to the German edition

Industry calls for mandatory refurbishment for homeowners: The Federation of German Industries (BDI) has issued a „transformation wake-up call“ to homeowners. At its most recent climate congress, the association presented an action plan that envisages mandatory refurbishment for buildings. According to the BDI, Germany could become a pioneer of the energy transition, with a market potential of 850 billion euros by 2030 in areas such as wind energy and hydrogen technology. To promote this growth, not only politicians and businesses, but also citizens should become active – by switching to e-cars and renovating buildings. The association is calling for the energy requirements of existing buildings to be halved and the refurbishment rate to be increased by 70 per cent by 2030, with mandatory refurbishment to be introduced gradually, starting with the buildings with the poorest energy performance. BDI President Siegfried Russwurm emphasised the need to remain climate-neutral and competitive. He warned of the consequences of an industrial exodus and called for bold countermeasures from politicians. The BDI sees building refurbishment as a potential driver for economic recovery, as many of the companies involved are based in Germany. fr.de, ksta.de, taz.de

How Robert Habeck wants to help the wind industry: Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck recently met with representatives of the European wind industry to agree on five key measures to strengthen the wind power sector. These measures are crucial for the expansion of wind power capacity, which is necessary to meet the demand for renewable energy. The focus is on increasing the (cyber) security of wind turbines, creating fair international competitive conditions, reducing dependencies for critical components, securing financing for the production ramp-up and reviewing and adjusting public subsidies in the event of distortions of competition.The wind industry expressed its satisfaction with the results of the meeting and emphasised its willingness to meet the domestic demand for wind turbines in the long term. These measures are intended to secure the competitiveness and technological sovereignty of the industry. A follow-up meeting to review progress is planned for early 2025. efahrer.chip.de

More than one billion people live in extreme poverty

More than one billion people around the world suffer from extreme poverty, with children and young people being particularly hard hit. These people struggle daily with basic challenges such as malnutrition, lack of electricity and lack of access to education. A recent report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Oxford shows that around 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty, with more than half of those affected being children. Many of these people live in conflict zones, which makes their already precarious situation even more difficult. Despite these alarming figures, there is one small ray of hope: Compared to the previous year, the total number of people living in extreme poverty did not increase further in 2023. Nevertheless, the situation for millions of people, especially children and young people, remains extremely critical and continues to require urgent attention and aid measures from the international community.

tagesschau.de

How the forest can still be saved: seven leading environmental organisations, including BUND, Greenpeace and WWF, have called for a „forest rescue plan“. The reason for this is the alarming realisation from the latest German National Forest Inventory that German forests have gone from being a CO2 sink to a CO2 source. The associations criticise the overuse of forests and call for a reduction in commercial forestry and the use of wood. They are in favour of more forest protection and a switch to long-lasting wood products. Environmental organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is threatening to sue the German government for failing to meet climate targets, and the forest owners‘ association AGDW reacted promptly and warned against reducing forests to their climate protection function. Instead, it is calling for a reduction in the „unrealistic CO2 reduction targets“ for the land use sector. Both sides regret the recent freeze on applications for the „Climate-adapted forest management“ funding programme. The debate highlights the complexity of forest conversion as a challenge for society as a whole and a task for generations to come. deutschlandfunk.de, klimareporter.de

Habeck hands over first climate protection contracts: Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck signed the first climate protection contracts with 15 companies on 15 October 2024. These contracts are intended to support energy-intensive companies, particularly from the chemical and paper industries, in switching to climate-friendly production methods, with the federal government providing a total of 2.8 billion euros from the Climate and Transformation Fund. The funding will only be paid out once CO2 savings have been proven. Habeck emphasised that the contracts offer companies long-term planning security. Further climate protection contracts are planned for the coming years and a new round of applications is already underway. This measure is part of the German government’s efforts to support industry in achieving its climate targets. deutschlandfunk.de

Only 25 out of 195 countries have published plans to protect nature: Shortly before the World Biodiversity Summit Cop16 in Colombia, it is clear that most countries are not honouring their commitments to protect biodiversity. Out of 195 countries, only 25 have so far submitted plans to implement the agreement reached two years ago in Montreal. Among other things, the agreement provides for 30 per cent of land and sea areas to be protected and the use of pesticides to be reduced. It is particularly worrying that important countries such as Germany, the UK and many countries with high levels of biodiversity, including Brazil and Peru, have not yet submitted any plans.UN Biodiversity Envoy Astrid Schomaker hopes that more countries will present their plans during the summit. She understands the delays due to financing issues and the complexity of a whole-of-society approach. The lack of implementation of the agreement jeopardises global efforts to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, especially in critical regions such as the Amazon rainforest and the Congo Basin. spiegel.de

Report on the economics of water published: What is the state of the economics of water, i.e. the world’s water resources, and what needs to be done to protect them for the future? The Global Commission on the Economics of Water sheds light on these questions in its new report, which was published on 17 October 2024. The commission was established in 2022 by the Dutch government with the support of the OECD. Its aim is to create a similar basis for the protection of water as the famous Stern Report for climate change or the Dasgupta Report for the conservation of biodiversity. fair-economics.com

 

BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:

Feinmobilität

Mehr Nachhaltigkeit durch kleine Fahrzeuge

The book „Feinmobilität – Kleine Fahrzeuge mit großer Wirkung“ presents an innovative approach to urban mobility. An interdisciplinary team introduces the concept of „fine mobility“, which focuses on small, lightweight means of transport for passenger and freight transport. The book offers a comprehensive introduction, classification and market analysis of fine mobility. A centrepiece of the book is the presentation of newly developed size classes (G-classes) for vehicles. These offer practical approaches for optimising traffic regulations and infrastructure measures. Also impressive is the well-founded presentation of the positive effects of fine mobility on the environment, climate and urban and quality of life compared to conventional vehicles. The strength of the book lies in its balance: it is not limited to theoretical concepts, but shows concrete ways to promote and spread fine mobility. It thus provides valuable impetus for more sustainable and liveable urban mobility.

Its availability as an open access publication is particularly commendable, allowing broad access to these forward-looking ideas. The book is a valuable contribution to the discussion on sustainable urban mobility and offers concrete solutions to current transport problems. oekom.de, book download

 


In a nutshell:

Growth initiative: FDP calls on Hubertus Heil to suspend the Supply Chain Act. wiwo.de
Founder of Sea Shepherd: Militant whale conservationist Watson applies for asylum in France. spiegel.de
Power supply: Now Amazon also wants to build its own mini-nuclear power plants. wiwo.de
Environmental protection lawsuit: Norway wants to litter the fjord. taz.de
Infineon wants to make chip cards more environmentally friendly: Payment cards are often replaced and are difficult to recycle. A new module from Infineon aims to save over 60 per centCO2. golem.de
Bill Gates: Criticising German development cooperation. welt.de
Austria: Waste disposal and fire brigade associations demand battery deposit. euwid-recycling.de
South America: Fires in Bolivia reach catastrophic proportions. sueddeutsche.de
European waters: facing an unprecedented challenge. zeit.de
Energy transition shock: 200 billion euros missing for the future of hydrogen. telepolis.de

Court ruling cements rail monopoly in long-distance transport: Since September, Deutsche Bahn has had to provide competing ticket sellers with live train data and grant them commissions. But a judicial omission is now strengthening DB Navigators. handelsblatt.com
More and more e-car drivers are switching back to combustion engines: In the third quarter of 2024, only 3.9 per cent of private car buyers opted for a purely battery-electric drive. faz.net
Transport policy: Collapsing bridges, climate crisis, budget deficit? No matter. The government still wants to invest much more money in new motorways than in maintaining bridges and roads. zeit.de
Electromobility: Initiative wants to prevent Tesla’s Cybertruck in Europe. derstandard.at
AImeets traffic: Innovative approaches for safe mobility in urban areas. ingenieur.de

Energy transition: How green hydrogen could reach Germany. telepolis.de
Research from Dresden: Energy transition and methanol – alcohol as a storage medium. mdr.de
Study: Push ahead with the expansion of inland ports for hydrogen handling. logistik-heute.de
Hydrogen network: Steel crisis jeopardises hydrogen plans – network operator warns. handelsblatt.com
No end in sight: Hydrogen refuelling stations have been suffering from supply problems for weeks. rbb.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:

Why did the Greens mess it up so badly, Maja Göpel?

Climate protection seems to be losing popularity in Germany, while the AfD is gaining support. How did this development come about? In the video podcast „MUT“, renowned transformation researcher Maja Göpel discusses the current situation in Germany and the role of the Greens with presenter Tijen Onaran.As a leading expert on transformation processes, Göpel analyses the reasons for the current social unrest and the apparent standstill. In the interview, fundamental questions about German politics and society are discussed and Onaran questions whether the emotional debate about transformation is damaging scientific research. They also take a critical look at the coalition’s record. Despite the initial spirit of optimism in 2021, there is now disillusionment in many places. Has the government actually made progress or even hindered it? The role of the Greens in particular is the focus here, but Göpel also looks to the future. She discusses ways in which Germany can gain new confidence and analyses the causes of the growing resistance to a „green agenda“. The full podcast is available here


COMMENT OF THE WEEK:

Fewer low-cost flights? Keep it up!

If Eurowings and Ryanair are offering fewer flights in Germany, that’s good news. But the business location? It’s already further along anyway.

The commentary argues that the reduction of low-cost flights by Eurowings and Ryanair in Germany is a positive development. The author emphasises that flying is the most climate-damaging mode of transport and that airline tickets, especially with low-cost airlines, are still too cheap in view of the environmental damage, refuting arguments from the aviation industry that point to economic disadvantages and social inequality by stressing that flying is not a basic right and is mainly used by high earners. The author also argues that the German economy is already more environmentally aware and is less dependent on air travel than claimed, and concludes by pleading that the reflex to equate growing traffic with prosperity should be overcome and sees the reduction of low-cost flights as a good start to a necessary rethink in terms of climate protection. Read the whole commentary at Zeit.de


LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:

Agriculture Committee adopts animal health law: The Committee on Food and Agriculture has adopted several amendments to the law. The main focus is on a tightening of animal health legislation, in which violations of EU regulations can be penalised with higher fines of up to 50,000 euros. This relates in particular to the transport and traceability of animals and the cleaning of means of transport. (20/12782) In addition, amendments to the Wine Act to reduce the area under cultivation in the event of imminent oversupply and to the Tobacco Products Act regarding inspection staff were adopted. (20/6874),(20/6314) The traffic light coalition, CDU/CSU and Die Linke voted in favour of the amendments, while the AfD voted against. The parliamentary groups emphasised the necessity of the measures to prevent epidemics and to support winegrowers. Time management and the increase in bureaucracy and documentation requirements were criticised.

Hearing on the accelerated expansion of renewable energies: The Committee on Climate Protection and Energy has held a public hearing on the draft bill to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies(20/12785, 20/13253). Although the experts generally supported the goal of speeding up the process, they identified numerous areas in need of improvement. NABU expressed concerns about possible legal uncertainties and conflicts with nature conservation, while legal experts warned of unclear wording that could lead to legal problems. Local authority representatives criticised the transfer of additional tasks without appropriate financial compensation. Representatives of the energy industry called for a more precise implementation of the EU directive, and concerns were expressed about the complexity of the regulations and a possible overburdening of local authorities. Some experts suggested additional measures, such as the privileged treatment of certain installations under building law. Overall, it became clear that although the draft law is basically pointing in the right direction, there is still considerable potential for improvement in order to achieve the desired acceleration effect and at the same time ensure legal certainty. bundestag.de

206 complaints about the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act: Since the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act came into force, the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) has received a total of 206 complaints. This was announced by the Federal Government in its response (20/13245) to a minor interpellation by the Left Party group (20/12715), which had enquired about the number of complaints since the beginning of 2023. The government went on to say that the complaints had resulted in 224 individual cases. However, a total of 183 cases had no connection to the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) or did not relate to companies subject to the LkSG. The BAFA currently has a total of 680 reports from companies under the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. However, some of the reporting companies are not subject to the reporting obligation under the Act.

Feminist foreign policy is the common thread: In her report to the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Sustainable Development, Minister of State Anna Lührmann (Greens) emphasised the importance of a sustainable foreign policy. She emphasised the climate crisis as a key security challenge that exacerbates conflicts and global instability, and underlined the need for an integrated approach that combines climate adaptation, crisis prevention and humanitarian aid. She referred to the Foreign Climate Strategy and the National Security Strategy as frameworks for this approach, and the Minister of State also emphasised the importance of feminist foreign policy as a common thread in German foreign policy. By 2025, 85 per cent of project funds are to be spent in a gender-sensitive manner and eight per cent in a gender-transformative manner.Lührmann concluded by emphasising the promotion of peace, stability and the rule of law as core tasks of the Federal Foreign Office and highlighted Germany’s commitment to effective multilateralism. bundestag.de

TAKEN LITERALLY:

„COP16 is about driving forward the implementation of the goals of the World Summit on Nature in Montreal in 2022. One of the most important topics is for the individual countries to submit their national strategies and action plans for biodiversity. They were requested to do so in Montreal. To ensure that potential improvements from these so-called NBSAPs can actually be measured, the monitoring of biodiversity must be further developed in Cali.“

Katrin Böhning-Gaese, Scientific Director of the UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, said that various technical expert groups were working on solutions and would hopefully present initial results. Finances are another important point. Without more funding, it would not be possible to realise the Montreal goals. This is because the global biodiversity hotspots are mostly located in developing countries, which often lack the money for effective nature conservation. To this end, the developed countries committed themselves in Montreal to providing developing countries with at least 30 billion euros per year by 2030. This should be driven forward as a matter of urgency. We know from biodiversity modelling exactly what needs to be done to halt the decline in biodiversity by 2030 and increase biodiversity again by 2050, as envisaged in the Montreal outcome document. This includes the establishment of larger and better-managed protected areas and the restoration of ecosystems, as well as productive but sustainable agriculture. In addition, a different approach to food is important, specifically the reduction of food waste – here in Germany, especially in retail and in our own fridges – as well as a more plant-based diet. She considers all three points – protection, production and consumption – to be essential. Individual behaviour is certainly important and can undoubtedly make a difference. However, we should not reduce our aspirations, plans and measures to this, but instead focus at least as much on the major levers in politics and the economy. We need changes at all levels, for each and every individual as well as for the framework conditions and political guidelines.

ufz.de

AFRICA:

Debt crisis in Africa: multilateral solutions are needed. Protests in Kenya, restructuring in Ghana: many African countries have acute debt problems. Observers see a need for action at a global level and are calling for Africa to be more involved in finding solutions. dw.com
Renewable Energies: Without good battery technology, renewable energies will not work in Africa. fair-economics.de
Not yet solved: Women in rural areas of Africa still face major problems. fair-economics.de
Severe hunger crisis in southern Africa for decades: seven countries affected.radioeins.de
Kenya: Rigathi Gachagua removed from office, Interior Minister appointed new deputy president. fides.org
Niger removes street signs with colonial history: Most recently, South Africa attracted attention by renaming historically charged place names. Now Niger is following suit and removing street signs with French colonial references. derstandard.at

MORE KNOWLEDGE:

Crises and climate change jeopardise energy security: In its latest World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns of increasing risks to global energy security and the achievement of climate targets. Despite considerable progress in the field of renewable energies, the organisation sees an urgent need for action. Geopolitical conflicts, such as the ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, pose a serious threat to the energy supply. At the same time, extreme weather events caused by climate change are exacerbating the strain on energy systems worldwide. The IEA also emphasises the uneven development in the global energy sector: while renewable energies are growing, access to clean energy remains problematic in many developing countries. Another challenge is the rapidly increasing global demand for electricity, particularly in China. In addition, investments in electricity grids and storage technologies are not keeping pace with the expansion of renewable energies. Although the IEA forecasts a tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030, it also warns of possible global warming of 2.4 degrees by 2100. To achieve the climate targets, the agency is calling for increased international cooperation and massive investment in clean energy technologies. tagesschau.de, iea.org (original document)

Land masses could barely absorb carbon in 2023: The year 2023 marked an alarming turning point in the global climate crisis. As the hottest year ever recorded, it reached a record high of 37.4 billion tonnes of CO2 pollution. Of particular concern was the drastically reduced ability of land masses and forests to act as natural carbon sinks. This collapse of the terrestrial carbon sink, although possibly temporary, reveals the extreme vulnerability of our ecosystems to climatic changes. Many countries, particularly in Europe, have experienced a significant decline in carbon uptake by their land masses. In the tropics, only the Congo Basin remains a strong carbon sink, while the Amazon Basin is suffering from a record-breaking drought. The boreal forests have also experienced a massive collapse in their carbon absorption capacity. Forecasts indicate that emissions from the ground could increase by up to 40 per cent by the end of the century. These developments have far-reaching consequences for the global climate crisis and pose an immense challenge to achieving international climate targets. golem.de, arxiv.org (original document)

CALENDAR:

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.

Consultation on the climate-neutral expansion of the heat supply

Time: Monday, 4 November 2024, 2 p.m.

Place: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, meeting room E.400
The meeting is open to the public.

The Federal Government’s draft bill to speed up the approval process for geothermal plants, heat pumps and heat storage systems and to amend other legal framework conditions for the climate-neutral expansion of the heat supply(20/13092) will be the subject of a two-hour public hearing on Monday, 4 November 2024.

Public agenda item: „World Climate Conference COP 29 in Baku“

Time: Wednesday, 6 November 2024, 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Berlin, Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, meeting room 1.302
The meeting is open to the public.

Briefing by the Federal Government (oral) ahead of the COP 29 Climate Change Conference in Baku in conjunction with a discussion with Harjeet Singh Director of Global Engagement (Campaign for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty) and Dr Kira Vinke, Head of the Centre for Climate and Foreign Policy (DGAP)

For the public hearing: Participation as a guest is only possible after prior registration. Please register by providing your first name, surname and date of birth at awz@bundestag.de. A valid identity card or passport must be brought to the admission control. There is no right to speak or ask questions.

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

Hearing on the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act

Time: Wednesday, 6 November 2024, 11 a.m.
Location: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, conference room E.600
The meeting is open to the public.

Draft bill of the Federal Government

Draft bill to amend the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act, BT printed matter 20/11900

Interested viewers can follow the public hearing on site in meeting room E.600 (entrance via Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 1, West Entrance of the Paul Löbe Building) or live on the Bundestag website. Internal and external visitors are requested to register with the secretariat of the Committee on Climate Action and Energy by email to klima-energie@bundestag.de by 4 November 2024 at the latest. External visitors are requested to provide their date of birth. The data will be compared with the police information system (INPOL) and used exclusively for admission control. It will be deleted after the end of the visit.

Consultation: „Plant protection products not authorised in the EU“

Time: Wednesday, 13 November 2024, 11 a.m. to 12.45 p.m.
Location: Berlin, Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, meeting room 1.302
The meeting is open to the public.

Topic: „Export, use, benefits and side effects of plant protection products not authorised in the European Union“

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 Loss and Damage Fund.
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 finance.

Session of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties (COP16)

When: 2-13 December
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Further information: Website
Not to be confused with the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP16 will bring together the world’s heads of state and government 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-bikes: a curse or a blessing for the mountains?

While conservationists and tourism experts are racking their brains over whether e-bikes are the devil’s work or the saviour, the upmarket ski resort of Aspen has pulled the ripcord without further ado. Farewell, e-bikes! In Germany, meanwhile, the battle of the giants is raging: On the one hand, there are the warning voices of nature conservationists who predict the end of the unspoilt mountain idyll. Professor Werner Bätzing paints a gloomy picture of e-bike hordes conquering even the steepest summit in the blink of an eye. And Friedl Krönauer from the Bund Naturschutz sees navigation apps as the downfall of the West – or at least the Alps. Mayor Thomas Holz from Kochel am See has the saving idea: Let’s just let the cash registers ring! After all, e-bikers bring in millions and jobs, and while Germany is still pondering, Aspen has put its money where its mouth is. E-bikes? Not with us! But don’t worry, dear celebrity holidaymakers, your luxury SUVs can of course continue to pollute the mountain air and the debate rages on. Maybe we should just wait until the batteries are empty? 

 t-online.de

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All images, unless otherwise stated: pixabay.com

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