Remembering Prof. Klaus Töpfer

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The Research Institute for Applied Knowledge Processing (FAW/n) in Ulm mourns the loss of Prof. Klaus Töpfer, one of the great global leaders in sustainability, who passed away on June 8, 2024, after a brief, severe illness. (*July 29, 1938 – June 8, 2024†)

As a politician, visionary thinker, brilliant strategist, and exemplary mediator, Klaus Töpfer will remain in the memory of many. Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer can truly be described as an exceptional personality. Those fortunate enough to have known him – whether as a federal minister or later as one of the highest-ranking UN directors – could witness firsthand his extraordinary foresight, his visionary ideas, and his commitment to collaboration even in the face of the most challenging issues. Professor Töpfer will be deeply missed as a role model.

We collaborated closely with Professor Töpfer for decades. We miss him greatly and will honor his memory with the highest respect.

Michael Evertz and COP28: An Inspiring Message

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Michael Evertz cycled over 8,800 kilometers to reach the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai. The journey was grueling, with temperatures nearing 50°C at times. Starting in Berlin, the sustainability researcher and economist arrived in Dubai after 222 days and was able to participate in COP28.

On April 22, 2023 (Earth Day) Evertz launched his “Expedition Hope” at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Prior to this, he had already engaged in close discussions with Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher from the Research Institute for Applied Knowledge Processing (FAW/n). From Berlin, he cycled through Cologne, Zugspitze, Istanbul, and the Middle East before reaching Dubai. The goal of his journey is to spread the message “Collaboration is the Mother of Surviving”. These words came from a conversation with an Ethiopian farmer during an earlier trip, where the farmer shared his experiences with climate change in Africa and its social consequences.

Throughout his journey, Evertz shared and discussed this message with people in numerous countries. For him, direct dialogue is essential – and his bicycle helps facilitate it: “From my many exploratory and research trips, I know that traveling with a fully loaded bike is still something extraordinary. It sparks curiosity and opens doors – to mayors, politicians, clergy, scientists, and even celebrities”. Evertz advocates for global, cross-cultural collaboration, a message emblazoned on the flag attached to his bike: “Stand up for the Planet. Start Collaboration”.

“Only if we share universal values and act together across cultures – with unity, cooperation, and mutual respect – can humanity survive at a high civilizational level. Only then can we protect nature, counter climate crises, wars, refugee disasters, suffering, hunger, and thirst, and resist the ruthless global competition and the belief in the law of the strongest. Because only “cooperation” gives life social meaning. Only through cooperation can we solve the destructive problems of modern life”.

This was the message Michael Evertz brought to COP28. There, he met with Prof. Radermacher, Prof. Herlyn, and Dr. Orthen, among others. Notably, conference president Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber – an avid cyclist himself – took time to speak with Evertz, promising to “take care of the planet”. He also invited Evertz for a joint bike ride in Abu Dhabi to continue their dialogue.

With COP28 concluded, Evertz’s “Expedition Hope” is far from over. He plans to cycle across Africa, aiming for the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. From there, he hopes to board a ship to Brazil, ride into the Amazon rainforest, and attend COP30 in Belém, Brasilien. However, he still needs financial support to continue his mission.

Evertz documents his encounters and “Stories of Hope” on social media. He also intends to give talks at schools and companies, inspiring others to take action under his motto: “Stand up for the Planet. Start Collaboration”.

We wish Michael Evertz continued success in his endeavors. We will support him and follow his journey – and his cross-cultural exchanges – with great interest.

For more on Michael Evertz and “Expedition Hope”, including photos, visit www.expedition-hope.earth or his Instagram @expedition_hope_earth.

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Michael Evertz meeting a delegation from India, including former Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Anbumani Ramadoss (to the right of Michael Evertz). (© Michael Evertz)

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Michael Evertz with representatives of the Pareci indigenous tribe from Brazil. (© Michael Evertz)

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Michael Evertz with COP28 President, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber. (© Michael Evertz)

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Michael Evertz with Prof. Radermacher, Prof. Herlyn, and Dr. Orthen from FAW/n (from left to right). (© Michael Evertz)

Clean Management Forum Publishes Carbon Management Study

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The Clean Energy Forum (CEF), led by Dr. Friedbert Pflüger and with Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher as a member of its advisory board, has released the publication “Carbon Management – Key Technology in the Fight Against Climate Change”. The CEF is an independent think tank advocating for technology-neutral, market-oriented climate policies. In their publication, authors Hans-Joachim Kümpel (former president of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources – BGR), Franz Josef Radermacher, and Reinhard Hüttl highlight the crucial role of carbon management technologies. They argue that carbon capture and storage (CCS) and related methods are indispensable for reducing hard-to-avoid emissions and achieving climate targets. The study calls for a reliable regulatory framework and investments in CO₂ infrastructure to enable the industrial-scale implementation of these technologies.

The study underscores the importance of international cooperation and market-based incentives to realize a sustainable and economically viable transition. It advocates for climate policies that foster innovation and strengthen global partnerships to effectively address the challenges of climate change. The CEF provides a platform for dialogue among science, industry, and policymakers to advance innovative solutions for meeting climate goals. The forum emphasizes the need to mobilize all available technologies, including renewable energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and nature-based solutions. This position is also shared by FAW/n and is reflected in the book “ALL IN!”.

Read the study here.

Net Zero 2070: GES Reference Solution

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A solution to the global energy and climate challenges is possible. The GES reference solution demonstrates how ten billion people could enjoy a life of freedom, adequate prosperity, social balance, and harmony with nature by 2070. The guiding principle is achieving global energy well-being through innovation and markets, rather than managing energy scarcity.

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Reference Solution (short)
Reference Solution (long)
Technical Documentation

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CO2 Capture: Germany’s Untapped Potential

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Are there alternatives to electromobility and CO2 reduction? “Yes!” is Prof. Radermacher’s clear answer. “The problem is that combustion processes release CO2 into the atmosphere. So, the question is: Can we prevent this?”

To achieve this, we need to capture CO2 where it’s emitted, such as at coal power plants and cement factories. The greenhouse gas can then be used to produce e-fuels or pumped into depleted oil and gas fields.

Germany has so far given little thought to this method. The situation is different in North America and Norway, where this process – known as Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) – has been in use for 30 years.

Learn more about this topic in the article by Austrian magazine “ÖAMTC” and in the podcast with Prof. Radermacher. Please scroll directly to episode 31.

Image source Catazul (Pixabay)

Professor Radermacher, what motivated you to join the CEET?

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Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Radermacher answers this and other questions in a new video by the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET).

He also responds to questions about the special expertise he brings to the CEET and why engineers, in particular, are so important in addressing climate change. You can watch the full interview on the CEET’s LinkedIn page.

Finally, Prof. Radermacher is asked for advice for current and future engineers working to advance the energy transition: “Keep all dimensions of the problem in view, and think unconventionally. Have good ideas and the courage to put them into practice. Try to develop something the world has never seen before. […] Perhaps, as a young person, you can make a real difference for the world.”

Image source: ©Südwest Presse Ulm, Volkmar Könneke

Project Completion: “Foundation Development and Climate Alliance”

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At the turn of 2022/23, FAW/n concluded, after more than four years, the accompanying research project on the Alliance for Development and Climate, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). An official farewell ceremony was held at Ulm City Hall at the end of November 2022. On behalf of the foundation and the Alliance’s circle of supporters, Prof. Radermacher was presented with a certificate in recognition of his outstanding personal commitment.

After FAW/n initiated the idea of establishing a multi-stakeholder partnership—whose mission, in line with Franz Josef Radermacher’s “Milliardenjoker” concept, is the non-governmental promotion of development in accordance with the 2030 Agenda and international climate protection—this idea was incorporated into a BMZ project in spring 2018. From that point on, FAW/n, together with BMZ and later also the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), was responsible for conceptualizing and implementing the Alliance for Development and Climate. In 2020, the Alliance was transformed into an independent foundation.

At the conclusion of the project, a final study titled “The Alliance for Development and Climate Beyond CO₂ Compensation – Future Potentials” was produced. Its key message: the need for international contributions to the 2030 Agenda, climate protection, and biodiversity conservation is so great that the world urgently requires new instruments beyond CO₂ compensation to unlock the full potential of non-governmental actors – without which no solution to these challenges is possible.

IIn this spirit, FAW/n will continue to work on these topics even after the project’s completion, as integrating development in line with the 2030 Agenda with environmental and climate protection will need to receive far more attention in the future than it currently does.

Photo: Farewell event of FAW/n at Ulm City Hall, from left to right: Dr. Tobias Orthen (FAW/n), Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Franz Josef Radermacher (FAW/n), Fritz Lietsch (Managing Director, forum Nachhaltig Wirtschaften, event moderator), Regina Simon (FAW/n), Prof. Dr. Estelle Herlyn (FAW/n), Peter Renner (Board, Alliance for Development and Climate Foundation), Gesa Schöneberg (Head of Research & Consulting, Alliance for Development and Climate Foundation), Gunter Czisch (Mayor of Ulm), and Nikolas Lokau (FAW/n)

Image source: FAW/n

New Book Recommendation from Prof. Radermacher

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A humorous take on the serious crises of our time. Physicist and comedian Vince Ebert achieves this balancing act in his Spiegel bestseller “Lichtblick statt Blackout – Warum wir beim Weltverbessern neu denken müssen” (“A Glimmer of Hope Instead of Blackout – Why We Need to Rethink Saving the World”)

“While summer temperatures keep rising, we’ll need to bundle up extra warm this winter. A situation we’ve brought upon ourselves through many poor decisions in the past. Did you know Finland’s Greens support nuclear power? Or that if we relied solely on wind and solar, our energy reserves would be depleted within 40 minutes on a windless night? But what can you expect from a nation that can’t even build an airport properly?”

Prof. Radermacher greatly enjoyed Ebert’s refreshing and direct writing style and warmly recommends this book. Further information can be found here.

Image- and information source: www.dtv.de, pexels (pixabay)

23rd Energy Globe World Award: When Environmental Awareness Meets Innovation

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For the 23rd time, the world’s most important environmental award was presented to projects that advance humanity on its path toward a more sustainable way of life. The jury grants the award in five categories: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Youth. Commenting on the more than 30,000 sustainable projects submitted, Nobel laureate Prof. Mohan Munasinghe said: “There is no shortage of solutions to our current crises, as the many projects submitted to the Energy Globe have impressively demonstrated. What is crucial is to inform people and businesses around the world about these solutions and to motivate them to take part in putting them into practice.”

Before the award ceremony, several distinguished speakers addressed the audience, among them Nobel laureate Prof. Munasinghe and Prof. Radermacher. Radermacher once again emphasized the urgent need for action instead of mere words. The combined efforts of European nations, he argued, would have little impact, since every year the world’s population grows by roughly the size of Germany. What truly matters, he said, is cooperation between the Global North and South.

Prof. Radermacher also delivered the introductory speech for the “Fire” category. The winning project came from Rwanda, where green electricity is being made both accessible and affordable for everyone. The nominated projects from Portugal and Switzerland showcased renewable power from ocean wave energy and a 90% reduction in energy consumption for data storage in data centers, respectively.

More information about the award ceremony and the livestream of Prof. Radermacher’s speech can be found here.

Image source: energyglobe.info

Appeal of the “Climate Council of Elders”

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The anthology In Deep Concern – What Must Be Done Now to Save the World brings together individuals who have devoted their lives to climate protection in a wide variety of ways – though, unfortunately, with too little success so far. Among the contributors are scientists such as Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher, as well as activists, representatives of environmental organizations, entrepreneurs, and politicians. Together, they seek answers to the pressing questions of the climate crisis and issue a global call to action.

In his contribution, Prof. Radermacher once again underscores the importance of a socio-ecological market economy. He also expresses his frustration that quick national measures are often favored over thoughtful global strategies – a tendency that ultimately hinders real progress. Along with the other authors, his message is unmistakable: Decisive action is needed – and it’s needed now!

The book was published on October 26, 2022. A more detailed summary can be found in the official press release, and the book can be ordered here.

Image source: Pixabay (congerdesign), Buchcover