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CO2 budget only half as large as stated in IPCC report: The carbon emissions budget consistent with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target could be only half as large as stated in the latest IPCC Assessment Report. This is the conclusion of a study that has just been published in the scientific journal „Nature Climate Change“. While the remaining budget in the IPCC Assessment Report was still stated as 500 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions in the contribution of Working Group III, the current study sees only 250 gigatonnes of further emissions that are still possible in order to achieve the 1.5 degree target with a probability of 50 per cent. This would mean that this budget would be used up in six years if the current level of global greenhouse gas emissions remains the same. deutschlandfunk.de , br.de , fair-economics.de, welt.de
Agreement on climate compensation fund for poor countries: Delegations from all over the world have agreed on a basic structure for a new fund. This was announced by the German government’s negotiator on Saturday. „The negotiating delegations from various regions of the world have agreed on the basic structure of a new fund for damage and losses caused by climate change,“ said the German negotiator, State Secretary for Development Jochen Flasbarth. „If COP 28 in Dubai adopts this proposal, the fund can begin its work in the short term and help the countries particularly affected by climate change with initial financial support,“ he added. He was pleased that the negotiations in Abu Dhabi over the past few days had succeeded in agreeing on a broad base of countries to finance the fund, so that it was not just the old industrialised countries that contributed. „Even the now rich countries such as the Gulf States or a country like China, which now has the highest greenhouse gas emissions, can no longer shirk their responsibility,“ he said. wiwo.de
By around eight per cent
According to a forecast, energy consumption in Germany will fall to a record low this year. This is mainly due to the shrinking economic output. The Working Group on Energy Balances (AG Energiebilanzen) expects a fall compared to the previous year to 10,784 petajoules (= 2996 terawatt hours). This would mean that consumption would be almost 28 per cent below the previous high of 14,905 petajoules in 1990For context: According to the Federal Network Agency, 484 terawatt hours of electricity and 847 terawatt hours of natural gas were consumed in Germany in 2022. One terawatt hour is one billion kilowatt hours
Crimes against nature: Torched forests, contaminated soil, dead animals: the war between Russia and Ukraine is also affecting the Ukrainian environment. Fugitive scientist Maria Fedoruk documents the extent of the devastation. She is an ecological economist and heads the „Ukraine-Nature“ project at HAW’s Research and Transfer Centre for Sustainability and Climate Impact Management. It runs until March 2024 and aims to document how the war is damaging the environment of the Eastern European state. „Also to provide a basis for future restoration measures“, as it says on the project website. What appears to be a low-key project is part of an extraordinary endeavour – with significance far beyond the borders of the Eastern European state. After all, the war against Ukraine could be the first in which environmental crimes are almost completely recorded. zeit.de
Doctors want to exclude fossil fuel lobbyists: At the last UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt, lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry were at the centre of attention. The World Medical Association and other health organisations are calling on the organisers of the next conference to ensure that this does not happen again. In an open letter, health experts from around the world are calling for lobbyists for coal, oil and gas to be excluded from the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference. „The interests of the fossil fuel industry must not play a role in climate negotiations,“ reads the letter to the President-elect of this year’s conference in Dubai, Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber. The industry should not be allowed to continue its „decades-long campaign to block climate protection measures“ at the UN negotiations – just as the tobacco industry should not be allowed to have a say in the regulation of tobacco products. n-tv.de , Open letter
According to the UN, the global community is investing too little in climate protection: In a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the organisation warns of funding gaps in the process of adapting to climate change and its consequences. The global community must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive forward measures to protect people in areas particularly affected by the effects of climate change. „But none of this is happening,“ said UNEP Director Inger Andersen at the presentation of the report in Nairobi. The world is „underfunded and unprepared“, said Andersen. Too little is being invested in necessary adaptation processes. zeit.de , unep.org (original report)
China’s illegal emissions caused displeasure at ozone summit: efforts to curb emissions of a particularly potent greenhouse gas may be insufficient. Trifluoromethane (HFC-23) warms the earth around 14,700 times more than CO2 and has long been the subject of national and international efforts to curb climate change. The gas is often produced as a by-product in the manufacture of refrigerants – and East China is apparently one of the main culprits. Displeasure about this was the focus of the 35th Meeting of the Parties in Nairobi at the end of October, where measures to protect the ozone layer were discussed. New research findings show that factories in eastern China are likely to be responsible for almost half of the total emissions of HFC-23. spektrum.de
BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Brust
History of a political body part
A sensually told story of veiling and unveiling that is as visually powerful as it is political: this unique cultural history of the female breast brings depth of focus to current debates.
Although labelled a „secondary sexual characteristic“, the female breast is of primary interest. They nourish, but also seduce, are considered sacred or depraved – depending on the age and culture, context and point of view. The male claim to control over the female body is evident in many ways in its containment and tabooing. To this day, women’s breasts are a political issue when they are shown in public away from the sauna and nudist beach, and even their „unrestrained“ visibility under clothing is perceived as an unseemly provocation.
Anja Zimmermann examines this ambiguous and multifaceted body part from different perspectives, but always with a political slant. It is about art and pornography, fashions and gender norms, the maternal ideal and heteronormativity, body positivity and self-determination, sexism and protest.
An intensive examination of the images and meanings of female busts, and indeed: a liberation!
Finance Watch: Economic models underestimate the risks of climate change. euractiv.de
„Next level of greenwashing“: Luisa Neubauer questions climate conference. welt.de
Bayer: Third consecutive defeat in glyphosate trial. spiegel.de
Forecast: Energy consumption in 2023 will be almost 30 per cent below the previous peak. n-tv.de
Distribution report: Many Germans are too poor for new shoes, clothes or a warm home. spiegel.de
Brandenburg Gate: The Berlin public prosecutor’s office is investigating activists of the „Last Generation“ for criminal damage to property. The cost of cleaning is 115,000 euros. tagesspiegel.de
Environment Minister Steffi Lemke: Criticises unspeakable statements by Greta Thunberg. welt.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:
How „carbon bombs“ are destroying our climate
Oil pumps, metre-high tank towers and pipelines as far as the eye can see – oil fields like the one in El Sharara in Libya earn energy companies trillions of dollars. But the oil hidden under the Libyan desert alone would cause more climate damage than the Austrian state does in ten years. And this one so-called carbon bomb project is just one of hundreds around the world.
In the podcast, Alicia Prager and Philip Pramer explain how Austrian companies are also involved in the fossil fuel industry, despite ever louder promises of sustainability. We also talk about what exactly is behind the proverbial „carbon bombs“ and how badly they can affect our planet. derstandard.at
COMMENT OF THE WEEK:
After Lindner’s push to phase out coal: Germany is planning too short
Susanne Schwarz
He’s on fire again. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) wants to „put an end to dreams of phasing out coal-fired power by 2030“ as long as it is not clear that energy is available and affordable. He said this in an interview with the Kölner Stadtanzeiger newspaper. In the coalition agreement, however, the government is aiming to do just that: to phase out coal not in 2038, as the Coal Phase-out Act currently stipulates, but „ideally“ by the end of this decade.
Of course, the phase-out is no easy task. Germany consumes a lot of electricity. Demand will even increase in the future if, for example, more and more cars are to run on electricity instead of petrol and diesel.
…But: Germany must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. This is not a question of taste, but of survival. The coal phase-out cannot wait until 2038. It is the task of the federal government to shape this – instead of cancelling necessary plans. taz.de
MOBILITY:
Rethinking urban mobility: change leads to innovation – this also applies to urban mobility concepts. But how can urban transport be designed in a sustainable and future-oriented way? And which German cities are already particularly successful in this respect? Today, more people live in cities than in the countryside, which poses challenges. An efficient infrastructure is crucial for promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life in urban areas. Innovative solutions in the field of urban mobility play a central role in designing an effective transport system. At the same time, they contribute significantly to the sustainable use of resources and minimise the impact of particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions. Good mobility increases the quality of life in cities and thus strengthens their future orientation. This is not about replacing the car as a means of transport. autoscout24.de
The state of transport in Germany: In Germany, the car often remains the first choice – this is also reflected in investments in infrastructure. Although the railway is good for the climate, the car is good for Germans. Even in 2024, a large majority will still be stepping on the accelerator to get to their destination. wiwo.de
Lyft and Uber must pay New York drivers 328 million dollars in arrears: New York’s Attorney General speaks of systematic fraud: For years, the ride service providers Uber and Lyft allegedly illegally deducted fees from drivers in New York. spiegel.de
Lack of demand: Volkswagen puts the brakes on plans for its fourth Gigafactory in Europe due to sluggish sales of electric vehicles on the continent. golem.de
Half of large companies use job ticket scheme: Six months after the introduction of the Deutschlandticket, a good half of large companies offer the public transport subscription as a discounted job ticket. This was the result of a Greenpeace survey. zdf.de
Why shipping companies are setting sail again: The shipping industry urgently needs to reduce its emissions. But there is a lack of alternative fuels. Freighters could also be powered by wind power in the future. handelsblatt.com
HYDROGEN:
Europe could make better use of hydrogen potential: Hydrogen is a scarce commodity. To meet the H2 demand of the EU economy, the Hypat project advises more cooperation between countries – and makes five recommendations for an optimised hydrogen industry. There is a major imbalance in the ratio of investment volumes and the potential for favourable hydrogen production in the individual European regions. According to the researchers, greater cooperation at EU level could help to steer investment in the right direction. And: despite all efforts, Germany will be a hydrogen importing country in the future. springeprofessional.de
Schleswig-Holstein raises its expansion targets: Schleswig-Holstein has set itself even more ambitious hydrogen targets. This can be seen in the update of the state’s own hydrogen strategy. As Energy Minister Tobias Goldschmidt recently emphasised, the expansion target is to increase to 1.5 gigawatts by 2030 compared to the plans for 2020. The guiding principle of the strategy is for Schleswig-Holstein to step up the pace in order to consistently replace fossil fuels, even in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise. „With green hydrogen from Schleswig-Holstein, we can reduce over 2.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in Schleswig-Holstein by 2030. The weather events of the last few days, weeks and months have once again made it clear that climate protection cannot move fast enough,“ says Goldschmidt. „We must utilise all potential for more climate protection in our state.“ zfk.de
This is how the core network of the hydrogen infrastructure is to be financed: The plans for the rapid development of a hydrogen core network are progressing. A financing law is now in place. The operators will pay a deductible in the event of an emergency. The financing of the hydrogen core network could soon be finalised. A corresponding draft law, which is available to Handelsblatt, was submitted to the associations for consultation on Friday. The Federal Cabinet is expected to approve the draft in mid-November. handelsblatt.com
The age of ammonia ship propulsion is imminent: shipping is a major source of carbon dioxide. Ammonia is to decarbonise the ocean liners. Engine development is a German-Swiss duel. The shipping industry is urgently looking for ways to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. One of the most promising approaches is the use of hydrogen carrier ammonia as an alternative fuel that burns CO₂-free. The Swiss marine engine manufacturer WinGD has now announced the delivery of its first ammonia-powered marine engines. The first engine is for a liquefied petroleum gas and ammonia tanker from Exmar LPG BV, a joint venture between the Belgian ship management company Exmar and Seapeak, a shipping company specialising in gas transport. The ship will be built at the South Korean shipyard Hyundai Mipo Dockyard from 2025 and is scheduled to enter the liner service in 2026. The order is a sign of the increasing competition in the emerging market for ammonia-powered ocean liners. German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions is also aiming to launch a commercially available two-stroke ammonia engine as early as 2024, followed by a conversion package for the gradual conversion of existing ships from 2025. heise.de
Methanol instead of hydrogen: Alternative energy source would be economically competitive and usable everywhere. idw-online.de
How Ukraine wants to become a major hydrogen exporter: Ukraine was already seen as the hydrogen supplier of the future before the Russian invasion. With stronger links to Western Europe, the country wants to realise its plans even more. handleblatt.com
LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:
No correlation between poll ratings and investment climate: The German government has no findings on the correlation between the poll ratings of individual parties and companies‘ investment intentions. This is stated in an answer (20/8708) to a minor interpellation (20/8484): „Decisions on planned company investments are a matter for the companies.“
In response to the MPs‘ question as to whether the Federal Government has empirical findings or theoretical studies that prove a connection between a country’s innovative strength and the appreciation of diversity, the Federal Government replies: „Due to the variety and complexity of the influencing factors and dimensions of diversity as well as the numerous challenges for a causal analysis in the sense of the question, no one-dimensional or uniform connection in the sense of the question can be derived on the basis of the findings and studies known to the Federal Government.“
TAKEN LITERALLY:
It is true that climate change has been caused by the economy growing exponentially and this has been linked to the consumption of resources and the emission of carbon dioxide.
But my concern is that people forget that growth is not just about consuming resources, but also has a positive component. In the past, growth was linked to achievements such as democratisation. We don’t want to give that up.
Professor Dr Andres Levermann, complexity researcher and professor for the dynamics of the climate system at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), ... at the moment (…) two narratives are fighting each other. One is that we can’t carry on as before, that we need to go back to nature and slow down. The other said that the economy had to grow, that there were still many poor people in the world and that we also wanted to continue to grow in Germany. These two narratives are currently clashing irreconcilably. That is why he proposes the principle of convolution.
Nevertheless, there is an infinite amount of space in a finite space. Just as there are an infinite number of numbers between zero and one, although this interval itself is limited. Convolution, a term from chaos theory, always occurs when a system that is progressing reaches its limits. The path then folds and the system moves in a different direction to avoid hitting the limit. This principle also applies to the idea and development space.
AFRICA:
Steinmeier asks for forgiveness in Tanzania: During his visit to Tanzania, Federal President Steinmeier asked for forgiveness for the acts of violence committed by the German colonial rulers. The aim of the Federal Government is to work together to come to terms with the period of exploitation and violence. During his visit to Tanzania, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier asked for forgiveness for the acts of violence committed by the German colonial rulers. „I bow before the victims of German colonial rule,“ said Steinmeier during an appearance in the Tanzanian city of Songea. „As German Federal President, I would like to ask for forgiveness for what Germans did to your ancestors here.“ tagesschau.de
After summit: Rainforest countries want to strengthen cooperation: Countries with the largest rainforest areas in the world want to cooperate more closely in protecting these valuable ecosystems. This was agreed at the weekend in Brazzaville by government representatives from the countries bordering the Amazon and Congo as well as the Mekong-Borneo-Southeast Asia region. Representatives from Brazil, Indonesia, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo took part in the three-day Three Basins Summit. The United Nations, the African Union, the European Union and non-governmental organisations were also represented. In the final declaration agreed last week, the participants reaffirmed their intention to curb deforestation, preserve biodiversity and combat climate change. According to the declaration, the three regions contain two thirds of terrestrial biodiversity and provide the basis of life for more than one billion people. sueddeutsche.de
Ethiopia: Tigray’s hard road to lasting peace.dw.com
Kenya: „The royals are completely ignorant“. British media call it a „mission to save the Commonwealth“: King Charles III has arrived in Kenya on a state visit. He is not being celebrated there – but confronted with the crimes of the past. spiegel.de
Germany and Morocco agree on security cooperation: Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser has called for more cooperation in Morocco on security issues as well as migration and deportations. A memorandum of understanding was signed in Rabat. dw.com
Three-day trip to Africa: Scholz wants gas from Nigeria. sz.de
Tunisia: German embassy unpopular. Western diplomats have to be careful what they say about the situation in the Middle East. The German embassy in Tunisia is battling a storm of indignation. taz.de
MORE KNOWLEDGE:
Laughing gas kills the climate: You may be familiar with laughing gas from your visit to the dentist. It helps to make your treatment more relaxed. But did you know that it is actually a climate killer – 300 times more powerful than CO2 ? Nitrous oxide is not to be trifled with: According to scientists, it has become a major threat to the climate over the last ten years. Not only does nitrous oxide destroy the ozone layer, it is also a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat from the sun. So why is nobody talking about the gas? And how can we prevent it from entering the atmosphere? dw.com
Baltic Sea ecosystem remains poor: The state of the Baltic Sea has shown little to no improvement in recent years, according to a report by the Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea – also known as the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM). According to the report, the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea is under enormous pressure due to the loss of biodiversity and human influences. The greatest threats to the Baltic Sea ecosystem include overfishing, pollution and the accumulation of nutrients, for example from wastewater or heavily fertilised agricultural land. Climate change is also having an increasing impact on the Baltic Sea region, according to the report. tagesspiegel.de
What a city for everything can look like: For a long time, the focus of urban planning was on men driving cars. No wonder, since for decades it was predominantly men who sat on transport and urban planning committees. The result is car-centred cities in which you can get to work quickly in your company car, but which are not suitable for pedestrians or cyclists, nor for people with pushchairs, walkers or wheelchairs. So how can a better city for everyone be realised? This question is addressed by gender-sensitive urban planning, which takes into account the diverse needs of previously neglected groups. The aim of planners is to reorganise cities in such a way that they finally do justice to those who move around in public spaces without a car. spektrum.de
Ski resort in Austria threatened with extinction: „It can’t be that we’re dying out“. fr.de
Drought and high temperatures: Shipping traffic in the Panama Canal further restricted.tagesschau.de
Climate change threatens French quality cheese: Cheesemakers struggle to adapt to new environmental conditions. businesinsider.de
CALENDAR:
Hearing on the „Growth Opportunities Act“ (Part 1)
Time: Monday, 6 November 2023, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, conference room E 400The session will be broadcast live on parliamentary television and on www.bundestag.de
Hearing on food insecurity and water scarcity
Time: Monday, 6 November 2023, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, conference room E 600In its public hearing on 6 November 2023, the committee will deal with the topic of „Worsening food insecurity and water scarcity – causes, consequences and solutions“. The hearing will be broadcast live online at www.bundestag.de and on mobile devices. From the following day, it will be available atwww.bundestag.de/mediathek.
Hearing on the topic of „Loss and Damage“
Time: Wednesday, 8 November 2023, 9 am to 10 am
Place: Berlin, Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, conference room 1.302Briefing by the Federal Government (oral)
on the organisation of the Loss and Damage Fund in conjunction with aConversation with
Lina Ahmed
(Germanwatch) andHamira Kobusingye
(Climate Justive Africa, Uganda)The hearing will be broadcast live on parliamentary television or as a livestream in the media centre of the German Bundestag and can then be accessed in the media centre.
Consultation on the Climate Protection Act and Climate Protection Programme
Time: Wednesday, 8 November 2023, 11 a.m.
Place: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, meeting room E.800Draft law of the Federal Government
„Draft of a Second Act to Amend the Federal Climate Protection Act“, BT-Drs. 20/8290, 20/8670 and
Information from the Federal Government
„Climate Protection Programme 2023 of the Federal Government“, BT-Drs. 20/8150
Municipal climate conference
Start: 16 November 2023
End: 17 November 2023
Climate change speaks for itself: the impact of extreme weather events on local authorities is increasing. Should climate communication also become clearer? What tasks do local authorities actually have to fulfil? In addition to technical and planning measures, communication strategies also play an important role in achieving far-reaching CO2 and energy-saving effects. Their aim is to anchor climate protection issues in society and motivate people to act in a climate-friendly way. How can different target groups be reached? And how can the step from knowledge to action be achieved? These and other questions will be analysed and discussed from different perspectives – science, politics and municipal practice.
The Municipal Climate Conference is organised once a year by the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) with funding from the National Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The two-day event is an annual event for stakeholders in municipal climate protection. In order to enable as many interested parties as possible to take part, the first day of the conference will be broadcast online via livestream. A fixed item on the programme is the award ceremony for the „Climate Active Municipality“ competition. The best trainee projects from this year’s „Municipal Climate Scouts“ will also be presented and honoured at the conference.
28th World Climate Conference 2023 (COP 28)
Start: 30 Nov 2023
End: 12 Dec 2023
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
THE LAST:
Countering the dark doldrums: experts take a critical view of the expansion of new back-up power plants
The Federal Ministry of Economics‘ power plant strategy includes hydrogen power plants to combat dark doldrums. But experts see other levers. They see more intelligent ways of countering dark doldrums. Above all, the electricity market must become much more flexible, automated and networked, with electricity prices that vary over time. This alone can compensate for a large part of the power shortage, which often only lasts a few hours. „What we need is for prices to better reflect the grid situation,“ says Andreas Löschel, Professor at the Chair of Environmental and Resource Economics and Sustainability at Ruhr University in Bochum. „That doesn’t exist at the moment. If it does, then only for large consumers, but not for smaller consumers, who often still pay fixed tariffs.“
heise.de
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