The concept of climate justice views human-induced climate change (see dictionary entry for the term) not only as an environmental problem and a technological challenge, but primarily as a political and ethical issue. Climate change is linked to topics such as equality, human rights, and social justice. ( Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development )Fridays for Future activist Clara Reemtsma argues: "The climate crisis is a social justice crisis. People with low incomes and precarious housing and employment situations are most affected by the consequences of the climate crisis, even here in Germany. But they are also among the least responsible for it." ( Source: Federal Agency for Civic Education )

The way the climate crisis is discussed significantly influences the perception of this challenge. However, simply knowing about the effects of global warming does not necessarily lead to more climate protection measures. From a psychological perspective, various (un)conscious mechanisms are responsible for the gap between knowledge and action. The media also plays an important role in the perception of climate change, for example, by making certain aspects (in)visible. ( Source: Federal Agency for Civic Education )Citizens should also actively seize their own opportunities to shape an attractive future. This can mean demanding decisive climate protection from politicians. It also includes the willingness to change one's own behavior in parallel with the redesign of governmental frameworks (...) (Source: German Federal Environment Agency )

Green Production means, for example:Programs to produce in an environmentally friendly wayActive sustainable action throughout the entire production process chainconscious ecological travel and mobility planning as well as logisticsReduction of high-energy-consuming devices, spotlights and light bulbsCompliance with collective agreements and social standardsenvironmentally conscious and resource-saving behavior on filming locationsProduction of repertoire-ready programsWeighing up digital design possibilities vs. real decoration and scene constructionUse of environmentally friendly materials and techniques in decoration and scene construction Specific, implementable measures must be determined individually for each production, taking into account the overall context of program content, economic viability, and sustainability. ( Source: ZDF )

The media must understand climate change as a systemic issue "that will change all areas of our economy and our lives in some way," says Wolfgang Blau, co-founder of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network . ( Source: Deutschlandfunk )When experts point out that the facts must be taken seriously and ideologues or profiteers deny the climate crisis, it is clear who is making the more realistic assessment.It would be doing these people a favor if one didn't write about the climate crisis and instead engaged in an inappropriate debate about stances. A recent example can be found in the FAZ , which accuses ARD and ZDF of "greenwashing." Instead of accusing the platforms that address the climate crisis of taking too strong a stance, it would be more accurate to accuse those that don't of anti-climate activism. ( Source: taz )

Since the beginning of 2024, the so-called Heating Act – officially the Building Energy Act (GEG) – has been in effect. Anyone replacing their old heating system with a new, environmentally friendly one will receive substantial subsidies. The aim of the law is to promote the switch to renewable energy for heating and thus climate protection. However, many regulations will only take effect later, with long transition periods. ( Source: NDR )The energy transition in the heating sector is crucial for achieving climate policy goals and reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports. More than a third of Germany's total energy consumption is used for heating buildings and providing hot water. (Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action)

The right to repair is a hot topic. The coalition agreement for 2021-2025 stipulates: "We will make the lifespan and repairability of a product a recognizable characteristic of its product features (right to repair)." (Source: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection)Politicians have recognized the need for a right to repair, but are still far from its actual implementation. Dissatisfaction and frustration with unrepairable products, expensive or unavailable spare parts, and manufacturers' lobbying against a right to repair are contributing to the growing involvement of people in the repair movement. Members of volunteer repair cafés, craftspeople, consumers, environmental and consumer protection advocates, scientists, tech enthusiasts, and designers: the movement's diversity is both significant and a defining characteristic. ( Source: Roundtable on Repair )

We can take our destiny into our own hands and change our lifestyles. Many ideas already exist. What's needed are incentives and the courage to make them a reality. (Source: WWF)"Sufficiency" stands for limitation and "less." With an awareness of limited natural resources , climate change , and the looming threat of species loss , it aims to save energy and materials in absolute terms. Often, however, it appeals to the lifestyle of each individual. We receive energy-saving tips and advice on changing our personal behavior, such as fully loading the washing machine and washing at only 40 degrees Celsius, lowering the room temperature, and setting up a mini-fridge on the windowsill. ( Source: BUND )

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), published annually since 2005, tracks countries' efforts to combat climate change. As an independent monitoring tool, it aims to increase transparency in international climate policy and enable a comparison of climate protection efforts and progress made by individual countries. (Source: Germanwatch)Although the international community is generating increasing amounts of energy from solar, wind, and hydropower, it is making little progress toward its climate protection goals. This is confirmed by the Climate Change Performance Index presented in Dubai by the development organization Germanwatch and the NewClimateInstitute. According to the index, the global boom in renewable energies, heat pumps, and electric cars does offer some hope. Last year saw record levels of investment in these sectors. (Source: Tagesschau)

The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Agreement on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has met annually for many years. Its goal is to advance climate protection worldwide and to provide support to poorer countries in adapting to global warming and combating climate change. (Source: WWF)Next year's World Climate Conference will once again take place in an oil-producing country: Azerbaijan . (...)The environmental organization Germanwatch criticized the decision: "The fact that Azerbaijan, after Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, is to become the latest oil-rich nation to lead the climate negotiations is highly problematic," said political director Christoph Bals. He added that there are also major problems with corruption. (Source: Spiegel)

The Earth's atmosphere contains gases that largely allow short-wave solar radiation to pass through, but absorb (long-wave) thermal radiation, thus warming the system. Analogous to a greenhouse – which lets solar radiation through but traps thermal radiation – these gases are also called greenhouse gases. (Source: German Federal Environment Agency)However, the atmosphere also contains water vapor, carbon dioxide, and traces of other gases. While these gases are transparent to visible light, they are far less transparent to infrared light. These gases act as a protective shield for the Earth. They are called greenhouse gases. The higher their concentration, the higher the temperature on Earth. (Source: Greenpeace)

Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Although methane emissions in Germany have been steadily declining since 1990, the rate of decrease is too slow to meet climate targets. (Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action)As a greenhouse gas, methane (CH4) is about 28 times more harmful to the climate than CO2. Anthropogenic methane is emitted primarily by agriculture. Around 30 percent of global emissions come from livestock farming. Methane is produced during fermentation processes in the stomachs of ruminants. In addition, methane is generated and released through wastewater and sewage sludge treatment, as well as the use of sewage sludge in agriculture. (Source: German Federal Environment Agency)

When large parts of the Building Energy Act (GEG) come into effect in Germany from 2024 onwards, this should – according to Economics Minister Robert Habeck of the Green Party – finally lead to a breakthrough for heat pumps. The ambitious goal: half a million newly installed units per year. After all, the heat pump is one of the key technologies for the energy transition. ( Source: Tagesschau)Modern heat pumps can operate very economically. Depending on the model, only a fraction of the usual amount of electricity is needed to generate the heat required for heating or hot water. The heat pump extracts many times that amount of energy from the ground, groundwater, or air. ( Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action )

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