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Climate change: Aquatic ecosystem research societies from around the world call for immediate action

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"The world's water resources are currently facing the greatest threat in the history of mankind," write aquatic ecologists in their recently published statement paper. More than one hundred professional societies of aquatic ecosystem research around the globe have signed the joint statement. In it, the researchers show the dramatic effects that climate change is having on aquatic ecosystems worldwide. They call for immediate concerted action by politics, business, science and society to halt the progress of climate change.

"Climate change is here - and it is leaving clear, partly irreversible traces in aquatic ecosystems," says Prof. Markus Weitere, President of the German Limnology Society (DGL) and Head of the Department of Stream Ecology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). (DGL) and head of the Department of Stream Ecology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). "We aquatic ecologists see the effects of climate change every day through our work. And the exchange with colleagues from all over the world shows: The problems reach around the globe - and they are massive." In a joint statement paper, professional societies from all over the world that study aquatic ecosystems have now compiled the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems and substantiated them with relevant studies. The paper was published on 14 September 2020. The DGL is one of the 110 signatory professional societies with more than 80,000 members.

"Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth." (quote statement paper)

Water is essential for the survival of all organisms. Aquatic ecosystems are therefore an indispensable basis for all life on earth. Due to climate change, however, water bodies are losing their ecological balance. "The extreme droughts we have experienced in Germany in recent years are signs of climate change and will become more severe," says Weitere. "The associated consequences for our water bodies are serious. For example, flowing waters carry less water, riparian areas and floodplain landscapes are falling dry. All this has a negative impact on the water ecosystem." The dwindling availability of water is also a problem for humans, as the groundwater level is sinking and drinking water reservoirs can no longer be sufficiently replenished.

Water quality is also suffering from the effects of climate change. "High temperatures and changes in water flow favour the eutrophication of water bodies, which leads to an increased development of algae as well as potentially toxic blue-green algae. "When this algal biomass is degraded, favoured by high temperatures, oxygen depletion occurs," explains Weitere. "This damages the organisms and can cause mass fish kills, as seen in the 2018 and 2019 droughts." In their statement, the professional societies further point to the risk of increased pollutant loads in water bodies. Rising temperatures can mobilise pollutants bound in permafrost soils and release them into water systems. "These and numerous other effects of climate change are leading to an increasing loss of biodiversity in water ecosystems," says Weitere. "This process is further exacerbated by immigrant species that benefit from changing conditions in water bodies and displace native species." Climate change is also leading to an increasing deterioration of water quality in the oceans. In their statement, the expert societies explain that shifts in species composition and abundance, for example, are already visible - with consequences for fishery yields and food security. "The global economic consequences of climate change should not be underestimated," says Weitere. "Failure to tackle climate change, loss of biodiversity and water crisis - these three issues have now been ranked for the first time among the top 5 risks of the coming decade by the World Economic Forum in its assessment of global risks."

"Governments, the public, industry, science and all other sectors of society need to prioritise and act in a concerted way to halt man-made climate change and prevent dire consequences."
(Quote statement paper)

What must be done now to slow down the progress of climate change and to keep the impacts as low as possible? In their statement paper, the aquatic ecologists call for a rapid, consistent and drastic reduction in the release of greenhouse gases. In addition, natural processes that sequester carbon must be promoted - e.g. by preserving, protecting and developing wetlands as natural carbon sinks. "Some consequences of climate change will be irreversible, however," says Weitere. "To best buffer the negative effects, we need to take regionally adequate measures." This includes promoting research and training in water ecology and ensuring capacities in water monitoring and management. The effects caused by climate change - eutrophication, oxygen depletion, pollutant mobilisation, immigration of alien species and loss of biodiversity - are not unknown in water ecology and can therefore still be managed in many cases. "Climate change is both a trigger and an accelerator. We can still make a difference - for that we have to take the scientific findings seriously and act boldly and decisively," says Weitere.

This statement is being released to coincide with the start of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) Virtual Annual Meeting on 14 September 2020 (afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org).

Statement (German translation): https://www.dgl-ev.de/cms/upload/dokumente/Stellungnahmen/200914_Statement_Wasse…

Scientific contact persons:

Prof. Markus More
Head of UFZ Department of Flowing Water Ecology / President of the DGL
markus.weitere@ufz.de

Original publication:
https://climate.fisheries.org/world-climate-statement/

Source: PM of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) from 14.09.2020


Keywords: Research, Climate emergency, Climate protection, News Blog Europe (without DE), Permaculture, Quarters, Settlements, City, Transition Town, UN (United Nations), Environmental policy, Water design, Ecology

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Bird strike on glazed and mirrored buildings
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Bird strike on glazed and mirrored buildings

At least 18 million birds die each year from bird strikes on glass. It is more than disconcerting that the 100,000 to 200,000 victims of wind energy are discussed so intensively, but the main causes of bird deaths are not.

"Glass kills non-specifically, i.e. potentially all bird species, because it is obstructed at almost any flight altitude. It kills birds regardless of species, age, sex and time of day. Studies from the USA prove this. Of course, one can say that birds that occur often ("common species") are naturally affected often, birds that occur rarely not so often, but this is only due to the number of birds present. Many bird stations regularly have glass bird strike victims from a wide variety of species: birds of prey, woodpeckers (even very often), songbirds, woodcocks, migratory birds, site-faithful birds... simply everything ... up to a stork where the collision was even observed live," says Dr. Judith Förster, project manager of the BUND NRW project "Avoiding bird strikes on glass".

Link: www.bund-nrw.de/themen/tiere-pflanzen/vogelschlag-an-glas

 

Two other major causes of bird population decline:

  • The number of insects has already decreased by up to 80% in some areas of Germany and this of course also has an impact on bird life. Birds such as swallows or swifts live on insects. Insects are particularly important for a large number of small birds in the rearing phase. The massive and alarming global and nationwide insect mortality is depriving (not only) swallows, swifts and bats of their food basis and leading to a massive decline in populations. When an important part of the food base disappears, this has extreme effects on all species at the bottom of the food chain. The lobbyists of the agro-poison industry have a massive (and well-organised) interest in ensuring that this does not become an issue.
  • The loss of nature and habitats and the increasingly intensive agriculture in the context of globalisation and free trade pose a particular threat to birdlife.



Keywords:
DE-News, Renewable, Environmental policy, Wildlife/animal friendly construction, Aesthetics / Architecture / Building Culture, Ecology

5th Klaus Novy Prize
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5th Klaus Novy Prize

Housing cooperatives and housing group projects can apply until the end of February 2017

20 years Klaus Novy Prize

In 2017, Spar- und Bauverein Solingen eG is awarding the prize named after Klaus Novy for innovations in cooperative building and housing for the fifth time.
The fifth competition starts on 1 September 2016, from which date housing cooperatives and housing group projects have until the end of February 2017 to submit their competition entries.

Further information such as details of the competition theme and the decision-making process can be found at  here   can be regarded as a "good thing".



Keywords:
Awards

Hamburg decides to make photovoltaics compulsory from 2023
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Hamburg decides to make photovoltaics compulsory from 2023

On 22.12.2020, the Senate passed the first legal ordinance on the Hamburg Climate Protection Act. This regulates the concrete implementation of the solar roof obligation and the integration of renewable energies when replacing heating systems. With these regulations, Hamburg is one of the pioneers in climate protection in the building sector nationwide.

Together with the Climate Protection Act, the Climate Plan was adopted. This comprises more than 400 individual measures and is one of the city's most important climate and economic stimulus projects. The Climate Protection Act provides, among other things, for an obligation to install photovoltaic systems on the roofs of new buildings in Hamburg from 2023. For existing buildings, where the roof cladding is completely renewed, the obligation will take effect from 2025. From mid-2021, a minimum proportion of the heating energy requirement must be covered by renewable energies when the heating system is replaced. The details and exemptions to the new requirements are set out in the legal ordinance that has just been issued. . BUKEA estimates the potential savings from the photovoltaic obligation at 60,000 tons of CO2 by 2030.

The principle of economic efficiency also applies to the roofs: solar energy should pay for itself, for which the environmental authority bases an amortisation period of 20 years for photovoltaic systems. If, in individual cases, the payback period should be longer, the obligation does not apply. However, the environmental authority assumes that many systems will pay for themselves in a much shorter period and will also run for longer than 20 years. Exceptions are provided for in individual cases where the installation of a photovoltaic system is technically impossible or competes with other unavoidable uses.

A minimum size for the photovoltaic system was not specified, so that the obligated parties can choose a system that corresponds to their economic interests and allows a coexistence with other roof uses, such as the combination with a green roof.

Jens KerstanSenator for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture: "The EU, the federal government and also Hamburg must make great efforts to achieve the climate targets from the Paris Agreement. The public sector is just as much in demand here as industry, commerce and private individuals. We can and must all make a significant contribution to buildings through renewable electricity and climate-friendly heating. Especially in densely built-up urban areas, it is important to use suitable areas, preferably several times.

Hamburg's roofs offer enormous potential for the expansion of solar energy. The technology is mature, proven and has become increasingly economical and efficient over the past 20 years. It is now standard practice in more ambitious building projects. With the Climate Protection Act we have introduced the obligation that the solar energy potential on the roofs of our city is used. In the future, at least 15 percent of the heat for buildings must be produced from renewable energies when heating is replaced - with the legal ordinance passed by the Senate today, we are defining the content of the legal criteria.

With the support of renowned experts, we now have a legal regulation with a sense of proportion and comprehensible criteria for the evaluation of exceptions. It is now a matter of implementing these with all those involved. The city's skilled trades will play an important role in this. With regard to the minimum share of 15 percent renewable energies in new heating systems, we are relying on reliable and proven technologies such as the use of biomass, solar thermal energy and environmental heat, but also on technical innovations such as fuel cell technology in the future.

Wherever there is the possibility of connecting to a heating network that can supply heat with a corresponding share of renewable energies, this simple option can and should also be used. The expansion of heating networks and heat production with more renewable energies is another important component of the heat transition in Hamburg. With a view to the financial implications for owners and tenants in this city, we link the obligation to the economic viability of the measures. The use of more renewable energies should also prevent the costs of electricity and heating in Hamburg from rising in the long term. The housing industry can make so-called tenant electricity offers to its tenants and thus allow tenants to participate in the energy transition. This is already expressly permitted by the Climate Protection Act, and the conditions for tenant electricity models have just been considerably improved in the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) of the Federal Government. With these regulations, Hamburg is one of the pioneers in climate protection nationwide."

Dr. Veit Bürger, Deputy Head of the Energy & Climate Protection Division (Freiburg) at the Öko-Institut advised the environmental authority on the drafting of the ordinance and explains: "The obligation to use renewable energies is an important step for Hamburg's climate protection. The heat turnaround will only succeed if more renewable heat energies are used in existing buildings. Our calculations show that for each of the building types examined, there are different variants with which a homeowner can meet the new obligation in an economical way."

Gerhard Stryi-Hipp, Head of the Smart Cities Group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg and also an expert for the legal ordinance, says of Hamburg's photovoltaic obligation: "With the PV obligation designed in this way, Hamburg has created a well-founded set of regulations that stimulates the necessary expansion of solar energy without overburdening the obligated parties."

In view of the economic and cyclical consequences of the Corona pandemic, an increased expansion of solar systems and renewable heat systems offers a great opportunity to strengthen the local and regional economy and value creation, while at the same time advancing the energy transition even faster. This applies to the entire value chain, from planning to installation by craftsmen and women. Every new building and every building renovation offers an opportunity for the economy and for climate protection. The environmental authority will support the implementation of the new obligations with accompanying information materials and advisory services.

Info on the net:

Background information on the climate protection law: www.hamburg.de/klimaschutzgesetz
Legal ordinance on the Climate Protection Act: t.hh.en/14762816
Hamburg Climate Protection Act (HmbKliSchG)

Source: PM of the City of Hamburg from 22 December 2020



Keywords:
DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, Communities, News Blog Hamburg, PV, Transition Town, Environmental policy, Housing

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