Min. 4:56; Video from 18.02.2020; Ed.: GBG Mannheim
Project Info: http://sdg21.eu/db/quartier-franklin-in-mannheim
Germanwatch now urgently expects political signals following the conclusion of the interim technical negotiations / Special challenge on the issue of damage and loss recognised, now it is a matter of concrete financing proposals
Bonn (16 June 2022). The results of the ten-day interim negotiations that ended today in preparation for the World Climate Conference in November do not do justice to the urgency of the climate crisis, criticises the environment and development organisation Germanwatch. "The interim negotiations were a technical process of small steps. This does not fit the crisis situation the world is in. It is now up to political decision-makers to translate the preliminary work into big steps," says David Ryfisch, Team Leader for International Climate Policy. "Trust is the foundation of a successful negotiation process. However, this has eroded due to past implementation and financing promises that have been broken. If the new negotiation processes are to be successful, there now needs to be a clear vision from the Egyptian Presidency of the upcoming climate summit on where the journey should go," Ryfisch continues.
Insufficient progress on climate protection endangers 1.5 degree limit
The new climate change work programme is intended to help close the gap in implementing the 1.5 degree limit in this crucial decade. Considerable resistance to clearer steps came from China, Saudi Arabia, India and Brazil. "The major emitters among the emerging economies are resisting being forced to act on climate protection. This is also a reaction to the fact that many of the rich countries of the Global North have not kept their climate protection and financing promises for years," says Ryfisch. In the US, for example, the government is failing to back up its internationally pledged targets with legislation and budgetary resources. The EU, on the other hand, has today issued a declaration on the promotion of fossil gas with Egypt and Israel, after Chancellor Scholz has already been to Africa with the same goal.
"The ambiguity in the European response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine makes international partners question the seriousness of the energy transition. The EU and the German government must not sow any doubts globally - this also means not driving African states into a dependence on fossil energy sources whose expiry date is known. This would be a breach of promises made at the last climate summit in Glasgow and at the G7," Ryfisch explains.
Funding to support the most vulnerable
Financial support for the poorest and most vulnerable to deal with damage and loss from climate change has been blocked for years. "There is small progress here. For the first time, all negotiating parties have accepted without ifs and buts that the need for support is real," says Ryfisch. However, due to the lengthiness of the process and past experience, this does little to change the great frustration on the part of the developing countries.
"With the ministerial declarations of the past weeks, the German G7 Presidency has contributed to the fact that industrialised countries are now finally willing to talk about financing for damage and losses. But talking is not enough, concrete pledges of support are now needed. It is up to Chancellor Scholz to put money for a global umbrella for the most vulnerable on the table at the G7 summit at the end of June and then to form a coalition of the willing at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in July to finally get concrete aid underway," Ryfisch demands.
Source: GermanWatch-PM of 16.6.2022
Keywords:
100% EEs, Renewable, International, Climate protection, News Blog Europe (without DE), UN (United Nations), Environmental policy
Housing is expensive, especially in cities there is a lack of affordable housing. Build, build, build - politicians are relying on private investors here. They are supposed to solve the housing crisis. However, research by the ARD magazine Panorama shows that new private apartments are often unaffordable.
Source: Panorama
http://daserste.ndr.de/panorama/…Wohnungsnot-…
Further links
www.empirica-systeme.de/portfolio/empirica-systeme-marktdatenbank
Keywords:
DE-News, Funding, Affordable housing, Housing policy
Many detached houses, apartment blocks and commercial buildings are suitable for the installation of a fuel cell heating system. It generates electricity and heat at the same time.
The installation of such micro-CHP systems is also subsidised by the federal government. Dr Karsten McGovern, Head of the State Energy Agency (LEA), says: "Hesse has been supporting fuel cell heating as a building block for the heating transition in the boiler room for many years. Building on the positive long-term experience of the Hessian funding programme from 2014/15, we would like to motivate even more Hessian consumers to opt for this innovative heating technology." To this end, the LEA has launched an information and advice campaign on behalf of the Hessian Ministry of Economics.
In a fuel cell heating system, natural gas is converted into electricity and heat according to the principle of cold combustion. Their use is not only favoured by their efficiency - they have the highest energy efficiency compared to other heating systems on the market - but also by the massive reduction in emissions. For example, the CO2 footprint of a household can be reduced by more than a tonne (for comparison: the average CO2 emissions per capita in Germany in 2018 were just under 12 tonnes). In addition, other harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides or particulate matter are almost completely eliminated. The electricity generated as a "by-product" can also be utilised and makes a significant contribution to reducing a household's energy costs. Surplus electricity can also be fed into the public grid and is remunerated.
KfW promotes the installation of fuel cell heating systems for private consumers as well as for commercial users and local authorities on behalf of the federal government with the programme 433 "Energy-efficient construction and renovation - fuel cell grant". The subsidy amounts to between 7,050 and 28,200 euros, depending on the electrical output. The subsidy is made up of a fixed basic amount and a performance-related component per 100 watts or part thereof.
"By the beginning of 2019, more than 5,000 fuel cell heating systems had been funded across Germany via the KfW 433 programme. We want to support this positive development in Hesse in order to firmly establish the fuel cell on the market for heating systems," continued Dr McGovern. With the campaign, the LEA is informing consumers and potential commercial users about the technology and the current range of subsidies on offer, as well as the practical implementation and operation of the system. A key component of this is also the offer of free orientation advice: interested parties can complete a checklist and send it to the LEA; they will then receive a qualified initial assessment of whether the property in question is also suitable for fuel cell heating and what the next steps towards realisation are. The advisory programme will be advertised throughout Hesse over the next few weeks, including on the radio.
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HA Hessen Agentur GmbH is the state's service company. It implements projects, campaigns and promotional activities and also acts as a consultant and "think tank". Its core objective is to provide the best possible support to the state of Hesse and other public institutions in achieving their goals within the framework of Hessian economic development. Further information can be found at www.hessen-agentur.de
On behalf of the Hessian state government, the State Energy Agency (LandesEnergieAgentur - LEA) takes on central tasks in the implementation of the energy transition and climate protection. One focus of its activities is aimed at Hessian municipalities, which can receive support with strategies and measures for climate protection and the expansion of renewable energies. LEA also sees itself as an information platform and provides information for citizens, companies and organisations in Hesse. www.landesenergieagentur-hessen.de
Source: LEA press release from 16 May 2019
Keywords:
Funding, News Blog Hesse
On Monday, 17 July 2017, a symbolic ground-breaking ceremony took place for the IBA's flagship project on the Stadtwerke Heidelberg site in Pfaffengrund. Heidelberg's Lord Mayor Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner, Heidelberg's First Mayor Jürgen Odszuck, Dr. Rudolf Irmscher, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Heidelberg, Michael Teigeler, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Heidelberg Energie and project partners - accompanied by 180 guests - gave the symbolic starting signal for the project. The energy and future storage facility of Stadtwerke Heidelberg was recently awarded a prize as a project of the International Building Exhibition (IBA): On the recommendation of the international board of trustees, the IBA supervisory board has selected the energy and future storage facility as one of the projects that the IBA Heidelberg will continue to support intensively and whose challenging realisation is now pending. With LAVA-Laboratory for visionary architecture and A24 Landschaftsarchitekten (both Berlin), an international, innovative architectural firm won the competition. During a round of talks at the ground-breaking ceremony, the managing director of the IBA Heidelberg, Prof. Michael Braum, and Jürgen Odszuck presented the IBA project certificate to Michael Teigeler. The storage facility is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2019.
Photos and short film of the groundbreaking ceremony:
www.swhd.de/energiespeicher
Left:
Source: Press release of the IBA "Knowledge | Creates | City" of 18.7.2017
Keywords:
Energy storage, News Blog Baden-Württemberg, Quarters, Settlements
