Climate | Energy

One tonne of CO2 emissions causes damage worth 180 euros.

Since the Paris Agreement invites parties to provide their low carbon development strategies by 2020, the European Union is currently preparing its respective mid-century long-term climate strategy. Within a public consultation the German Environment Agency (UBA) provided recently its submission on key priorities relevant for the new EU strategy.

Electricity production in Germany from renewable sources of energy picked up speed in the first half of 2018. About 117 billion kilowatt hours was produced in this half-year – nearly 10 per cent more than for the same time period 2017.

Climate-ADAPT, an online knowledge platform provided by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission since 2012, has grown into the most important place for information when it comes to adaptation to climate change in Europe. A report of the EEA informs about the experiences and effectiveness of the platform and points to ways of further improving it.

This year's winners of the Blauer Kompass contest: an innovative urban sewage system in Solingen, an educational programme on climate change for trainees in Heidelberg, a project to green a city neighbourhood in Cologne, and a shade provider operated with photovoltaic modules by the Kunsthochschule Kassel.

From 2015 to 2017, the Advisory Assistance Programme funded a project of Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO), which provided advice to the Lithuanian Ministry of Environment on development and implementation of approaches for energy-efficient redevelopment of urban areas. The documentation is now online. A brochure and a leaflet facilitate the transfer of knowledge also beyond Lithuania.

Wanted: Innovative ideas for environmental protection and climate action in cities

The stationary installations in Germany that take part in the emissions trading system emitted around 438 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents.

Energy sector emissions lower, transport sector higher

A research report commissioned by the UBA has analysed a range of options for designing the EU Innovation Fund (IF), a financing instrument created under the EU Emissions Trading System to support demonstration projects for low-carbon innovation in the power sector and industry. From 2019 onwards, this fund will use revenues from auctioning emissions trading allowances for this purpose.

Capital investments which target the energy, transport and building sectors can help to limit the rise in Earth’s temperatures to less than 2 degrees. A new UBA study proposes the criteria by which public financial institutions like development banks should proceed and identifies which projects should no longer be funded.

In an initial step to reduce climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport, shipping companies must monitor and report their emissions starting 01.01.2018. The German Emissions Trading Authority at UBA (DEHSt) is the competent authority for emissions monitoring in Germany.