1:43 min, from February 2018, published by DJH Rheinland
Project Info: http://sdg21.eu/db/baumhaussiedlung-waldbroehl
In 2015, a new excursion attraction was created near Waldbröl in the vicinity of Bonn and Cologne that is not only attractive to wood construction fans: the Panarbora nature experience park. Covering an area the size of eleven football pitches, the park offers a unique combination of nature, amusement and environmental knowledge. The heart of the park is a tree-top walk of 1,200 m in length.
Photos and more info:
http://panarbora.de/de
www.baumwipfelpfad-baumkronenpfad.de/Deutschland/baumwipfelpfad-panarbora.html
Keywords:
Bonn, DE-News, Wood construction, Cologne, News Blog NRW, Ecology
Hydrogen is an important alternative for sectors stuck in the fossil fuel economy. As national governments and European parliamentarians negotiate the EU's hydrogen strategy, EASAC issues a new commentary. "Hydrogen can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels," says William Gillett, director of EASAC's energy programme. "But the climate benefits are limited if we use fossil fuels to produce it - even with carbon capture and storage. The EU must put an end to fossil fuel subsidies. The fast-growing demand for hydrogen must be met by a massive increase in renewable electricity generation, along with certified imports from third countries."
"Electricity is a great way to decarbonise our economy. But important sectors like shipping, freight and air transport or steel production cannot easily be powered by electricity. To become carbon neutral, they need a fuel that can be transported like oil or gasoline, or that can be used to make steel from iron ore at high temperatures as well as coal," explains William Gillett, EASAC Energy Programme Director. "The growing demand for hydrogen and synthetic fuels makes it necessary to increase renewable electricity production in the EU. In addition, Europe will need imports and must develop partnerships with third countries to drive global trade in renewable hydrogen and the technologies to produce it."
CO2 capture and storage does not make fossil hydrogen climate neutral
EASAC calls on the EU to put an end to direct and indirect subsidies, taxes, levies and other incentives for fossil fuels. Gillett: "Direct and indirect support for fossil fuels sends the wrong signals. Instead, the EU should revise the Emissions Trading Directive to make CO2 more expensive and boost investor confidence in the future markets for renewable electricity and renewable hydrogen. Even in combination with carbon capture and storage, fossil fuel-based hydrogen still has a significant carbon footprint. To achieve climate neutrality, the EU should take a leadership role in the global markets for renewable hydrogen and in the production of low-cost electrolysers to produce it".
Avoid commitment to expensive infrastructures
The scientists also point out how important it is not to commit prematurely to infrastructures that are later made redundant by cheaper technologies or market developments. "In the power sector, decentralised generation is playing an increasingly important role. Building on this experience, it makes sense to think locally for hydrogen and to proceed in stages: first, decentralised electrolysers should be used for local hydrogen production and feed into local grids," Gillett explains. "Also, we should not forget that the synthetic fuel route is less efficient than the direct use of electricity or battery storage. Hydrogen or synthetic fuels should predominantly only be used where electrification is not an option."
Annex:
The scientists call on policy makers:
Contact:
Dr William Gillett
EASAC Energy Programme Director
Email : William.Gillett@easac.eu
Prof.dr.sc. Neven Duic
Power Engineering and Energy Management Chair
Department of Energy, Power and Environmental Engineering
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
University of Zagreb
Prof. Dr Konstantinos Boulouchos
Director of Aerothermochemistry and Combustion Systems Laboratory (LAV)
Institute of Energy Technology
ETH Zurich
Head of Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research (SCCER)
in Efficient Technologies and Systems for Mobility
Prof. George A. Giannopoulos
Academy of Athens (Energy Committee)
Prof. Dr Veronika Grimm
Professor of Economic Theory
Friedrich Alexander University (FAU)
Erlangen-Nuremberg
Prof Jenny Nelson
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics
Imperial College London
Prof.dr.ir. M.C.M. van de Sanden (Richard)
Group Leader PSFD
DIFFER, Eindhoven, NL
Prof Asgeir Tomasgard
Director FME NTRANS, Director NTNU Energy Transition Initiative
Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
About the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC)
EASAC is formed by the national science academies of the EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland and United Kingdom, to collaborate in giving advice to European policymakers. EASAC provides a means for the collective voice of European science to be heard. Through EASAC, the academies work together to provide independent, expert, evidence-based advice about the scientific aspects of European policies to those who make or influence policy within the European institutions.
Link
www.easac.eu
Source: easac-PM of 29.9.2020
Keywords:
Energy storage, Renewable, Research, Climate protection, Sustainable management, News Blog Europe (without DE), Power-to-Gas, Resource efficiency, Environmental policy, Hydrogen
The German government is presenting striking figures for the 17 global SDG 2030 sustainability goals. The "Glorious 17" campaign launched at the beginning of December is intended to arouse curiosity and encourage participation. An animated peace dove, for example, promotes peace and justice. Other figures stand for the fight against hunger and the protection of life under water.
The campaign is aimed in particular at young people between the ages of 18 and 30, as surveys show that knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals is particularly low in this age group. The campaign is to be expanded in the coming year.
The Magnificent 17 and the website www.deutsche-nachhaltigkeitsstrategie.de also provide information on how the Federal Government is committed to sustainable development.
The campaign page can be found at
www.dieglorreichen17.de
Keywords:
DE-News, SDG 2030, Environmental policy
Foresters, forest owners and nature lovers are very concerned about what has been happening in our forests since the beginning of 2018: Initially snow breakage and winter storms and the subsequent drought and bark beetle infestation have led to dramatic tree dieback. And there is no end in sight! The forest has been under extreme climate stress for almost two years and foresters are in permanent disaster mode. Well over 100 million old trees have already died. In addition, several million young plants have dried up. These have been planted in recent years to make the forest even more diverse and stable. But natural regeneration is also affected. The Association of German Foresters is calling for all efforts at federal and state level to be stepped up and pooled immediately. The BDF proposes the "Carlowitz Plan" as a strategic package of measures. Its measures are intended to preserve the forest in all its functions and as an important system-relevant basis of life and heritage for us humans!
In addition to the spruce tree species, which has so far mainly suffered from the drought, the beech, the most important deciduous tree species and "mother of the forest" in our forests, is now apparently also showing clear and region-wide signs of dying out. "This is particularly dramatic! In recent decades, we foresters have mainly relied on copper beech, our natural main tree species, for the necessary forest reorganisation towards climate-stable forests," says BDF Federal Chairman Ulrich Dohle. In addition, two important tree species have already been virtually lost in many forests due to fungal diseases of elm and ash. A similar trend is emerging for the maple tree species. With corresponding negative consequences for biodiversity and forestry options for the future.
"While we foresters have been busy for almost two years repairing the damage that has occurred so far - and there is no end in sight - the important future task of developing the forests in a climate-stable way is often falling by the wayside. There are simply too few of us to keep on top of the situation," says Dohle, drawing attention to the massive reduction in forestry staff over the past twenty years, during which around 50% of forestry employees have been cut.
A few days ago, Federal Forest Minister Julia Klöckner took up the results of the ETH Zurich study and announced a massive reforestation programme. The BDF is calling for this announcement to be translated into concrete government action in the near future. To this end, the necessary financial and human resources must be made available.
"The common good and services of general interest, especially in public forests, must once again take centre stage," says Dohle, specifying the demands. "The strong commercial orientation of the past two decades was a political mistake that must now be corrected as quickly as possible!" Bavaria has already initiated this paradigm shift for its state forest. Other federal states must now follow suit!
Forests are not only victims of climate change, they are also urgently needed to mitigate climate change. As a living reservoir of solar energy, it is a significant CO2 sink.
The handling of the forest dieback in the 1980s showed that responsible and targeted environmental policy can help to avert predicted damage. Although the causes and effects in the current climate debate are much more complex, we can certainly learn from the past.
The Association of German Foresters is therefore calling for the convening of a National Forest Summit at this time of climate emergency for the forest! The BDF is currently developing the "Carlowitz Plan" as the basis for a social discourse on the forest by politicians, experts and groups interested in the forest. The plan bears the name of Hans Carl von Carlowitz (1713), who first coined the term sustainability in forestry. Since then, sustainability has been the defining characteristic of all forestry activities!
Ulrich Dohle summarises it as follows: "These are no longer individual unusual weather events. This is climate change. I have therefore declared a climate emergency for forests today. Every effort must be made to preserve our forests as the formative green third of our country and a systemically relevant basis of life! This is the only way we can fulfil the principle of sustainability!"
Source: Press release from the BDF - Association of German Foresters dated 15 July 2019
Keywords:
Stakeholders, DE-News, Wood construction, NaWaRohs, Environmental policy, Ecology
