Start of an Exemplary Sino-German Cooperation on Municipal Climate Protection between the Cities of Düsseldorf and Wuxi

Stiftung Mercator funds project at the Wuppertal Institute with 1.65 million Euros

  • Press Releases 02.03.2011

Essen/Wuppertal/Wuxi. This month, under the responsibility of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, a research project aiming to develop and implement a comprehensive communal climate protection strategy for the Chinese city of Wuxi and for the Düsseldorf region is being launched.

For this purpose, Stiftung Mercator is providing 1.65 million Euros. In contrast to many other approaches, the new project aims to develop building blocks for urban development concepts that not only include mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, but also describe ways to reduce resource consumption and to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. This integrated approach, to be developed on this scale for the first time, should take effect far beyond the participating conurbations and stimulate the sustainable development of cities of the future. Consistently, neighbouring regions will be included in the project. First and foremost the city of Ratingen, which has been the partner city of Huishan district in Wuxi since 2007.

 

The project will be carried out in close cooperation with local political and administrative decision-makers and it will initiate an intensive dialogue between both regions. The process focuses on "mutual learning", since both cities are willing to become "pioneer" for the transitions to a sustainable future.

 

Currently, 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions originate from urban areas.

A rising trend, since today more and more people - approximately half of the global population - lives in cities. It is in cities that most of the resources are irretrievably consumed; and it is in cities where we are dealing with long-lasting infrastructures. Early action will therefore help to reap rewards.

 

The research project "Low Carbon Future Cities" will be carried out by scientists at the Wuppertal Institute in close cooperation with other German and Chinese scientists: China Environment Research (CER), Tsinghua University, Research Centre for International Environmental Policy (RCIEP), China Meteorological Administration, National Climate Centre (NCC), Chinese Society for Sustainable Development (CSSD), Wuxi Low Carbon Development Research Centre (WLCDRC) and the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP).

 

Voices on the project start:

 

Johannes Remmel, Minister for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia:

"Urban agglomerations and municipalities are a key factor for the success in climate protection, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia. I am glad that our state capital confronts this challenge and with the support of the Stiftung Mercator and with the scientific expertise of the Wuppertal Institute provides new impulses for the region. The project highlights North Rhine Westphalia's potential for a leading role in climate protection."

 

Dirk Elbers, Mayor of the City of Düsseldorf:

"The fact that the state capital of Düsseldorf, together with the Wuxi region, is taking part on behalf of Germany in the scientific project run by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, can be seen as an endorsement of the city’s activities in the area of climate protection. I am delighted that Stiftung Mercator is supporting this project, as it will help us to drive forward joint efforts to create a climate-neutral world. Learning more from one another will give rise to trust and the courage to launch local initiatives."

 

The Jiangsu Province City Commission and Wuxi City Party Secretary, Yang

Weizi, said:

"Only if Wuxi develops its low carbon path, it can lower its energy pressure and achieve energy security. Accompanying the trend of economic globalization and integration and the great pressure on the environment and resources arising daily from Wuxi City's fast economic growth, building a low carbon city has become Wuxi's only choice for a sustainable development strategy."

 

Dr. Bernhard Lorentz, Managing Director of Stiftung Mercator:

"With this project Stiftung Mercator combines two of its central fields of action: the commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the support of a Sino-German exchange on key issues concerning our future. For the Mercator foundation, confidence building through mutual learning is a central pillar on which an internationally coordinated approach for mitigation of dangerous climate change has to be based."

 

Prof. Dr. Manfred Fischedick, Vice-president of the Wuppertal Institute:

"Since its foundation in 1991, the Wuppertal Institute works on visions for a resource saving and low carbon society. Meanwhile, the Institute has gained a wealth of experience in the preparation of future scenarios, in the development of climate protection concepts as well as in strategies for resource management and for the adaptation to climate change, especially on the level of municipalities. It is in particular the integration of these research approaches and its practical relevance that gives the project the potential to be exemplary for other cities in the world."

 

 

Joint press release by Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy and Stiftung Mercator

Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy

Responsible: Prof. Dr. Uwe Schneidewind, President

Contact: Dorle Riechert, Public Relations

Tel. +49 (0)202 2492-180, Fax +49 (0)202 2492-108

E-mail: pr@wupperinst.org


Cookie Settings

Cookies help us to constantly improve the website for you. By clicking on the "Allow cookies" button, you agree to the use of cookies. For further information on the use of cookies or to change your settings, please click on More about the use and rejection of cookies.