Trailer, 5 min.
Title: Voices of Transition Performers: Claude Bourguignon, Rachel Baker, Martin Crawford, Christian Dupraz Release Date: May 2013 Country of production: France, Germany Directed by: Nils Aguilar Film length: 65 min Production Year: 2012
Synopsis: In his 65-minute documentary "Voices of Transition", German-French filmmaker and sociologist Nils Aguilar tells of catchy and stirring examples of socio-ecological change in England, France and Cuba. How can we feed the world in the future? What alternatives are there to conventional agriculture?
Climate Alliance calls on politicians to protect the climate with the Climate Action Call shortly before the EU elections
Stakeholders from across Europe have today launched a call for climate action. "Hundreds of cities across Europe and the world are declaring a climate emergency. They are pushing for an end to fossil fuels and the exclusive use of renewable energy to contribute to climate justice worldwide," explains Thomas Brose, Executive Director of Climate Alliance, co-signatory of the call. "It is time for current and future EU politicians to work together to turn this goal into a European reality."
The Climate Action Call was launched in the run-up to the meeting of heads of state and government on 9 May on the future of Europe and the European elections, which will take place from 23 to 26 May. In parallel, more than 200 mayors are sending an open letter to the European Council and its member states calling for a sustainable and future-proof climate policy. The signatories of the Climate Action Call are calling on current and future EU leaders to take social and municipal calls seriously, take action and make climate action a top priority.
The Climate Action Call lists the following five steps for the new EU Parliament and the Commission as well as all EU member states:
reduce greenhouse gas emissions more quickly by 2030 and achieve greenhouse gas neutrality as quickly as possible.
Focus on the end of fossil fuels and support energy efficiency, renewable energy and emission reductions outside the energy sector.
Ensure fair and equitable structural change. Furthermore, to ensure that the EU provides greater support to developing countries in climate protection and adaptation to climate change.
step up efforts to introduce the circular economy and increase resource efficiency.
protect biodiversity and promote the restoration of ecosystems as a crucial component of climate protection.
Hundreds of cities, companies, investors, scientists, religious communities, sports clubs and civil society organisations from areas ranging from climate protection to human rights and health have taken up the Climate Action Call to bring about profound changes in how we organise our society and economy to keep global warming below 1.5°C.
For more than 25 years, the member municipalities of the Climate Alliance have been working with their indigenous partners in the rainforests to protect the global climate. With 1,700 members from 26 European countries, the Climate Alliance is the world's largest city network dedicated to climate protection and the only one to set specific targets: Each Climate Alliance municipality has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by ten per cent every five years. As our lifestyle has a direct impact on particularly endangered peoples and places on this planet, the Climate Alliance combines local action with global responsibility. www.klimabuendnis.org
4,996 single- and multi-family houses in timber construction were approved in Bavaria in 2015. This early indicator from the State Statistical Office sets a new record in the readiness for timber construction. In terms of building permits, the timber construction rate is thus already at 19.6 percent. In the last 30 years, never before have so many residential buildings made of wood been planned in Bavaria and the above-mentioned value exceeds the construction completions of 2015 by nine percent or 429 residential buildings.
The "Alternative Economic Policy Working Group" has published its MEMORANDUM 2018 report.
Price of the "black zero": distribution deficits and gaps in supply
Germany, with its senseless ideology of austerity and cuts, has not yet arrived economically in the 21st century. The small-minded hucksterism in the ruling policy is also slowing down the recovery in the European Union and the Eurozone.
The Memorandum 2018 shows urgently needed alternatives to the economically narrow-minded "zero policy". In Germany, the focus must be on strengthening domestic demand and thus on higher incomes for dependent employees and more government spending. The state share is significantly too low. In Europe, it must be about cooperation instead of blind competition. Prof. Dr. Heinz-J. Bontrup explains: "Germany's current account surpluses have been and are being generated at the expense of dependent employees and are therefore counterproductive and dangerous. Germany's chronic current account surpluses are by no means a healthy indicator of competitiveness. Rather, they are the result of domestic economic imbalances. Permanently and senselessly, much more is produced in Germany than is consumed, while important domestic economic sectors such as infrastructure, care, education and the Affordable housing on the basis of public housing are criminally neglected.
Millions of precarious jobs have led to poverty wages and later to poverty in old age. Frustrated, many citizens are turning away from established politics. National ideas that are hyper-dangerous for democracy are becoming more and more popular. Prof. Dr. Mechthild Schrooten explains: "The demand for an unconditional basic income shows how many people feel that working life has no prospects. In fact, a basic income that is resistant to poverty is not an option in purely mathematical terms.
What is urgently needed is better participation in the labour market. "Contrary to the manipulated official statistics, mass unemployment with a growing number of precarious poverty work still characterises society," says Heinz-J. Bontrup. Reducing working hours with full wage and staff compensation is therefore urgently needed and would be easily financed against the background of an overall rich Germany. Last year alone, Germany produced over 2.3 trillion euros in distributable value added. The distribution issue is the core problem in Germany. "A lot of capital in the hands of a few also means that the financial markets no longer function; risks are again accumulating more intensely here," explains Mechthild Schrooten.
Against this background, the Alternative Economic Policy Working Group is focusing on strategies that put a definitive end to the redistribution from the bottom to the top. Economic growth must reach everyone. Wages must rise, working hours must be shortened and the welfare state must be expanded instead of dismantled. To finance this, taxes must rise sharply. In the past, the much-lamented national debt was mainly caused by taxes that were too low. Therefore, the top tax rate and corporate taxes must be increased. In addition, a one-time wealth tax must be levied and the immediate reintroduction of the wealth tax must be implemented. This can then be used to finance, in addition to additional national debt, a public investment programme of at least 120 billion euros. Last but not least, and once again, the Alternative Economic Policy Working Group calls for a democratisation of the economy. The 40 million dependent employees in Germany must finally have a say in the economy, on an equal footing with capital.
Inselwerke eG has been named Citizen Energy Project of the Year 2017. Photo: Matthias Gründling / Inselwerke eG
In future, three citizens' energy cooperatives will bear the award "Citizens' Energy Project 2017". A total of 17 projects nationwide took part in the competition for the title. The three winning projects received a particularly large number of votes during a two-month internet voting process, in which around a thousand interested people took part, and also prevailed in the evaluation of the jury consisting of committee representatives of the Bündnis Bürgerenergie (BBEn). The jury, consisting of five BBEn committee members, was impressed by the large number of applications to the competition, which was held for the first time, as well as the diversity of the applicant projects. According to the jury, the high level of the winning projects also shows how versatile the citizen energy companies in Germany currently are. This can be seen in the very different activities of the three winning cooperatives and the projects they submitted.
Development of a charging network According to the jury, the project of Inselwerke eG to set up an e-charging network on the Baltic Sea island of Usedom combines sustainable mobility and the expansion of the regional infrastructure so that "a strengthening of the important economic factor of tourism is achieved", as Thomas Banning, member of the jury and BBEn supervisory board member, emphasises. The professional concept of the cooperative convinced the jury and shows which business models are open to citizen energy companies. In particular, the possible duplicability of the charging network and the associated high reach of this approach are aspects that the jury considers worthy of an award. The Inselwerke eG developed a special Usedom model for a multi-stage expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles - not only on the Baltic Sea island, but also for the entire state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Since April 2016, the cooperative has been able to set up 16 charging stations at 12 locations in cooperation with 11 partners, and more are currently being planned.
Noise barrier with integrated photovoltaic system The second winner, the EnergieGenossenschaft Inn-Salzach eG, is awarded for its noise barrier with integrated PV system. The energy cooperative in the Upper Bavarian region had erected a noise barrier together with the town of Neuötting. The 230-metre-long and almost five-metre-high structure along a busy road is also equipped with solar power panels. The modules together have a maximum output of 64 kilowatts, which can cover half of the electricity needs of a nearby school during the day. In addition, the wall also separates the school from traffic noise. In addition, the project flows into the lessons and thus ensures a tangible integration of the topic for the pupils.
According to the jury, this integrative concept reflects the current progress of the energy transition and uses dormant potential. Thomas Banning emphasises the recognisable double benefit of the solar noise barrier as follows: "The noise barrier combines the generation of clean energy with protection from the negative consequences of car traffic. The whole thing also has a high aesthetic value and is easy to communicate. That's how you move more!"
Innovative municipal energy concept The third winner, BürgerEnergiegenossenschaft Emmendingen eG, is awarded for its activities as a cooperative. According to Kai Hock, member of the jury and BBEn supervisory board member, it strives for a holistic energy transition from a technical point of view. It achieves a strong local impact with its activities, which can be seen, for example, in the number of 180 members. Thus, the cooperative has a high reach of the energy transition with its projects and achieves this with different forms of application and technologies, which is why a high innovative character can also be attributed to it.
For example, Emmendinger eG gave schools and residential buildings an all-round energy upgrade, consisting of heating systems, CHP systems and solar systems. It has also equipped buildings such as the adult education centre with photovoltaic systems on a lease model. In addition, a PV system on a goat shed with 250 kWp is currently being planned.
According to the jury, the three winners are particularly representative of the high level of activity of the many citizens' energy associations in Germany. They are therefore rightly awarded the title "Citizen Energy Project of the Year", on which the jury congratulates them warmly.
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