The BMWi is funding energy transition real laboratories with up to 100 million euros per year. The competition focuses primarily on energy-optimised neighbourhoods as real laboratories. Project ideas can be submitted as of now.
Concepts can be submitted until 05 April 2019. You can find further information on energyresearch.com
The member states of the United Nations want to agree on a new urban agenda as part of the Habitat III conference in Quito. This "New Urban Agenda" is intended to serve as a political guideline for urban development over the next two decades. Federal Building Minister Barbara Hendricks takes part in the official opening of the Habitat III conference together with Friedrich Kitschelt, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Hendricks: "All over the world, people are moving to cities. Cities therefore hold the key to a sustainable and climate-friendly world. It is important to invest in the right infrastructure today. Cities need support for this. They must be put in a position to fulfil the demands of their inhabitants for decent housing, access to energy, clean water or sewage and waste disposal, but also for education and participation. This is what I will be campaigning for in Quito."
Half of the world's population already lives in cities today. By 2050, this figure is expected to rise to two thirds. Around 90 per cent of this growth is taking place in developing and emerging countries. At the same time, cities are responsible for around 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Habitat III is a UN process that addresses the development of cities around the world against the backdrop of urbanisation and places it in the context of the global sustainability goals of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement. The "New Urban Agenda", which is to be adopted in Quito, will provide governments, cities and local and regional actors with a globally applicable framework for action for the sustainable development of cities.
The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that cities are recognised as development actors in an integrated urban development policy. Only if cities and regions are strong and have a say in their urban development concerns can they offer a high quality of life for their citizens and enable democratic participation. In the negotiations at Habitat III, Germany will contribute its experience with the principle of subsidiarity, local self-government with the provision of adequate financial resources, urban development and housing promotion and the model of the compact European city.
The World Conference of Cities takes place every twenty years. Habitat III follows on thematically from the two previous conferences in Vancouver (1976) and Istanbul (1996). Around 30,000 participants from 180 countries are expected to attend the conference in Quito, including delegates from governments, academia and civil society organisations. On the third day, Federal Building Minister Hendricks will be travelling on to Costa Rica. State Secretary for Construction Gunther Ad-ler will accompany the German delegation together with State Secretary for Development Kitschelt until the end of the conference on 20 October.
Source: BMUB press release, 12 October 2016
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DE-News, Communities, Media, New books and studies, News Blog Europe (without DE), Quarters, SDG 2030, Settlements, City, UN (United Nations), Environmental policy, Housing policy
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
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12/2011: Foundation stone laid for the 10 square kilometre ecology park in Qingdao, China www.detail.de/...
11/2011: Grants for integrated neighbourhood concepts and refurbishment managers: New KfW funding programme "Energy-efficient urban refurbishment". The pilot phase for the integrated energy neighbourhood concept was launched on 15 November. The new KfW programme "Energy-efficient urban refurbishment" is intended to develop and implement measures to increase the energy efficiency of buildings and infrastructure, in particular for heat supply in the neighbourhood. For 2012, 92 million euros are available from the special "Energy and Climate Fund".
11/2011: BUND Yearbook 2012 "Ecological building and renovation" Published
The 244-page, full-colour booklet combines ecological building principles and practical tips for all phases of construction or renovation - from planning and financing to implementation with appropriate building materials and technologies and furnishing. Written in an easy-to-understand and clear style, with many examples and practical suggestions, it offers an all-round service for building owners and renovators. Reading sample (pdf) Order directly for EUR 8.90 (plus EUR 2 postage) from: www.ziel-marketing.de
10/2011: Passive house residential complex with 155 flats in Austria
In Eisenstadt, the capital of Burgenland, the largest passive house complex in the Austrian province to date is being built on the Kirchäcker site: www.detail.de/...
9/2011: Gardening in the centre of the city. Christa Müller: "Urban Gardening - On the return of gardens to the city"
"Until recently, most urban planners reacted patronisingly to
urban mini-farming." How thoroughly the tide has turned
The book "Urban Gardening", which the journalist
and crime writer Susanne Billig for Deutschlandradio Kultur in a
in a revealing 7-minute conversation.
www.dradio.de/dkultur/sendungen/kritik/1532625
9/2011: Climate protection in municipalities. The practical guide was funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and compiled by the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) in co-operation with the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (ifeu) and the Climate Alliance and is now available in a fundamentally revised version. The guide (514 pages, loose-leaf collection in a folder) can be ordered from Difu for a nominal fee of EUR 14.40 and is available to download free of charge as a PDF file:
www.leitfaden.kommunaler-klimaschutz.de
9/2011: Funding programme launched for energy-plus homes
The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) has launched a new funding programme for model houses that meet the so-called "Plus Energy Standard". Around 1.2 million euros will initially be available for this programme in 2011. The programme supports developers who construct buildings that produce significantly more energy than is required for their operation.
www.forschungsinitiative.de
8/2011: Documentation of the "Ecovillages and Sustainable Living" Conference in Portugal from 7-11 July 2011 of the Global Ecovillage Network Europe:
7/2011: DGNB certification for sustainable urban neighbourhoods
The criteria for sustainable urban neighbourhoods were developed over the course of a year. More than 10 urban neighbourhoods are now on their way to a DGNB certificate. In October, the DGNB will present the first awards in Munich at the Expo Real commercial property trade fair.
www.dgnb.de/...
6/2011: Topping-out ceremony for the 8-storey timber house in Bad Aibling: Topping-out ceremony after 4 weeks of assembly on 10 June 2011 in the zero-energy city in Bad Aibling:
www.huber-sohn.de/...
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Since 17 December 2019, the "Competence Centre for Sustainable Procurement and Awarding" (KNBV) has been supporting municipalities and other public administration bodies in Schleswig-Holstein in taking sustainability into account. The tasks range 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 on 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.
State Secretary for Finance Dr. Silke Schneider explained: "Especially in public administration, resource protection and sustainability play a central role. In this respect, the Competence Centre is an important partner for the municipalities. In this centre, we bundle expertise and practical support in the challenge of procuring sustainable products economically as well."
State Secretary for the Environment Dr. Dorit Kuhnt said: "The federal and state governments are committed to the Global Sustainability Goals. In this context, the state is creating the best conditions for a more sustainable administration at all levels with this service offer for municipalities. In doing so, the competence centre is intended to make it easier for those responsible to be transparent and thus make better decisions."
In future, the tasks of the KNBV will include a.o.:
Also:
The competence centre, based in Kiel, is initially limited until the end of 2021.
Further information
www.knbv.de
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Stakeholders, Building materials / Construction, Greening / climate adaptation, Procurement, Soil & land consumption, DE-News, Renewable, Fair trade, Climate protection, News Blog Schleswig-Holstein, Resource efficiency, SDG 2030, Environmental policy
