European Green Capital Hamburg 2011

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The logo of the European Green Capital 2011

In 2011 Hamburg was the European Green Capital . On December 15, 2010, Hamburg took over the title from Stockholm . Many citizens and associations criticized the decision in favor of Hamburg and did not consider the choice to be justified.

criteria

The connection of the periphery to the local public transport is to be improved in the coming years. The HADAG ferries are part of the public transport system in Hamburg

The jury of the EU Commission justified the award to the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg with the fact that the German city-state has achieved great achievements in recent years and (has) achieved excellent environmental standards across the board. The city has very ambitious plans for the future that promise additional improvements. In all evaluation categories such as climate protection, mobility, air quality, water consumption and land use, Hamburg was in the upper evaluation range and at the same time offered scope for improvement in almost all categories. Hamburg is exemplary when it comes to heat renovation, solar collectors or wastewater treatment. In addition, Hamburg seemed suitable as an advertising medium for the idea of ​​the "sustainable metropolis".

The nature conservation associations criticized this very positive assessment.

Activities and goals

Panorama picture of the nature reserve Die Reit, expanded in 2011
Showcase project StadtRAD Hamburg

The city set itself the goal of achieving minus 40% CO 2 emissions by 2020, achieving 18% instead of 12% bicycle traffic and promoting internal growth instead of urban sprawl.

A number of associations founded the Green Capital Hamburg Environmental Association Initiative UHU, which critically examines the topics of the Green Capital. She wants to compare the demands and the reality of urban environmental and nature conservation in Hamburg.

The BUND Hamburg does not participate in the Green Capital, but organizes a critical series of events on it. Topics were the urban green and the biodiversity and other topics.

Events

The authority for urban development and environmental protection organized the events, the allocation of funds and public relations work for the green capital. She named the keywords "Mobility", "Climate & Energy", "Nature & Urban Greenery", "Urban Development & Living", "Resource Conservation & Economics" and "Sustainable Consumption" as key topics.

Starting in April 2011, the “Train of Ideas” traveled through 18 European cities. The rolling exhibition presents ecological projects from topics such as “Urban Development and Housing”, “Mobility” and “Consumption”. The “train of ideas” aims to present “visions for the cities of the future”. Siemens supports the European Green Capital Hamburg with cash and non-cash contributions of at least one million euros, including the train project. The campaign costs a total of four million euros.

The Nature Conservation Youth (NAJU) at NABU Hamburg organized the environmental youth summit “We make the city” in September 2011 , which was mainly funded by the Senate. Between 350 and 400 young people and adults from Hamburg and the surrounding area took part in the summit. In advance, a number of smaller environmental projects by youth associations and schools were financially supported by the JUG.

The “Hamburg Climate Week”, taking place for the third time from September 23 to 30, 2011, was named as the highlight.

Criticism and conflict

Controversial Elbphilharmonie construction project, construction progress: waterside, August 2010
Conflict Elbe deepening: historical and planned deepening of the Elbe

In 2011 there were a number of conflicts in the environment and nature conservation that became apparent in the context of the Green Capital. Hamburg is one of the few metropolises in Germany that has not introduced an environmental zone in the entire urban area. The deepening of the Elbe , air pollution also caused by the port, criticism of urban planning ( Elbphilharmonie , failed light rail project , IKEA Altona, etc.), the construction of the coal-fired power plant Moorburg and a restrictive nature conservation policy are simmering conflicts.

These conflicts also led to harsh criticism of the status as an environmental capital. Many associations and individuals accused the city of “ greenwashing ”. “The city is abusing this title for advertising purposes. There are no serious future projects in the energy and transport sector, ”said a Greenpeace spokesman about the award. In the course of the year there were repeated protests by citizens and associations because actions by the BSU (Authority for Urban Development and Environmental Protection) on the Green Capital could not be reconciled with the actual goals.

A few days before the official go-ahead, the Hamburg regional association of the Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND) withdrew from all official projects because it criticized the concept. At the time, state manager Manfred Braasch told the Hamburger Abendblatt: "It is unbearable that a European environmental capital makes a company like Siemens its main sponsor, which stands like no other for the construction of nuclear power plants and, according to its own statement, even wants to become the world market leader in this area" . That is why the BUND withdrew not only its suggestions for the so-called train of ideas, but also for all other project ideas. The city countered that the sponsors of the project had been carefully selected and checked, and that there was nothing wrong with Siemens.

Monika Schaal (later environmental policy spokeswoman) from the SPD showed understanding for the BUND's decision at this point: “It's a shame, but I can understand the reaction. The city is not very sensitive to the fact that a controversial company like Siemens was selected as a premium partner. ”After the change of government in spring 2011, the SPD continued the conception of the green capital of its predecessors.

Greenpeace Germany, which is based in the Hanseatic city, is also sharply critical. The environmental protection organization did not participate in projects related to the European Green Capital award.

The well-known primate researcher Jane Goodall was to be appointed ambassador for the European Green Capital in August 2011 at the Unilever corporate headquarters. Robin Wood explained: "We believe that Unilever is the worst host you can imagine in Hamburg." The food and household chemicals group is one of the largest buyers of palm oil worldwide, a product for which rainforest is destroyed on a large scale becomes. After the protests, the BSU postponed the event.

Effects

In the year of the Green Capital, the Hamburg Senate decided to expand the Reit nature reserve and announced an environmental component in the port fees. The expansion of nature reserves is partly a consequence of construction projects: the city must create appropriate compensatory measures.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ FHH - BSU: Hamburg is now officially "European Green Capital 2011" - State Councilor Dr. Hunter receives title in Brussels, retrieved on December 15, 2011
  2. ↑ FHH, Authority for Urban Development and Environment: Hamburg - European Green Capital 2011 ( Memento of the original from July 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved December 15, 2010 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.hamburg.de
  3. ↑ Train of Ideas - Visions for the Cities of the Future
  4. ↑ Air pollution control: Senate ignores legal limit values ​​for health care. on: bund-hamburg.bund.net , May 12, 2011.
  5. ↑ a b c Conservationists are boycotting the green capital. on: Abendblatt.de , December 21, 2010.
  6. ↑ Hamburg ennobles the jungle destroyer. on: Jetzt.sueddeutsche.de , September 1, 2011 (from: taz August 30, 2011)