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World community needs to step up climate action before 2020
From 26 November to 7 December, the 18 th UN Climate Change Conference is taking place in Doha, Qatar. Germany expects COP18 to be a successful working conference on the road to a comprehensive climate agreement. UN negotiations also include discussions on a ratifiable second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, and statements on climate funding. Despite the diffcult framework conditions caused by the financial crisis in Europe, the EU and Germany stand by their financial pledges for short and medium-term climate funding. In Doha, Germany will be working to increase the number of countries with binding contributions to emissions reduction in order to meet the 2°C target up to 2020.  more
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Key hand-over to UNFCCC in Bonn
On October 31, the German government officially handed over the building complex Altes Abgeordnetenhochhaus to the Climate Change Secretariat, the largest of the UN organisations based in Bonn. The event marks another significant step towards completing the so-called UN campus in Germany's former capital. more
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Saving global biodiversity
The 11th UN Biodiversity conference has concluded with success. The international community, which met from 8 - 19 October in Hyderabad (India), saw an overall consensus on the urgent need for more and better managed funds to halt the worldwide loss of biodiversity. The relevant funding by 2015 will be doubled to achieve the goals set under the so-called Aichi targets. more
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"Windtec" initiative continued
Together with the German industry, the BMU seeks to export the success story of renewable energy sources to Central and Eastern Europe. Therefore the Ministry, the German Wind Energy Association and VDMA Power Systems have now agreed to continue the joint initiative "Windtec", which has been promoting development of wind energy markets in the region since 2011. more
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'Fracking': tight restrictions required
Extracting natural gas by means of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") can lead to groundwater contamination, according to a recent report for the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency. Because of the ecological risks the experts advocate a ban on hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas in designated areas tapped for drinking water and in spa regions. more
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Economic value of nature in Germany
23 October 2012 marked the official start of the national project "Natural Capital Germany" on the worldwide TEEB process (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity).The project aims to illustrate the many services provided by ecosystems in Germany (such as alluvial meadows, bogs, grassland, forests, and municipal green areas) for combating climate change and pollution. more
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EU energy demand can be cut by two thirds, study says
By 2050, the European Union could save 500 billion euros per year by implementing energy-efficiency measures, according to a study commissioned by BMU and conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research. The Fraunhofer ISI calculated possible annual cost savings of 125 billion euros for private households alone. more
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Aligning aesthetics and ecology
On 22 November, BMU and the Federal Environment Agency presented the first Federal Ecodesign Awards in Berlin. The fourteen prize winners have shown how ambitious design, aesthetic quality and environmental protection can go hand in hand. Projects ranged from a neighbour-to-neighbour carsharing scheme to carbon-neutral housing and junk data reduction on the Internet. more
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10-point environment programme
"Moving forward with renewed energy": that is the vision behind the BMUs 10-point programme for the remainder of the legislative period. The programme includes key issues such as efficiently implementing the Energiewende as a core task for modern environmental and economic policy, generating new impetus for climate protection and ensuring a sustainable use of resources. more
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German contributions to sustainable development
The way out of poverty is inextricably linked to having access to sustainable energy. Germany is entering into a new era of energy use and also provides vital support for promoting renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies in the regional and global contexts. Its contributions are highlighted in this brochure. more
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