a subcommittee of the Family Committee. It represents the interests of children and young people in parliament.
The session will be broadcast live on parliamentary television and on the internet at www.bundestag.de.
THE LAST:
Researcher refuses return flight to Germany for climate reasons – threat of dismissal
Economist and researcher Gianluca Grimalda doesn’t want to fly back to Germany after a research trip – because it’s bad for the climate. The scientist from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy is threatened with dismissal. Because he refuses to fly back to Germany from a research trip, his employer is threatening him with dismissal. This is according to economist Dr Gianluca Grimalda. The researcher at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) only travels as climate-friendly as possible himself, he says. He has just finished six months of field research in Papua New Guinea, where he investigated the connections between globalisation, climate change and social cohesion. stern.de
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