With the switch to WordPress and the update of the individual project representations, there were many innovations. In detail these are:
- there were 55 new settlement projects listed in the web directory
- significantly expanded and updated the area for settlement projects the "In the Making" are
- the previous "Bundesländervergleich" (the last one was from 2009) has been updated due to the newly added settlement projects and has been updated with a chronological and size allocation as further statistical analysis facility adds
The database-supported siedlungen.eu offers new technical possibilities:
- Filtering of projects by keywords and categories
– Tags-clouds
– Photo galleries
- most photos are displayed much larger and in higher resolution than in the previous html version of oekosiedlungen.de
- many new photos can be seen in the photo galleries, which were previously in offline archives
Furthermore, the data connection was changed to the secure and certified "https://" in August and the database was moved to a faster server.
For its fight against light pollution, the city of Fulda in eastern Hesse has been honored as Germany's first dark sky municipality by the International Dark Sky Association in the USA. Fulda Mayor Heiko Wingenfeld (CDU) said: "A large part of light pollution is avoidable, and we want to set an example for other municipalities with intelligent solutions." Light pollution refers to the brightening of the night sky by artificial light sources whose light radiates into the atmosphere.
Daniel Schreiner (independent), the city's planning officer, explained that too much light, and above all the wrong kind of light in cold light colours, has been proven to affect the lives of many nocturnal species, disturb plants and damage people's health. It is easy to use artificial light according to location and need, he said. "In this way, you can avoid light pollution, reduce costs and contribute to climate protection by saving energy."
Following Fulda's application, the International Dark Sky Association awarded the city the title in January. According to the information, Fulda is the fifth municipality in Europe. Worldwide, Fulda is even the second largest city to receive this status.
In addition to the established standard for certifying the sustainability of federal buildings (BNB), the Federal Ministry of Building (BBSR) has also developed a new simplified standard for small residential buildings (BNK). As part of this standard, requirements are also defined for wood products and materials that must be met in order for them to receive full points here. Compliance with these requirements can now also be demonstrated with a WOOD FROM HERE certificate for the wood products.
Significance of the BNK for timber construction
It is the political will that new buildings in Germany should increasingly be subject to sustainability certification. So far, this has failed for the vast majority of buildings, especially smaller ones, due to the enormous costs and the considerable effort required for the corresponding certification. For this reason, the BBSR has developed a simplified standard for small residential buildings. This standard can now be used to certify single-family or multi-family houses more easily. In the meantime, various prefabricated house manufacturers offer their customers a corresponding sustainability certification.
What are the benefits for companies in the timber industry with a certificate for timber from here?
Manufacturers of timber construction products can now fulfil the requirements of the BNK for timber products used by means of a Holz von Hier certificate as an alternative to FSC or PEFC as proof of sustainable forest management. These requirements are set out in the standard's information sheet 3.3.1.
This is of course especially true for timber construction companies in case they want to offer their customers a corresponding certification according to the BNK. In addition to the suitability for the BNK standard, wood from here also offers a direct marketing advantage for timber construction companies, as regionally manufactured products are experiencing a growing trend among consumers and they can thus address a growing target group of environmentally conscious buyers.
The use of the Holz von Hier certification system is very simple for interested companies and involves little administrative, personnel and financial effort. The product- or object-related issuing of a certificate is carried out via an electronic controlling system, similar to the one used in the German biogas register in the context of carbon certificate trading. Holz von Hier thus offers companies in the timber industry additional market opportunities without complicating or restricting their operations.
Federal Ministry for Climate Protection announces comprehensive emergency programme
Introduction
After a significant decline in the previous year, greenhouse gas emissions in Germany are on the rise again. Thus, around 762 million tonnes of greenhouse gases were released in 2021 - a good 33 million tonnes or 4.5 percent more than in 2020. Overall, emissions in Germany have thus fallen by 38.7 percent since 1990. The increase in the last year is particularly noticeable in the energy sector: This shows an increase of 27 million tonnes CO2-equivalents, as increased demand for electricity, lower electricity generation from renewable energies and the higher gas price led to increased use of coal for electricity generation. Electricity generation from renewables fell by seven per cent, mainly due to poor wind conditions. In the transport and building sectors, emissions were above the annual ceilings set by the Federal Climate Protection Act. This is shown by the latest calculations of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), which are based on the specifications of the Federal Climate Protection Act and the EU-Renewable Energy Directive (RED) were presented today.
Climate State Secretary Patrick GraichenThe increase in greenhouse gas emissions has unfortunately become apparent. The Federal Government will now quickly counteract this with an immediate climate protection programme. The key is a much faster pace in the expansion of renewable energies. We must manage to install three times as much capacity as before in order to increase the share of renewables in electricity generation to 80% by 2030. There must be no more of the kind of stalemate we have seen in recent years. The Russian war of aggression on Ukraine has also made it dramatically clear to us how closely security and energy supply are linked. We can no longer afford to ignore this. That is why we must now quickly remove every stumbling block on the path to more wind and solar power. The faster shift away from fossil energies must encompass all sectors - from industrial production and buildings to mobility and agriculture. It is crucial to maintain the social balance in the process."
UBA-President Dirk Messner: "Almost half of the 2020 reduction in greenhouse gas emissions has already been lost. Our figures clearly show that the federal government's targets must be addressed as quickly as possible. We need to build more solar and wind power plants quickly. We must convert our buildings to heat pumps and stop installing oil and gas heating systems as soon as possible. We can also achieve a lot with our houses by saving energy, especially by making them more energy-efficient. This will also help to reduce our energy dependence on Russia. Each and every one of us can do something here that also helps the climate: heat a little less, leave the car parked more often or, if it is necessary, drive more slowly."
Current emission data in detail
Since 1990, emissions in Germany have fallen by 38.7 percent. The target for 2030 is a reduction of 65 percent. In 2021, there were increases in emissions compared to the previous year in almost all sectors. The available data show that since 2010, the energy transition in particular has contributed to the reduction of emissions. All other significant sectors have more or less stagnated since 2010.
In the sector Energy industry are with around 27 m. tonnes - this corresponds to 12.4 per cent more than in 2020. With around 247 tonnes, the m. Tons CO2-equivalents, however, emissions were still a good 11 m. There is no annual emission quantity for 2021 in the Federal Climate Protection Act for the energy sector. Emissions from hard coal and lignite-fired power generation increased particularly significantly due to the increased use of coal. The use of lower-emission natural gas, on the other hand, decreased in the second half of the year due to the significant increase in gas prices. The main reason for the increased use of fossil energy sources for electricity generation is the 17.5 TWh Significantly reduced electricity generation from renewable energies, in particular the lower wind power generation, and a 13.5 TWh increased gross electricity consumption.
At Traffic in 2021, around 148 m. Tons CO2-equivalents are emitted. This means that greenhouse gas emissions from this sector are both 1.2 per cent above the 2020 value and around 3 m. tonnes above the annual emission quantity of 145 tonnes permitted in the Federal Climate Protection Act for 2021. m. Tons CO2-equivalents. One reason for this is road freight traffic, which has risen again on the motorways to a level slightly above that of 2019. The CAR-In contrast, the level of traffic is still lower than before the Corona pandemic (2019), which is reflected in fuel sales figures and data from counting stations on motorways and trunk roads.
In the sector Industry emissions rose by a good 9 % compared to the previous year. m. Tons CO2-equivalents increased (plus 5.5 per cent). With around 181 m. Tons CO2-equivalents, they were almost at the 2019 level again, but just below the annual emission quantity of 182 m. Tons CO2- equivalents. Catching-up economic effects in the wake of the Corona crisis and increased use of fossil fuels play an important role here. The most significant percentage increase was in the steel industry, where crude steel production rose by around 12 percent. In the manufacturing industry (energy-related share), emissions increased by around seven m. Tons CO2-equivalents respectively 6.4 per cent.
At Buildings In 2021, there was an emission reduction of just under 4 m. Tons CO2-equivalents (minus 3.3 per cent) to around 115 m. Tons CO2-equivalents. Despite this reduction in emissions, the building sector, as in the previous year, exceeds the permitted annual emission quantity according to the Federal Climate Protection Act, which is 113 m. Tons CO2-equivalents. The reduction in emissions is mainly due to a special effect of significantly reduced heating oil purchases. Heating oil stocks were already increased extensively in 2019 and 2020 due to the favourable prices and in anticipation of the Fuel Emissions Trading Act. Natural gas consumption, on the other hand, increased due to the weather.
In the sector Agriculture Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by a good 1.2 m. Tons CO2-equivalents (minus 2.0 per cent) to 61 m. Tons CO2-equivalents. The sector thus remains significantly below the annual emission level of 68 m. Tons CO2-equivalents. The decline in animal numbers continues. Cattle numbers fell by 2.3 percent, pig numbers by 9.2 percent. As a result, there was less manure, which is why the emissions associated with fertilisation also fell (-4.0 percent compared to 2020). However, the significant undercutting of the set annual emission quantity is mainly due to methodological improvements in the calculation of emissions.
The emissions of the Waste sector fell by around 4.3 per cent compared to the previous year to a good eight per cent. m. Tons CO2-equivalents. This means that the waste sector once again remains below the annual emission level of nine m. Tons CO2-equivalents. The trend is essentially determined by the decreasing emissions from landfilling as a result of the ban on landfilling organic waste.
Further procedure under the Federal Climate Protection Act
The emission data for the year 2021 will now be reviewed by the Expert Council on Climate Issues, as provided for in the law. The expert council submits an assessment of the data within one month. After that, according to the law, the respective responsible ministries have three months to submit an emergency programme containing proposals for measures to bring the building sector and transport sector onto the intended target path in the coming years. However, the federal government is already working on an emergency climate protection programme that is intended to meet these requirements as far as possible.
Dirk Messner: "In order to achieve the German government's goals by 2030, six percent of emissions must now be reduced per year. Since 2010, the average has not even been two percent. To achieve this, Germany now needs a joint energy effort. Together, we must put all our energy into making ourselves independent of Russian energy and protecting our climate.
Current data on renewable energies
As early as 2020, the project, which was launched as part of the EU-Renewable Energies Directive (Renewable Energy DirectiveRED), Germany's binding target of 18 percent of gross final energy consumption was exceeded with 19.3 %. In 2021, the gross final energy consumption from renewable energies in the electricity, heating and transport sectors rose according to the calculation specifications of the RED further slightly to 483 Billion kWh an. This corresponded to a share of 19.7 per cent of total gross final energy consumption.
The main reason was that more renewable energies were used for heating and cooling due to the cold winter. For this reason - and because heating oil sales, which are decisive for the calculation of the share, also declined due to high inventories and rising oil prices - the share of renewable heat increased significantly from 15.3 to 16.5 percent in 2021. The heating and cooling sector accounts for more than half of Germany's total gross final energy consumption.
Electricity generation from renewable energies declined by seven percent in 2021 due to a comparatively poor wind year. At the same time, the expansion of onshore wind energy plants stagnated in recent years. The renewable share of gross electricity consumption fell accordingly from 45.2 percent in 2020 to 41.1 percent. Electricity consumption represents about a quarter of Germany's total gross final energy consumption. For the European monitoring according to RED the real decline in renewable electricity generation is, however, mitigated by a normalisation rule for compensating for weather effects over several years.
In the transport sector, the share of renewable energies in total final energy consumption fell from 7.6 percent in the previous year to 6.8 percent in 2021. This decline can be explained by special carry-over arrangements from earlier years under the greenhouse gas reduction quota and a higher crediting of upstream emission reductions. Transport is responsible for a good quarter of total energy consumption.
These and many other up-to-date and quality-assured data have been published in the background paper "Renewable Energies in Germany - Data on Development in 2021" by the Working Group on Renewable Energies Statistics (AGEE-Stat), which appeared today. The first available data on the use of renewable energies in the electricity, heat and transport sectors are supplemented by calculations on the associated avoided emissions and economic effects.
Further information: The accuracy of the data
The present emission data for the year 2021 represent the best possible calculation at present. They are associated with corresponding uncertainties, in particular due to the limited statistical calculation basis available at this time. The calculations are derived from a system of model calculations and trend updates of the detailed inventories of greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 published in January 2022.
The complete, official and detailed inventory data on greenhouse gas emissions in Germany for the year 2021 is published by the UBA in January 2023 with the transmission to the European Commission.
As the news agency Reuters reported last week, key targets in the draft Climate Action Plan 2050 drawn up by Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendriks have been cancelled by Federal Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel. According to Reuters, all greenhouse gas targets for 2030 in the energy, industry, transport and agriculture sectors have been cancelled, as has the sentence stating that the expansion of renewables must be accelerated. The wording for a deadline for phasing out coal "well before 2050" has also been removed.
The draft is now to be agreed with Transport Minister Dobrindt (CSU) and Agriculture Minister Schmidt (also CSU) before the cabinet is allowed to vote on the remainder in September.
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