A study funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture determined the potential of hardwood as a substitute for coniferous wood. The results of the study are now available in a brochure published by the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (FNR). There is considerable potential for hardwood to be used in industrial timber, but it cannot yet be a substitute for softwood in construction
Kategorie für Blog: Economics
172 posts
The popular ESA dormitory on the campus of the TU Kaiserslautern (TUK) is in great need of renovation. The foundation's renovation concept for TUK envisions the former experimental building becoming a CO2-neutral building. The estimated costs for the work have not yet been fully raised. Therefore, the ESA residents are participating with a crowdfunding campaign, which has been available on the Startnext platform since September 13.
CO2-Emissions should be reduced by 65 percent over the next ten years compared to 1990 in order to achieve climate neutrality - Energy system must be converted to 100 percent renewable energies by 2040 - Investment of 3,000 billion euros required to meet European Green Deal and Paris climate targets - German EU Council Presidency can ensure that Corona aid packages link economic stimulus with climate protection
30.06.2020 - 16 players in the German financial sector, with assets of more than €5.5 trillion and over 46 million customer connections in Germany, have signed a voluntary commitment to align their loan and investment portfolios in line with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Through the agreed measurement, publication and target setting to reduce the emissions associated with the loan and investment portfolios, the financial sector intends to make a contribution to climate protection and support the sustainable and future-oriented further development of the economy. This brings the German financial centre one step closer to the goal set by the German government at the beginning of 2019 of making Germany one of the leading locations for sustainable finance.
At the proposal of the Federal Environment Ministry, the Federal Cabinet adopted the third German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess III) on 17 June 2020. With this programme, the government aims to achieve an economical use of raw materials. Companies in particular are to use natural resources more efficiently along the entire value chain. Greater use is to be made of digital solutions to increase resource efficiency. The decision in favour of resource-saving products is to be made easier for citizens through improved information.
18 minute radio report from 23.06.2020 by Josephine Schulz in the media library of Deutschlandfunk: www.deutschlandfunk.de/oeffentliche-auftraege-wie-der-staat-fair-einkaufen-will.724.de.html?dram:article_id=479176 The demand for sustainable products can be increased through municipal procurement. Positive examples but also the problems of sustainable procurement are discussed in the article. Buildings and larger properties are not explicitly mentioned, but the principles basically apply there as well.
Brussels/Freiburg, 5 May 2020 - An alliance "Solar Europe Now", officially launched on 5 May, is calling for solar energy to be recognised as a key technology for the objectives of the European Green Deal. The new alliance, which currently includes more than 90 players from the entire value chain of the European solar industry, is concerned that the photovoltaic sector is not being given enough consideration in the current presentation of the Green Deal.
Eine Studie des Forums Ökologisch-Soziale Marktwirtschaft im Auftrag von Greenpeace (März 2020).
Durch die Corona-Krise wird der Staat Soforthilfen und weitreichende Konjunkturmaßnahmen historischen Ausmaßes umsetzen. Während Gesundheit und die kurzfristige Unterstützung von Arbeitnehmer*innen und Unternehmen in den Fokus rücken, dürfen die Fehler vergangener Wirtschaftskrisen nicht wiederholt werden. Die geplanten Hilfen für einen wirtschaftlichen Neustart können die Weichen stellen für die notwendige Transformation. Anhand einiger Beispiele wird illustriert, wie kurzfristige wirtschaftliche Unterstützung mit langfristigen gesellschaftlichen Prioritäten in Einklang gebracht werden können.
While the emergency aid for companies is getting underway, the debate about possible post-crisis economic stimulus packages is also gaining momentum. The German Green Business Association is proposing a transformation fund to combine a new start for the economy with social aspects and environmental and climate protection.
Konturen einer solidarischen Stadtpolitik
Anton Brokow-Loga (Hrsg.),
Frank Eckardt (Hrsg.)
Städte ohne Wachstum – eine bislang kaum vorstellbare Vision. Doch Klimawandel,
Ressourcenverschwendung, wachsende soziale Ungleichheiten und viele andere
Zukunftsgefahren stellen das bisherige Allheilmittel Wachstum grundsätzlich infrage. Wie wollen
wir heute und morgen zusammenleben? Wie gestalten wir ein gutes Leben für alle in der Stadt?
- Over EUR 28 billion for "climate protection measures": KfW is one of the most important supporters of the Paris climate goals
- Promotional bank is a global pioneer with its standardised SDG mapping
- Strong international interest in KfW SDG mapping
KfW is today publishing the results of the SDG mapping of new commitments throughout the Group in 2019. In order to clarify the individual contribution made by KfW's new commitments to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, KfW has developed a standardised procedure: 1,500 indicators are used each year to determine to which SDGs KfW's new commitments can be assigned. This makes the contribution transparent at both group and business sector level.
More new registrations, growth rate weakened / German manufacturers in 5th and 6th place
In 2019, the number of electric cars worldwide rose to around 7.9 million - an increase of 2.3 million compared to the previous year. The number of new registrations once again reached an all-time high, but grew only slightly compared to 2018. With a total of 3.8 million e-cars, China remains the undisputed global leader. It is followed by the USA with just under 1.5 million. The growth rate of new registrations declined in these two countries in particular. In Germany, on the other hand, the market continued to develop positively, albeit at a lower level: here, just under 231,000 electric vehicles were rolling along the roads at the end of 2019. The new figures come from a recent survey by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). According to the researchers, Tesla recorded the most new registrations worldwide in 2019, with 361,000. German manufacturers continued to improve on the previous year: BMW is in fifth place worldwide with 114,500 electric cars. VW reaches sixth place.Funding is available for greening facades and roofs as well as for unsealing on private, public and commercial properties in the Hannover city area.
A further 700,000 euros will be available for #moinzukunft cargo bikes from 1 April. Up to 2,000 euros in subsidies are possible for the purchase of a new e-load bike and 500 euros for normal load bikes.
From 2022, all new public buildings must be made of at least 50 per cent wood or other sustainable building materials. For buildings with more than eight storeys, the supporting structure must even be made entirely of wood. It was also decided that 90 ecological neighbourhoods and 100 urban farms will be built in Paris.
Since 1 January 2020, all new buildings and general renovations of the BIG Group have been subject to the Group-wide mandatory minimum sustainable standard. The BIG minimum standard goes beyond the legal requirements and ensures that all projects of BIG and its subsidiary ARE achieve the klimaaktiv SILVER standard in any case. The sustainable minimum standard of the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG) is a catalogue of criteria that must already be taken into account in the planning process for buildings. This makes the implementation of 43 measures of the BIG Holistic Building Programme (HBP)* and the achievement of at least 750 klimaaktiv points mandatory for all new construction and general refurbishment projects for which a planning invention procedure will be carried out from 2020. By implementing the minimum standard, CO2 emission values are significantly reduced, climate-damaging building materials are avoided and the phase-out of fossil fuels is accelerated.
7-storey timber (hybrid) building. 66 bathroom modules were designed as a complete technical core for the student apartments.
Recently, the Austrian state of Vorarlberg published the subsidy guidelines for 2020 and 2021 for residential renovation and new construction in the private and public sectors. The climate-friendly procurement of wood and wood products from the region is anchored in these guidelines. The origin of the wood must be proven by means of the "Holz von Hier" label recently introduced in Austria or comparable certificates.
A research project conducted by natureplus in conjunction with IFEU compares insulation materials with regard to their environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle, including recovery and recycling.
Which insulation material is the best? This question is extremely popular in the construction industry and can ultimately only be answered in the context of the respective construction. In particular, there has so far been a lack of a holistic overview that enables builders and planners to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the various insulation material alternatives in terms of their life cycle assessment, without having to disregard subsequent disposal.
Thuringia is making six million euros available this year for investments in municipal climate protection. The funding comes from the state's "Klima Invest" programme, which has already provided more than 15.5 million euros in investments in municipalities since the beginning of 2018, as the Ministry of the Environment announced in Erfurt on Thursday. 312 applications for funding have been approved.
27.01.2020 A material revolution that replaces cement and steel with wood in urban construction can have double benefits for climate stabilization. This is now shown in a study by an international team of scientists. First, it can avoid greenhouse gas emissions from cement and steel production. Secondly, it can turn buildings into carbon sinks, since in the construction timber the CO2 is stored. Although the required amount of wood is theoretically available, such an expansion would require very careful sustainable forest management, the authors emphasize.
Climate protection and socially just construction and housing must be considered together - Legal regulations in the rental housing sector and state subsidy practice undermine climate goals in the building sector - Deutsche Umwelthilfe and Deutscher Mieterbund present 10-point immediate programme for socially acceptable design of energy modernisation in existing and new buildings - KfW subsidy practice must be subjected to a reality check - Social provisions must be supplemented by climate policy requirements
The share of renewable energies in electricity consumption rises to almost 43 percent. The climate protection successes in the electricity sector are diminished by rising greenhouse gas emissions in buildings and transport. In parallel, public interest in climate protection is rising: since May 2019, it has consistently been the most pressing political issue in the eyes of the population. This is shown by Agora Energiewende's 2019 annual evaluation.
ROBIN WOOD has scrutinized the green electricity offers of 1,200 providers and publishes the results today in the "ROBIN WOOD Eco-Electricity Report 2020.". The environmental organization rates eight offers as recommendable. The current research report was realized with the support of the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany.
The aim of the handbook is to provide municipal actors with concrete tools that can be used to keep and locate production in urban areas. In the joint project UrbaneProduktion.Ruhr, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, research was carried out from October 2016 to December 2019 into whether and how it is possible to bring production back to the city.
The aim of the EnergiespeicherPLUS programme is to drive forward the expansion of photovoltaics in Berlin and to increase the share of renewable energies in electricity consumption, even in times of low sun and low wind. This benefits climate protection, as CO 2 -emissions can be avoided. The Berlin Energy and Climate Protection Programme provides grants towards the investment costs of electricity storage systems if a photovoltaic system is installed at the same time. The IBB Business Team GmbH is implementing the programme. Since 1 January 2020, an electronic application for funding can now be submitted quickly and easily to the IBB Business Team GmbH under www.energiespeicherplus.de be put.
Since 17 December 2019, the "Competence Centre for Sustainable Procurement and Contracting" (KNBV) has been supporting municipalities and other public administration bodies in Schleswig-Holstein in taking sustainability into account. In this context, the range of tasks extends from paperless procurement processes and PVC-free office supplies to electric service vehicles including a charging station concept or sustainable services such as plastic-free, fair and regional catering. The KNBV provides advice, information and support for all questions relating to these processes, products or committee and public relations work. Interested municipalities and other public administration bodies will find competent answers for concrete projects as well as a wide range of training courses and events.
Germany's largest cooperative housing project in Berlin 28:58 min Video available until: 12/02/2020 First broadcast on: 2.12.2019 Living in the metropolis, in a large community, according to its own rules. Central, energy-saving, ecological, cosmopolitan, inclusive. The residents of Möckernkiez in Berlin-Kreuzberg have fulfilled this dream.
For almost fifteen years, Rob Hopkins has been developing a method for preparing our societies for the coming upheavals. Video: 5 min, available from 6.12.2019 to 8.12.2021
While European environmental and climate policies have helped to improve the state of the environment in recent decades, progress has been insufficient and the outlook for the environment over the next decade is bleak, according to the report "The Environment in Europe - State and Outlook 2020en (SOER 2020)" is not positive.
The SOER 2020 is the most comprehensive environmental assessment ever undertaken for Europe. It provides an unsparing snapshot of Europe's position in terms of achieving its 2020 and 2030 policy targets, as well as its longer-term 2050 goals and ambitions for a transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future. The report points out that Europe has already made significant progress in mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the past two decades. There are also signs of progress in other areas. Examples include the fight against air and water pollution, new strategies against plastic waste, progress in adapting to climate change and in the areas of circular economy and bioeconomy. In addition, the EU Sustainable Finance Initiative addresses for the first time the role of the financial sector in the necessary transition towards a sustainable future.
Grenzach-Wyhlen, December 5, 2019. Hydrogen production in Grenzach-Wyhlen in Baden-Württemberg can start. Energiedienst received approval for the operation of the power-to-gas plant today. All technical proofs and official clarifications have now been fulfilled.
Energiedienst will produce hydrogen from self-generated green electricity using electrolysis in the state-of-the-art plant. The electricity comes from the company's own hydroelectric power plant on the same site. The environmentally friendly hydrogen will initially be used in nearby industry. There are also plans to use it in local public transport. A comprehensive concept also envisages that the waste heat generated during electrolysis will be used to heat a new residential area. By linking electricity, mobility and heat supply in this way - keyword: sector coupling - the plant should help to reduce CO2 emissions and support the energy transition.
Senate adopts concrete measures for the next ten years and sets new CO2-targets for 2030 and 2050
December 3, 2019. Today, the Senate has set two decisive courses to achieve Hamburg's climate goals with an update of its climate plan and a new climate protection law. CO2 emissions are to fall by 55 percent by 2030, and Hamburg is to become climate-neutral by 2050. The climate plan describes the responsibility and the respective CO2 reduction targets in the sectors "transport", "private households", "trade, services, commerce" and "industry". It contains a large number of concrete measures which are to lead to the necessary reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030. The draft of the new climate protection law creates a binding legal framework for this.
In 2020, the state of Baden-Württemberg intends to support various players in the field of building refurbishment with grants of 10 million as part of the "Climate Protection Plus" funding programme.
Decentrally generated electricity from renewable energies can cover the demand for electrical energy in Bavaria both in balance and in perspective. This is the result of a joint study by the grid operators Bayernwerk Netz GmbH (Bayernwerk), LEW Verteilnetz GmbH (LVN) and Main-Donau Netzgesellschaft. The Bavarian power grid operators have analysed which development paths are possible for Bavaria with regard to renewable power generation and whether climate neutrality can be achieved in the power sector. The grid operators received scientific support from the Forschungsstelle für Energiewirtschaft e.V. (Research Centre for Energy Economics).
Als "wichtiges Signal für den gesamten Finanzmarkt" begrüßt die Entwicklungs- und Umweltorganisation Germanwatch die Verabschiedung der neuen Energierichtlinie der Europäischen Investitionsbank. Sie legt den Ausstieg aus der Finanzierung fossiler Energieprojekte bis Ende 2021 fest. Der Ausstieg gelang auch dank einer am Ende gemeinsamen Linie der zuvor zerstrittenen Bundesministerien.
and new energy financing policy No new financing for fossil fuel projects after 2021 Financing to drive future clean energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy innovation EIB Group to mobilise €1 trillion of investment in climate action and environmental sustainability by 2030 All EIB Group financing activities will be geared towards the 2020 [...]
With the successful implementation of the state program "Area-wide Safety Charging Network for Electric Vehicles" (SAFE), Baden-Württemberg is the first state to have an area-wide charging network for electric cars in a 10-kilometer grid. The SAFE charging network consists of more than 450 charging stations.
The ecovillage Sieben Linden has existed near Berlin for 30 years. The documentary gives a detailed insight into life there and what the villagers have experienced so far. Available until 28.10.2024
The five northern German coastal states have joined forces to build a green hydrogen economy as a pillar of the energy and transport transition: At their autumn meeting in Lübeck, the ministers, senators and senators responsible for economy and transport today (7 November) adopted a joint "North German Hydrogen Strategy". At the same time the heads of department called on the federal government to support their initiative and to include it in the national hydrogen strategy announced by the federal government for the end of the year. "With our strategy we show a way how the hydrogen potentials can be raised especially in the field of industry and mobility.
