The era of the coal industry with its dusty air and polluted soil is long gone - but Essen has not yet emerged as an ecological model city. That is about to change. The Ruhr metropolis will be the green capital of Europe in 2017 and wants to completely reinvent itself.
From 1 January 2021, climate-damaging fossil fuels will be subject to a price of 25 euros per tonne of CO2 is proven. This means that oil and diesel will become more expensive by 7.9 cents per litre, petrol by 7 cents per litre and natural gas by 0.6 cents per kilowatt hour. Citizens will be relieved of the additional costs, among other things, by a reduction in the price of electricity. The amendment, which had already been passed by the Bundestag on Thursday, also passed the Bundesrat today. The Fuel Emission Trading Act (BEHG) is designed to reduce CO2-price in the form of national certificate trading for the heating and transport sectors.
Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze: "The CO2-price is coming. It will be crucial for success that there are good and affordable alternatives to heating oil, natural gas, petrol or diesel. That's why we're giving the revenue from the CO2The price is returned to the citizens in several ways: through a reduction in the price of electricity or through subsidies for new climate-friendly heating systems, for example. The goal is not to collect more money - the goal is to ensure that switching to climate-friendly alternatives is also the right choice for the wallet."
The amendment to the law that has now been passed implements the agreements reached by the Mediation Committee on 18 December 2019 and sets a new price path, which is set at €25 per tonne of CO2 will start on January 1, 2021. In 2026, the fixed price will move into a price corridor of 55 to 65 euros per tonne of CO2 about. An evaluation in 2025 will show whether free pricing will be applied in subsequent years. The new system covers all of Germany's fuel emissions insofar as they are not included under the EU-emissions trading (EU–ETS) fall.
In parallel, higher compensation measures for citizens and affected companies will be implemented. The revenues of the national emissions trading system will be used in particular for the relief of the EEG-surcharge, a core component of the electricity price. Households and companies are thus relieved in a targeted manner. The reduction in the electricity price also makes the switch to electricity-based alternatives such as electric cars or heat pumps more financially attractive. In addition, the German government is promoting the climate-friendly alternatives, for example by investing more in PUBLIC TRANSPORTrail network and charging infrastructure, as well as through well-funded subsidy programmes for building renovation and climate-friendly heating.
The Law download epub:
http://dip21.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/19/199/1919929.pdf
Source: BMU press release No. 177/20 of 09.10.2020
Keywords:
Car Free, Construction and operating costs, Building materials / Construction, Procurement, DE-News, Renewable, Wood construction, Climate protection, Mobility, Environmental policy, Economics
The Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction today announced the Federal Urban Greening Award 2022. This year, the focus is on the topic of "Climate adaptation and quality of life".
Federal Minister Klara Geywitz: "Climate change is a stress test for our cities. We need more trees for a better urban climate, we need soils that can absorb heavy rainfall, we need less sealed land also for more biodiversity and against the heating up of residential neighbourhoods. With the Federal Urban Greening Award 2022, we are honouring the pioneering work that is already shaping the necessary transformation of cities today."
The award recognises best practice examples that show how municipalities can use their urban green spaces to positively influence the urban climate and reduce the negative effects of extreme weather conditions. The award also recognises innovative concepts for climate-adapted and vital urban green spaces that have already been tried and tested. The award is looking for open spaces that can be used by the public and that also meet the other requirements for the use of open spaces in cities and municipalities, including as spaces for recreation and social cohesion and as elements of an attractive network of cycle paths and footpaths. Cities and municipalities in Germany can now apply with their projects. Planning offices, citizens, universities, research institutions, initiatives or associations can participate in cooperation with their municipalities.
Subject to the funds available in the 2022 federal budget, the federal prize is endowed with prize money totalling up to 100,000 euros. In addition to exemplary implemented projects, the courage to experiment with promising new approaches is also rewarded.
An independent jury will decide in June 2022 which projects will be awarded prizes and recognition. It is composed of experts from the fields of garden and landscape architecture, climate adaptation, urban development and urban planning, representatives of the municipal umbrella organisations and from the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Berlin in September 2022.
The Federal Urban Greening Award is an important building block in the implementation of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs' White Paper on Urban Greening. It is supported by the German Association of Cities and Towns, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities and the German Association of Districts. The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) implements the Federal Urban Greening Award and provides technical support.
Further information under www.bundespreis-stadtgruen.de
Keywords:
Greening / climate adaptation, DE-News, Communities, Near-natural open space design, Permaculture, Quarters, Settlements, City, Water design, Contests & Prizes, Wildlife/animal friendly construction
Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2017
http://datatopics.worldbank.org/sdgatlas/
Topic 11: Sustainable cities and communities - make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
https://datatopics.worldbank.org/sdgatlas/archive/2017/index.html
Keywords:
New books and studies, News Blog Europe (without DE), SDG 2030, Environmental policy
Schleiden-Gemünd / Nettersheim, 05.04.2019. Experiencing the starry sky at night with twinkling celestial bodies is a special experience for many people that is now only possible in a few places in Germany - one of these places is the Eifel National Park. Since 2010, a regional initiative has been successfully campaigning for the protection of the night sky and the preservation of the natural night landscape - in 2014, this was followed by the provisional designation as the first "International Dark Sky Park" in Germany. Now this initiative can look forward to the final recognition as International Star Park Eifel National Park. On the grounds of the observatory of the astronomy workshop "Stars without Borders" in the Eifel National Park, Dr. Andreas Hänel, highest representative of the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) in Germany, presented the certificate of recognition to Environment Minister Ursula Heinen-Esser and the head of the Eifel National Park Administration Dr. Michael Röös. The distinction of being a protected area of the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) is a title that only a few regions worldwide can use to promote themselves, in Germany there are only four. For the Eifel National Park, which turned 15 this year, this recognition is a nice "birthday present".
The Eifel National Park is a refuge of undisturbed night skies and has been recognised as a star park since 2014. "Rarely does a topic offer so many win-win situations," said Environment Minister Ursula Heinen-Esser when handing over the certificate. She emphasised the many benefits of protecting the starry night sky: "Dark nights have a positive effect on health, conserve resources and thus help to protect the climate. Darkness is important for many nocturnal animal species, especially insects. Artificial light at night can be a serious threat to them." For North Rhine-Westphalia, he said, the final recognition of the Eifel National Park as the only star park in the entire western half of Germany was an outstanding honour. "The final recognition of the Eifel National Park as a star park helps to raise the profile of our state as a nature destination as well," the state environment minister summed up.
The initiative goes back to the astronomer and lighting consultant Harald Bardenhagen from Cologne, who managed to convince the region of the value of the starry sky. Initially, Bardenhagen found enthusiastic comrades-in-arms in the administration of the Eifel National Park, the district administration of Euskirchen, the national park towns of Schleiden and Heimbach, and those responsible for the Vogelsang property. However, until the final recognition as a Dark Sky Park, further efforts on different levels were necessary: In the design of the outdoor lighting to reduce the artificial light in the National Park and the directly surrounding villages or in the development of tourist offers for stargazing for the general public. The North Eifel Nature Park, in which the Eifel National Park is embedded, has also been intensively involved in this process.
Dr. Michael Röös, Head of the Eifel National Park Authority, thanked Mr. Bardenhagen for his unprecedented commitment against light pollution and his dedication to protecting the night sky and making it possible to experience it. "With the final recognition of the Eifel National Park as an International Star Park, we have reached an important milestone with the region and at the same time taken a pioneering role in the protection of darkness in North Rhine-Westphalia."
"Together we will significantly expand this unique selling point", Manfred Poth, Chairman of the North Eifel Nature Park, was pleased to say. With the innovative project application "Under the Tent of Stars - Eifel by Night", the nature park was able to prevail in the "Nature Park Competition.2021.NRW" of the NRW Ministry of the Environment and, for the first time in its history, took first place. "With the associated 400,000 euros in funding, the protection of darkness through public relations work, through educational offers of sustainable development and tourist infrastructure projects in the Eifel will experience a significant further development," explained Poth. More than 40 project partners, including the Eifel National Park Authority, want to participate in the realisation.
Left:
www.nationalpark-eifel.de/de/nationalpark-erleben/sternenpark/
Source: PM Nationalpark Eifel.de from 5.4.2019
Keywords:
Awards, Procurement, DE-News, Artificial light, Near-natural open space design, News Blog NRW, Social / Culture, Transition Town, Wildlife/animal friendly construction, Aesthetics / Architecture / Building Culture, Ecology
