Die EU-Staaten haben endgültig grünes Licht für die überarbeitete Richtlinie zur Energieeffizienz von Gebäuden gegeben und die neuen Vorgaben formell beschlossen. Kadri Simson, EU-Kommissarin für Energie, begrüßte das Votum: „Eine bessere Gesamtenergieeffizienz von Gebäuden ist von entscheidender Bedeutung, um unser Ziel der Klimaneutralität zu erreichen und die Energieunabhängigkeit Europas zu stärken. Renovierungen sind Investitionen in eine bessere Zukunft.“
Kategorie für Blog: Environmental policy
312 posts
Net public electricity generation reached a record share of 59.7 per cent in 2023. The share of the load was 57.1 per cent. This is the result of an analysis presented today by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. New records were set for wind and solar power in 2023. In contrast, generation from lignite (-27 per cent) and hard coal (-35 per cent) fell sharply. Photovoltaics stood out in the expansion of generation capacity: at around 14 gigawatts, the expansion was in double digits for the first time and significantly exceeded the German government's statutory climate protection target.
More rail transport, reformed motor vehicle tax and less fossil heating needed
Germany can still achieve its climate targets by 2030. This is shown in a new analysis by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). This would require, among other things, more rail transport, a reform of the motor vehicle tax and the restriction of fossil heating. In addition, all emissions would have to be priced and charged to the polluter. In the so-called Climate Protection Instruments Scenario 2030 (KIS-2030), the UBA has examined how additional emissions can be saved in the building, mobility, energy and industry sectors. "The model calculation clearly shows that we have a lot of catching up to do in some sectors," says UBA President Dirk Messner. "We now urgently need a constructive dialogue about where emissions can be reduced, otherwise we will miss the legal savings targets. We also need to talk honestly about how to cushion the financial burden on lower-income groups and distribute it more fairly. Currently, low-income households are often asked to pay disproportionately. Understandably, this does not exactly increase acceptance for more climate protection.
The Federal Cabinet today approved the draft of a timber construction initiative presented by Federal Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz and Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir. This strategy of the Federal Government is intended to strengthen the use of wood as a sustainable raw material in the construction sector and to ensure more climate protection, resource efficiency and faster construction. With eight fields of action, from the exemplary role of the federal government and the strengthening of research and innovation, to securing skilled labour and knowledge transfer, to securing the supply of raw materials, the use of wood is to be significantly improved and the timber construction quota increased by 2030.
Scientific scenarios on climate neutrality support corporate strategy and planning on the path to decarbonisation - Using the example of buildings and heating, climate economists at DIW Berlin analyse existing scenarios on climate neutrality - Net zero scenarios show a clear path for the transformation of companies and the financial sector - With standardised scenarios and transition plans for climate neutrality, banks, funds and insurance companies can make their portfolios fit for the future.
Environmental crises jeopardise health. At the same time, an ecological change of direction offers many opportunities to create healthier living conditions. This is the core message of the special report that the Environmental Council is presenting to Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Health Minister Prof Karl Lauterbach in Berlin today. The WHO estimates that 15 % of deaths in Europe are attributable to environmental risks. Health hazards arise, for example, from air pollutants, noise, chemicals and the spread of antibiotic resistance. New pressures, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, are also emerging.
On 16 June, the member states of the European Union approved a comprehensive revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) in the Committee of Permanent Representatives. The European target for renewable energies will thus be significantly increased from the previous 32% to 45% in 2030. This means a doubling of the share of renewable energy compared to the level reached in 2021 of just under 22%. This is a great success for the expansion of renewables: It roughly doubles the planned expansion of renewable energy by 2030. To achieve the new targets, more than 100 GW of new wind turbines and solar installations will be installed in the EU every year. For Germany, this means that the significantly increased expansion targets for wind and solar energy in 2022 will be underpinned by European targets and become binding. The higher EU targets also form the framework for further measures and targets in the EU, such as the EU's solar strategy, which aims to roughly triple PV capacity to 600 GW by 2030.
PV strategy presented
Today, Federal Minister of Economics and Climate Protection Robert Habeck presented the second PV-The aim is to significantly accelerate the expansion of solar energy in Germany. The goal is to significantly accelerate the expansion of solar energy in Germany. To this end, the strategy identifies measures in a total of eleven fields of action. The spectrum ranges from measures in the area of energy policy to the topics of securing skilled labour, industrial value creation in Europe and technology development. This was preceded by a first photovoltaic summit in March 2023. Since March, the PV strategy has been consulted. More than 600 comments were received.The bioeconomy can be a central building block for the transformation of our largely coal, oil and gas-based economy. However, renewable raw materials and synthetic carbon compounds are scarce and expensive. They should be used in areas such as the chemical industry - not as energy sources. For the shift from a fossil-based economy to a bioeconomy to succeed, fossil carbon must also become more expensive. The ifeu now presents the results of four trend-setting studies.
The housing shortage is an immense social problem in many large cities and conurbations. At the same time, the building sector has been failing to meet its environmental and climate targets for years. In a recent position paper, the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the Commission for Sustainable Building at the UBA (KNBau) have examined how more affordable housing can be created without unnecessarily harming the environment and health. According to this paper, the most important factor for more environmental protection in housing construction is that the existing building stock is preserved wherever possible or is sensibly converted and repurposed. This is the easiest way to avoid climate emissions and unnecessarily high consumption of raw materials. Today, UBA President Prof. Dr. Dirk Messner presented KNBau's proposals to Federal Minister of Building Klara Geywitz and Federal Minister of the Environment Steffi Lemke in Berlin.
The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs is supporting the climate-friendly construction of new buildings with a new funding programme that will start on 1 March 2023. For the first time, the entire life cycle of a building will be considered - from construction to operation to potential deconstruction in the distant future. The buildings are characterised by low greenhouse gas emissions in the life cycle, high energy efficiency, low operating costs and a high proportion of renewable energies for the generation of heat and electricity. This funding thus makes a contribution to climate protection and to meeting national climate targets.
Researchers at DIW Berlin have developed the "Ampel-Monitor Energiewende" - monitor the extent to which the government's energy policy agenda is being implemented - immense efforts are needed to close the gap between the announced targets and the current status quo
Is German climate policy on the right path? A national CO2 budget for Germany allows for a transparent comparison with international targets. In a paper published today, the Environmental Council updates its calculations for a German CO2 budget, showing that fast emission reductions are crucial - last year, climate targets for transport and buildings were missed again. The paper also answers frequently asked questions about the CO2 budget.
Germanwatch now urgently expects political signals following the conclusion of the interim technical negotiations / Special challenge on the issue of damage and loss recognised, now it is a matter of concrete financing proposals
The German Association of Cities, the Global Parliament of Mayors and the international cities network ICLEI have joined forces to form a Cities Alliance to accompany the German G7 Presidency. The alliance is organising a conference on Tuesday, 3 May a U7 Mayors Summitwhich brings together high-ranking representatives of cities from the G7 countries. Representatives of the media are invited to follow the event virtually. The international dialogue will take place under the heading "Engaging the Urban World - Cities as Engines of Change for Peace, Democracy and Sustainability".. It is the most important event of cities in the framework of the German G7 Presidency. A joint declaration by the cities will also be adopted: In the „Urban7 Mayors Declaration“ the city leaders from the G7 countries will present their expectations of politics and business in order to meet the global challenges on the ground.
The Federal Cabinet today adopted the so-called Easter Package at the proposal of Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck. This is the largest amendment to energy policy legislation in decades. The Easter Package comprehensively amends various energy laws in order to accelerate and consistently drive forward the expansion of renewable energies.
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.
Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Federal Director of Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), comments on today's debate on the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) in the Bundestag: "The Grand Coalition is breaking its promise to set higher expansion targets for renewable energies for the year 2030 before the end of this legislative period. An agreement failed primarily due to the energy transition obstructionists within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. The German government is thus ignoring the implementation of the new EU climate targets and disregarding the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court to tackle more ambitious climate protection measures before 2030. The amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act is missing the centrepiece. At the end of 2020, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier announced an ambitious expansion path for wind and solar energy for the first quarter of 2021. After a long wait, there was only the famous drop in the ocean: four gigawatts of onshore wind energy and six gigawatts of photovoltaics are the targets for 2022. Longer-term expansion targets? Not a chance. Clearly, the need for a rapid transformation of our energy supply has not yet been recognised by the CDU/CSU, despite all their climate protection commitments during the election campaign."
The new National Progress Report on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda shows the state of sustainability in urban development in German municipalities. The report was prepared by the German Institute of Urban Affairs on behalf of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR).
To live up to its climate change pledge under the Paris Agreement, the European Union must ensure that all 250 million existing buildings, as well as all new buildings in the EU, produce near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. In a new report, European national academies of science, through their association EASAC, call for far-reaching policy action. "Policies have long focused on creating energy-efficient buildings that require less heating and air conditioning or generate renewable energy on site. However, the energy used to operate buildings is only part of the story. We need to broaden the scope and look at emissions from building materials and methods - both for new buildings and for building refurbishment," says William Gillett, Director of EASAC's Energy Programme.
G7 environment ministers issue far-reaching declaration: 1.5 degree limit takes centre stage - progress also to be made on international climate financing before the World Climate Summit
- Other countries are leading the way: Spain adopts 30 km/h speed limit in cities; French cities with 30 km/h speed limit have 70 percent fewer fatal accidents
- Federal government fails "Vision Zero" and ignores 30 km/h as an immediate measure in key points paper for new road safety programme
- Current United Nations Road Safety Week identifies reduction of speed limit to 30 km/h in built-up areas as key measure to protect lives
European Green Deal offers opportunities for investments in emission-intensive basic industries - Clear political framework must ensure that investments are also cost-effective and incentivised - Introduction of CO2 contracts for difference and reform of EU emissions trading essential.
"Municipalities are crucial drivers for the sustainable development of our society," explains Dr. Werner Schnappauf, Chairman of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE). "All 17 sustainability goals are directly or indirectly related to the tasks of a municipality. The new reporting framework sustainable municipality, the BNK, can be a great help for further progress in the field of sustainability", says Schnappauf.
Storms, drought and insect infestations have caused a great deal of damage to Germany's forests over the past three years. The "International Day of Forests" on 21 March is a good time to become aware of the many services provided by the forest.
The state of Baden-Württemberg is setting an example in climate protection: by 2040 at the latest, the state administration is to operate in a climate-neutral manner. The new Climate Protection Foundation supports it in this by using the interest on its share capital to promote research and development as well as educational projects in the field of climate protection. In addition, the state, municipalities, companies and all citizens can offset their CO2 emissions through compensation payments and thus become climate neutral. The cooperation partner will be the non-profit climate protection organisation myclimate Germany.
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.
How can Bonn become climate neutral by 2035? This is the question that the participatory project "Bonn4Future - We for the Climate!" would like to discuss together with Bonn citizens over the next two years. Since mid-2019, the climate emergency has been in effect in Bonn; in November 2019, the Council decided that Bonn should become climate neutral by 2035. The city and the non-profit association Bonn im Wandel have now signed a cooperation agreement and thus launched "Bonn4Future".
Forestry Minister Peter Hauk MdL: "With our call for ideas, we want to further promote municipal timber construction in the state and further consolidate our nationwide position as the No. 1 timber construction state".
A total of around 6.5 million euros in funding from the Baden-Württemberg timber construction campaign is available for the call for ideas for municipal timber construction concepts. The online application deadline is 12 February 2020.
In the context of the Green Deal, the EU's tightened targets on the path to climate neutrality envisage a reduction in CO2 emissions of 55% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Against the background of these tightened parameters, the question arises as to the impact on the energy transition in Germany. Based on its energy system model REMod, Fraunhofer ISE has calculated the consequences of the new EU targets for the expansion of renewable energies in Germany and now presents the results in a short study.
In the EEG draft 
The German government plans to make a number of changes in the rooftop PV segment. According to information from pv magazine, an exemption from trade tax is planned and neighbourhood solutions are to become possible.
Emissions targets, some of them significantly improved, show effectiveness of Paris Agreement / But too few commitments for financing climate protection and adaptation to climate change in poorer countries / Chancellor Merkel must swiftly launch international process for additional climate financing
The EU has today agreed on stricter climate targets. Greenhouse gases are now to be reduced by at least 55 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. The previous target for the same period was 40%. For the first time, the EU calculations also include greenhouse gases stored in forests and other "sinks".
The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB e.V.) has published a new report explaining how buildings can contribute to the United Nations' global sustainability goals. The publication compares the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the potential influence of sustainable planning and construction. Architects and planners, as well as building owners and municipalities, are thus provided with orientation as to how they can meaningfully become active in terms of sustainable development. The report also offers a comparison of the SDGs with the criteria of various DGNB certification systems. This shows: Up to 15 of the 17 SDGs are addressed in the context of the DGNB certification of a building project.
On the occasion of the meeting of EU Ministers for Urban Development and Territorial Cohesion on the "New Leipzig Charter", Daniela Wagner, spokesperson for urban development for Alliance 90/The Greens in the German Bundestag, explains:
We welcome the "New Leipzig Charter". Without the transformative power of cities and the ideas and drive of their residents, we will not be able to overcome the challenges of the climate crisis. Nevertheless, the Charter contains significant gaps. The guiding principle of the resilient city is missing. The development of robust and resilient cities is important in order to better assess risks and recognise and prevent dangers in good time. The guiding principle of the healthy city is also not mentioned - despite the heatwaves caused by the climate crisis, a never-ending stream of air pollutants from fossil fuelled combustion engines and the current challenge of a global pandemic.
"To be climate neutral by 2050, we not only need to make additional investments in green and innovative technologies of the future. Above all, we also need a shift from existing investments in 'brown' raw materials such as coal, oil and gas to 'green' climate-friendly technologies. The phase-out of fossil fuels must be global and rapid, in line with the goals of the World Climate Conference. Only in this way can we realistically achieve the climate protection goals. Churches, municipalities and also companies are setting new standards here and demonstrating the feasibility of the changeover in both ecological and economic terms," said Environment Minister Ulrike Höfken today at the event "Divestment and Sustainable Finance", which took place during the Climate Protection Weeks in Rhineland-Palatinate.
