Expert Council for Climate Issues appointed: The Federal Government has appointed the Council of Experts on Climate Issues. The new body is responsible for reviewing the development of greenhouse gas emissions and the effectiveness of government measures. Its members include Brigitte Knopf from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Berlin, Marc Oliver Bettzüge. Managing Director of the Energy Economics Institute (EWI), Thomas Heimer, Professor of Innovation Management and Project Management at the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences in Rüsselsheim, ans-Martin Henning, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and Professor of Solar Energy Systems at the Institute for Sustainable Technical Systems at the University of Freiburg, and Barbara Schlomann, Head of the Energy Policy Division in the Energy Policy and Energy Markets Competence Center at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), Karlsruhe faz.net , taz.de
The amount of weed and pest control products sold fell by 6.7 percent last year compared to 2018, with a total of around 27,000 tonnes of pesticides sold. The decrease in glyphosate sales compared to 2018 was 11.3 percent. tagesschau.de
Poor air in aeroplanes: It has been known for 65 years that cabin air in aeroplanes can have harmful effects on health. The so-called bleed air, which is discharged from the compressors of aircraft engines, can contain toxic substances. There have been countless expert opinions on the subject, and now the EU is setting out to issue a standard. The EU standards authority CEN has announced that it will present a proposal in September, which will then be adopted by the committees. A bad compromise is already emerging. handelsblatt.com
radikal:klima – Competition for the Greens? Last week a new climate party was founded in Berlin. The party „radikal:klima“ grew out of Fridays-for-Future“ movement and the Berlin popular initiative „Klimanotstand Berlin“. The goal of the party – Berlin should become climate neutral by 2030. Already next year, the party wants to run in the Berlin elections for the Berlin House of Representatives
Too high water consumption: The water consumption at the Leverkusen Chemical Park is too high at 100 billion liters of groundwater per year. The companies are currently negotiating a new permit with the Cologne district government. Saving water is not the order of the day, Paul Kröfges, BUND water expert, is concerned: Against the background of the drought that has persisted for years, the high water consumption could become a threat to the floodplain forests along the Rhine and the drinking water supply.
wdr.de
Wind and solar energy are growing despite corona: The share of renewable energies in global electricity production rose to 9.8 percent worldwide in the first half of 2020 – an increase of 14 percent compared to the same period last year. COVID-19 has so far had no impact on electricity production from renewables.
sueddeutsche.de
Dry weather in Germany: German government warns of serious consequences for groundwater. businessinsider.de
Northstream II sanctions: EU forms defensive front . welt.de
teegut: now also on amazon.. taz.de
Double payment: Industry pays CO2 tax twice. faz.net
Dirty air: makes bees sick. tagesspiegel.de
Accident in a holiday paradise: Although the tank of the stranded oil tanker was pumped empty, the ship broke apart. tagesschau.de , ksta.de
„If Germany, the EU and the countries of the world do not immediately adapt the political framework conditions for the expansion of renewable energies and also lower the access barriers for citizen energy in the allocation processes, there will be no solution to the huge task of coping with climate change.„Hans-Josef Fell, Präsident der Energy Watch Group (EWG). pv-magazine.de
BOOKTIP OF THE WEEK:
Too big to do good? Eine empirische Studie der Gemeinwohlorientierung von Großunternehmen am Beispiel der Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie
Can large multinational companies operate in the public interest? More and more small and medium-sized enterprises are trying to increase their transformative contributions. Corporations, on the other hand, seem to be reluctant to make use of their social and ecological scope for action. What is stopping them from doing more? And under what conditions could large companies act more sustainably?
With the help of an innovative methodology consisting of scenario workshops and backcasting, the author investigates the intersections and contradictions between corporate routines and public welfare orientation. The companies dm, E.ON, MAN and Otto Group serve as examples. The results show that large companies certainly have greater scope for a social-ecological orientation than they currently use. And they illustrate what would have to change within the groups and in the economic system in the future in order to tap this potential. oekom.de
MOBILITY:
abolish car premiums: The local council in Denzlingen, South Baden, has decided to give citizens who abolish their car a subsidy of 500 euros with immediate effect. The same applies when they say goodbye to motorcycles or scooters with combustion engines. The municipality north of Freiburg will pay the premium either as a subsidy for an annual ticket for the Regio-Verkehrsverbund or as a subsidy for the purchase of a new e-bike with simultaneous proof of purchase of green electricity. Alternatively, there is a shopping voucher in the amount of 200 euros. taz.de
Electric vehicle sales are stagnating: the vast majority of car buyers still decide against an electric car. Only a few people can install a charging station at home, for example. And for families the previous models are not suitable. zeit. de
LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:
More city greenery demanded: The Bündnis 90/Die Grünen group wants to increase the proportion of open spaces in towns and cities in view of climate change. Concepts such as urban greenery and urban nature should be strengthened, areas for urban gardening and permaculture should be made available more quickly and without complications and green roofs and facades should be supported, say MEPs in a motion (19/21531). To this end, they propose an 800 million euro support programme to be anchored within urban development funding.
Fracking report submitted: The Fracking Expert Commission has presented the second report on its activities, which is available as an information (19/21536). It states that the Commission has started to commission studies on the state of the art in order to assess the environmental impact of fracking in the exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons from unconventional deposits. The final report in 2021 will summarize and classify the findings of the studies, which will focus on microseismicity and „possible scenarios for the release of methane during the production and transport of natural gas“, it says. Expert reports on the monitoring of groundwater and surface waters have also been commissioned. The Commission had received support from the project executing agency Jülich (PtJ). On 1 July 2020, the PtJ set up an office in Berlin. In the introduction to the report, the government writes that non-governmental organisations, citizens‘ initiatives and citizens have „expressed critical views on climate and environmental protection with regard to the extraction of hydrocarbons by fracking“.
MORE KNOWLEDGE
Forests are sources of CO2: It is very warm in Siberia and other parts of the Arctic Circle. This leads to the thawing of the permafrost soils and the release of CO2. But tropical forests can also release CO2. When the subsoil of the forests in the tropics heats up, it releases more carbon dioxide than at cooler temperatures. A temperature increase in the soil of four degrees means that 55 percent more carbon dioxide is released. spiegel.de
Antimicrobial resistance and heavy metal contamination: Antimicrobial resistance is a growing health problem. New research results again indicate that it is not only caused by the excessive use of antibiotics, but also by environmental pollution. pharmazeutische-zeitung.de
THE LAST:
Flown away: The fact that Federal Transport Minister Andi Scheuer is good for a surprise is now a truism. The fact that the minister, who is to implement the traffic turnaround, has taken the plane for a 190-kilometre route fits the image of the CSU politician. The minister flew the short distance between Hamburg and Sylt.
taz.de
Photos: All pictures, if not marked otherwise – source pixabay.com
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