Urban Infrastructure Forum 2022: The war is also increasing the pressure in Berlin, local energy-saving plans implemented – Berlin
How does Berlin become CO2 neutral? What are the Senate’s plans to significantly improve carbon footprints over the next five years? What are the aspects of the companies? And how politics and business are reacting to the current consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine?
These topics were discussed on Tuesday at the “Forum Urban Infrastructures 2022”, an event organized by the Tagesspiegel with the support of Vattenfall Wärme Berlin. The event took place as part of the Berlin Energy Days instead of.
With impulses and practical examples, including Economics Senator Stephan Schwarz (independent) and on a panel with representatives from business and housing, moderated by Tagesspiegel editor Kevin P. Hoffmann.
Economics Senator Schwarz once again emphasized the “ambitious goals” of the state of Berlin: by 2030, CO2 emissions in the metropolis should be reduced by at least 70 percent – five percentage points more than in the federal government; by 2045 it should be 95 percent less than in 1990. Berlin is already the country with the lowest CO2 emissions per capita and is 41 percent below the values of 1990.
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But the way is still long. That is why the Senate is not only building on the energy and climate protection program, but is also creating new instruments: such as “climate governance and a climate citizens’ council.” The Ukraine war has presented everyone with “completely new challenges”: the “dramatic dependence” on Russian energy sources have shown that renewable energies must be expanded much faster.
“The expansion of renewable energies means more security and also more independence.” Solar energy can contribute 25 percent to Berlin’s power supply and thus contribute to an independent and clean energy supply. That is why his administration announced the solar campaign “in order to accelerate the expansion of solar systems together with the Berlin trade and to counteract the shortage of skilled workers.” The Senate Economic Administration is also working on the solar system support program to start this year.
Burkhard Drescher, former mayor of Oberhausen and managing director of Innovation City Management, reports that he has halved CO2 emissions in the city of Bottrop within ten years with the “Initiativkreis Ruhr”. You have to turn the citizens into actors, he propagates, which is why the slogan is: “Energy transition from below”. That is the basic requirement for success. Otherwise it would not have been possible to save half of the greenhouse gas emissions.
During the panel discussion, the President of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) emphasized Daniel-Jan Girl that the current situation should make Berliners realize “that we are all in the same boat”. He appealed to politicians that “Berlin must become a city of opportunities” in order to achieve the climate goals. But so far there has been “a very clear over-regulation” here. In a “strength”, the energy supplier Vattenfall has now switched from 85 percent Russian coal, they are now being sourced from South Africa, said Vattenfall CEO Tanja Wielgoß.
You are still 70 percent dependent on gas that you buy from wholesalers. “But consumers are protected by law as far as supply is concerned.” We continue to stick to the coal phase-out in 2030. “We must use all potential for renewable energies and the use of waste heat now,” added Wielgoß.
At the housing company Gewobag, half of the stock is still heated with gas, a third is with city heat and the rest with oil, described board member Snezana Michaelis. The problem with renovated buildings is that the behavior of the residents is very important. In general, when it comes to the topic of “saving energy”, the discussion is still at the very beginning.