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City of Bonn receives award for environmental and climate protection

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The city of Bonn has received the Blue Sky Award for its commitment to sustainable development, environmental and climate protection, also on an international level. Mayor Reinhard Limbach accepted the award on Thursday, 29 August 2019, in the Chinese special economic zone Shenzhen.

The award is presented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Blue Sky Awards Organizing Committee to cities and individuals that have made a special contribution to climate protection.

Internationally, Bonn is involved, among other things, in the city network for sustainability ICLEI, which has its headquarters in the federal city and whose president is Lord Mayor Ashok Sridharan. In addition, the city - funded by Engagement Global - is working together with the cities of La Paz (Bolivia), Cape Coast (Ghana) and Linares (Chile) under the heading "Municipal Climate Protection Partnerships". Topics include strategies and measures for adapting to climate change, the use of renewable energies and education for sustainable development. In Chengdu (China), an exchange on climate protection issues was held together with civil society organisations.

With its own sustainability strategy, which was adopted at the beginning of the year, Bonn wants to contribute to the systematic implementation of the United Nations' Agenda 2030 with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. And in early summer, the city launched a new participatory campaign on climate protection under the motto "Think new. Simply act. Together for the climate." shows that climate-friendly action can be very simple and enrich one's own life.

Coalition of cities to promote a sustainable circular economy

Mayor Limbach also participated in the launch event of the Green Circular Cities Coalition of the international city network ICLEI. This is a coalition of cities for the promotion of a sustainable circular economy, in which the cities of Bonn, Turku (Finland), Shenzhen (PR China) as well as Yokohama and Nagano (Japan), among others, participate.

Limbach discussed the topic of urban transformation/circular economy with international city representatives. In doing so, he presented projects and approaches of the city of Bonn in waste avoidance and the recycling of valuable resources. Also on the agenda of the two-day visit was a presentation of the Shenzhen city bus transport system, which is entirely electric, and a modern combined heat and power plant powered by waste.

 


Keywords: News Blog NRW, UN (United Nations)

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Launch of the Housing.2050 initiative

Climate protection has long been one of the most urgent topics for the housing industry. In order to achieve a climate-neutral building stock by 2050, the 24 founding companies of the Wohnen.2050 initiative met in Berlin on 28 January 2020 to found the association. The nationwide association was initiated by the Nassauische Heimstätte | Wohnstadt group of companies.

"Don't just talk about climate change, act" - under this motto, the Nassauische Heimstätte | Wohnstadt group of companies invited founding partners from all over Germany to found the Initiative Wohnen.2050 (IW2050) association. The overarching objective is a climate policy alliance which, in addition to strategic cooperation and a technical and content-related comparison, focuses primarily on economic and financial concerns to achieve the targets.

The event was opened by Axel Gedaschko, President of the Federal Association of German Housing and Real Estate Companies (GdW). "For the housing industry, climate protection is one of the most urgent topics - and all those involved have been making a continuous contribution for a long time. To achieve the two-degree target and a climate-neutral building stock by 2050, the stakes need to be raised significantly once again. The situation requires not only commitment, but transformation," Gedaschko explained.

Nationwide association of the housing industry

The Wohnen.2050 initiative combines concentrated know-how and relies on the open-source approach. Solutions and tools for the resource-saving development of company-specific paths to climate neutrality are jointly developed and exchanged. In this way, even smaller companies are given the opportunity to position themselves in an economically and factually appropriate way. "We are facing what is probably the greatest challenge of our time. That's why it was clear to us that we needed an industry initiative to meet this challenge together and in partnership," says Dr. Thomas Hain, Managing Director of the Nassauische Heimstätte | Wohnstadt Group and member of the IW2050 Board of Directors, about the climate protection commitment.

Over 1 million housing units when the association was founded

The approach is convincing: on the day of its foundation, the initiative already represents around 1,050,000 housing units and six of the ten largest German housing companies within the GdW. "The participation and interest were overwhelming. We are proud to set out today with a staggering 24 founding companies on the path to a climate-neutral future," said Felix Lüter, Head of the Sustainability Competence Centre of the Nassauische Heimstätte | Wohnstadt Group. After the official founding of the association, the participants discussed possible financing and climate strategies in working groups. In the coming weeks, there will be further meetings to develop strategies and measures to achieve the goals set.

Main goals of the initiative

  1. Unified positioning to raise financial support to achieve climate goals in the housing sector at federal and state level
  2. Exchange know-how on climate strategies and concrete actions of the members and thus make knowledge accessible; only with pooled know-how and reduced use of resources of the individual companies is it possible to develop solution strategies in a timely manner and then implement them in the 2020s
  3. Publicise the pioneering role and climate protection commitment of the sector, especially of its members.
  4. Activation, empowerment and motivation of employees of participating companies to contribute to the achievement of climate targets and communication of climate protection commitment to customers

Founding members of the initiative

  1. bauverein AG
  2. DOGEWO21 - Dortmunder Gesellschaft für Wohnen mbH
  3. GAG Immobilien AG
  4. Gemeinnütziges Siedlungswerk GmbH
  5. GESOBAU AG
  6. GEWOBAG Wohnungsbau-Aktiengesellschaft Berlin
  7. GGH Gesellschaft für Grund- und Hausbesitz Heidelberg mbH
  8. HWB Hofheimer Wohnungsbau GmbH
  9. HOWOGE Housing Association Ltd.
  10. Joseph Foundation
  11. Municipal Housing Association Ginsheim-Gustavsburg
  12. LEG-Wohnen GmbH
  13. Nassauische Heimstätte Housing and Development Company Ltd.
  14. NEULAND Housing Company Ltd.
  15. ProPotsdam GmbH
  16. Rheinwohnungsbau GmbH
  17. Stuttgarter Wohnungs- und Städtebaugesellschaft mbH
  18. Vivawest GmbH
  19. VOLKSWOHNUNG GmbH
  20. Vonovia SE
  21. Wankendorfer Building Society for Schleswig-Holstein eG
  22. Wohnbau Stadt Coburg GmbH
  23. Wohnbaugruppe Augsburg | Life
  24. Wohnungsunternehmen Amberg Bauträger- und Baubetreuungs-GmbH

Supported by

  • EBZ Business School GmbH
  • GdW - General Association of the German Housing Industry
  • Association of the Southwest German Housing Industry e.V.
  • Association of the Housing and Real Estate Industry Rhineland Westphalia

Link

Manifesto of the Housing 2050 Initiative
www.iw2050.de

Source: PM from 28.01.2020 Nassauische Heimstätte 



Keywords:
Stock, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, Settlements, Housing, Housing policy, Thermal insulation

Parking spaces gone, living space here
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Parking spaces gone, living space here

"Cars have no place in cities"
Hermann Knoflacher with Vladimir Balzer and Axel Rahmlow

Hermann Knoflacher wants roads and car parks to be built on. Car-free cities are feasible, says the transport expert. This would allow local authorities to create masses of affordable living space. But will they go for it?

Affordable housing in cities is becoming increasingly hard to find. Many feel pushed to the margins. Politicians want to take countermeasures, but have very different mechanisms depending on the country and the municipality.

www.deutschlandradiokultur.de/parkplaetze-weg-wohnraum-her...



Keywords:
Bike-/Velo-City, DE-News, Mobility, Transition Town, Environmental policy, Housing policy

Germany's largest thermal solar plant is located in the former Lusatian lignite mining area
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Germany's largest thermal solar plant is located in the former Lusatian lignite mining area

In September, Germany's largest thermal solar plant officially went into operation in the Brandenburg city of Senftenberg. The plant was built by Stadtwerke Senftenberg on an area of around 2.2 hectares and is expected to produce around four million kilowatt hours of heat per year.

Due to its outstanding commitment to the expansion of renewable energies, the Agency for Renewable Energies awards the city of Senftenberg as Energy Municipality of the Month. "In order to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, the heating sector is of great importance. With the construction of the solar thermal plant, the city of Senftenberg presents itself as a pioneer in the municipal heat transition," says Nils Boenigk, Deputy Managing Director of the Agency for Renewable Energies.

In the city of 25,000 inhabitants, the new solar thermal plant and a natural gas heating plant generate heat that is supplied to over 10,000 households via the local district heating network. The plant consists of 1,680 tube collectors that generate heat during the average 1,700 hours of sunshine per year. In the summer months, it almost completely covers the base load. The demand in excess of this is generated by natural gas boilers. Together, the plants replace the former pulverised lignite boiler. "The new solar thermal plant brings us closer to our goal of covering more and more of the heating needs of the city of Senftenberg with renewable sources," explains Mayor Andreas Fredrich. "With the largest plant in Germany at present, we are pioneers in the application of this technology."

The project is a highlight among the local climate protection efforts resulting from the energy concept published in 2013. This concept examines and evaluates the opportunities and possibilities for the expansion of renewable energies and the economical use of energy. The city focuses primarily on the heating sector, as its heating needs account for the largest share of total energy consumption. The new thermal solar plant makes a major contribution to renewable heat generation here. In the electricity sector, where up to 90 per cent of demand was already generated from renewable sources in 2011, the city is even aiming to generate more than 100 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

"The city of Senftenberg is well positioned in the field of renewable energies," explains Mayor Andreas Fredrich. "With the help of the energy concept, municipal and regional stakeholders can more easily identify energy saving potential and plan and implement the expansion of renewable energies more effectively."

A detailed portrait of the city of Senftenberg can be found at http://www.kommunal-erneuerbar.de/de/energie-kommunen/energie-kommunen/senftenberg.html



Keywords:
Renewable, News Blog Brandenburg, Solar thermal

City of Bonn declares climate emergency
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City of Bonn declares climate emergency

On 4 July 2019, the Bonn City Council declared a climate emergency for Bonn. In doing so, Bonn joins other municipalities in affirming that climate protection must have the highest priority in municipal action. At the same time, the declaration of the climate emergency sends a strong signal to national and international legislation.


With this decision, the City Council is following two citizens' petitions signed by the Fridays for Future, Parents for Future and Klimawache Bonn initiatives, among others.

Lord Mayor Ashok Sridharan explains: "I think anything that is suitable for drawing the public's attention to the issue of climate protection is helpful. As a city, we are already very active in initiating and implementing what is possible here on the ground. We are also active internationally in various climate protection alliances. As President of the global city network for sustainability ICLEI, I am constantly campaigning for the issue to be pursued with vigour at local level. The motto continues to be: think globally, act locally. The declaration of a climate emergency for Bonn is a symbolic act in this sense, which must now be followed by action. The administration will submit concrete proposals in this regard."

With the adoption of the Bonn Energy Transition and Climate Protection Masterplan, the Integrated Climate Protection and Adaptation Concept and numerous subsequent measures, the city of Bonn has contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gases. Measured against the reference year 1990, per capita CO2 emissions in Bonn fell by 22 per cent by 2014. In order to increase this contribution, further efforts must be made in the future.

However, the possibilities for exerting influence at municipal level are largely dependent on the framework conditions at national and international level. A national climate protection law with specific requirements or comprehensive information campaigns - as called for in the application - could be instruments for this.

Source: City of Bonn press release, 05/07/2019

 



Keywords:
Stakeholders, Bonn, DE-News, Climate protection, Communities, News Blog NRW, Environmental policy, Ecology

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