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Australia/ Germany: Climate change, actions in Germany- Review
Review blog post
Climate Change
Climate change is our problem; and with “us” I mean all of us. Not just I, being back in Germany soon, my friends, politicians, indigenous people or whoever else is living on this earth.
It’s our shared problem, because we only have one earth.
We don't have a planet B and we don't have a place to stay when this earth dies.
It might not affect us directly, but will have an impact on our children and grandchildren.
I don't know about others but I want my kids and grandchildren and even grand-grandchildren to live on this earth as I did and not on a hot, burnt leftover.
My task over the last 3 months was to find out what Germany does against climate change in Germany but in other countries as well. So the first question I had to ask myself was: How does climate change affect Germany and its weather?
The average temperature in Germany has gone up by 0.9°C which lays a little bit above the average of 0.8°C. Additionally there is a precocious beginning of spring, more hot days with an average temperature lying above 30 °C and less cold days with an average temperature below zero.
Climate experts except a further rising temperature, more droughts in summer and less snow, replaced by a lot of rain in winter for the future.
Climate change and its consequences are affecting every country and its actions in a different way. Yes, I as a person, am aware of climate change but it doesn't affect me personally. I'm not in danger because the temperature has gone up by not even 1 °C, but there are people on this world living on small islands. And while they were fairly safe, living 10 metres next to the sea a few years ago, their house will be under water in another 10 years. So everyone has to do something against climate change not only for themselves but for others and for their offspring. So what does Germany do against climate change?
Germany is an industrial country and we're aware of our impact on the climate (change). The country tries to lead by example by setting higher CO2 emissions goals and reaching them. Additionally Germany wants to force the transition to renewable energies by shutting down all nuclear plants and setting high prices for fossil fuel energy.
So they focus on the Energiewende which is German for energy translation and on climate engineering as well.
And so we come to the last point: Actions Germany takes against climate change in other countries.
Germany is an industrial country, a “smart” country and a country with enough money to realise several scientific ideas.
Whether biogas or wastewater treatment plants, green roofs or wind energy parks; Germany shares its ideas according to climate change treatments all over the world. Besides, the German Climate Technology Initiative (DKTI) makes visits for climate departments all over the world e.g. Brazil possible to hand their information and technology down to everyone, especially emerging and developing countries.
But even Germany is far from being perfect in terms of climate change treatments. The country struggled lately to reach the 2020 CO2 emission goals and its Climate Action Plan 2050 was quite disappointing for the Green Party as well as for many inhabitants, politicians and other countries. But the most important thing: they try. Using their strategies and technologies, they have already achieved a lot and hopefully they will achieve even more in the future.
