Stolen car keys VW files criminal complaint against Greenpeace

Status: 23.06.2021 3:09 p.m.

A Greenpeace campaign in which 100 stolen VW keys were brought to the Zugspitze has legal consequences: the Volkswagen Group has filed a criminal complaint against the environmental protection organization. Around a month after the Greenpeace campaign against Volkswagen in the port of Emden, the car manufacturer took action and filed a criminal complaint against Greenpeace. “We do not tolerate any violations of the law”said a VW spokeswoman in Emden. However, she emphasized that VW was still interested in a dialogue with the environmental protection organization. The criminal complaint suggests a change of heart among the Wolfsburgers: Initially, they reacted surprisingly moderately to the Greenpeace campaign at the end of May and initially waived a criminal complaint.

First of all, understanding and loose tweets

In order to protest against what they considered to be the slow change to electromobility at VW, the activists climbed over a fence onto a loading area in the port of Emden and removed the ignition keys from unlocked cars that were ready for shipping overseas. Shortly afterwards, the organization brought the keys to a glacier on the Zugspitze in Bavaria. There she was supposed to pick up VW boss Herbert Diess after her introduction.

Instead of directly filing a criminal complaint, Diess replied loosely on Twitter: “Gladly Zugspitze, but today I can’t manage anymore – I don’t want to use the plane. Coming soon in good weather?” And VW brand boss Ralf Brandstätter expressed understanding in a detailed comment on the action on his LinkedIn profile that “change is not going fast enough for many”.

Investigations are already running ex officio

Theft as part of the climate debate culture? The public prosecutor and the police had already seen it a little differently before the change of heart at VW: They are already investigating ex officio against around a dozen activists on charges of trespassing and particularly serious theft. In order to initiate criminal prosecution, today’s criminal complaint from VW would no longer have been necessary.

Investigations also after Greenpeace action at the EM

Last week, a Greenpeace campaign directed against VW failed at the German national soccer team’s first EM game. Shortly before the game against France kicked off, a paramotor plane staggered over the Munich arena and finally landed on the field. He came dangerously close to the audience, two men had to be hospitalized because of their injuries.

Numerous politicians condemned the action in the strongest possible terms. The police are investigating various offenses under the Criminal Code and the Aviation Act

Growing industry Billion dollar business with environmental protection

Status: 23.06.2021 10:45 a.m.

Environmental protection is increasingly becoming an economic factor, especially in manufacturing. According to the Federal Statistical Office, sales are increasing and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created in Germany. Environmental and climate protection are increasingly proving to be a lucrative business for industry and service providers. As the Federal Statistical Office announced, the industry achieved sales of 73.6 billion euros in 2019, 3.1 percent more than in the previous year.

Three quarters of this was achieved in the manufacturing sector, first and foremost in mechanical engineering (22.1 billion euros), followed by electrical equipment (6.5 billion euros) and the manufacture of cars, trucks and buses – and parts for them (5.8 billion euros) Euro).

The construction and maintenance of apparatus for air pollution control has grown particularly strongly. Here sales climbed by more than a third to 10.5 billion euros. These were mainly products for exhaust gas and exhaust air treatment, such as catalytic converters. In the area of ​​electromobility (limited to cars, trucks and buses), sales of 2.5 billion euros were reported in 2019, 24 percent more than a year earlier.

Over 300,000 employees

Energy-saving drive and control technology, the construction of onshore wind turbines, the thermal insulation of buildings, and the renovation and construction of sewer systems also ensured business worth billions.

The growing importance of environmental protection for the German economy is also leading to the creation of new jobs, so-called “green jobs”. The number of employees who contributed goods or services to the industry was 305,000 in 2019. Compared to the previous year, the number rose by almost 16,000. More than two thirds of the employees in the sector were employed in manufacturing companies

Analysis of the WWF Is grilled meat too cheap?

Status: 06/18/2021 2:22 p.m.

At the beginning of the barbecue season, supermarkets attract with low meat prices. A study the environmental organization WWF shows that meat substitutes are much more expensive. That has consequences for the environment. In order to benefit from the current barbecue season, supermarkets lure customers with savings and discount offers on barbecue products. An analysis by the environmental protection organization WWF now shows that the majority of grilled meat in German supermarkets is much cheaper than meat substitute products. Between the end of April and the end of May, the WWF examined 922 grilled meat offers in the advertising brochures of eight German supermarket chains. On average, 85 percent of the discounted grilled meat was cheaper than vegetable alternatives. In addition, grilled meat products are advertised almost 30 times more often than meat substitute products. In addition, according to the analysis, very few products come from higher forms of husbandry. Only two percent of the discount products were of organic quality; for many, the origin was not even shown.

“Amazon is being sold off”

Tanja Dräger de Teran is a nutritionist at WWF. She criticizes the fact that the masses of cheap meat are at the expense of the environment. In order for meat to be sold so cheaply, cattle must be kept en masse and animal feed such as soy must be imported from South America. That heats up the climate and destroys valuable habitats: “The Amazon is sold off with cheap meat.” Around 96 percent of the soya-growing area would be needed for animal feed and only four percent for plant-based foods.

A study by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) from 2020 also shows the significantly better ecological balance of plant products. Compared to beef, the production of vegetable substitute products would in some cases produce less than a tenth of the greenhouse gases. The water and land consumption is also many times lower, since plants such as wheat and soy are not only used as animal feed, but rather land directly on the plate, so to speak.

Reduce factory farming

UBA President Dirk Messner called for meat consumption to be halved in the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe a few weeks ago: “We have to reduce factory farming so that excessive nitrogen inputs are reduced and soils, water, biodiversity and human health are less polluted.” The World Health Organization (WHO) also warns against consuming too much meat.

Because in addition to the environmental aspects, according to experts, there are also health reasons for reducing meat consumption. For a healthy and sustainable diet, experts recommend not eating meat every day. An adult should not eat more than 300 to 600 grams of meat and sausage per week. That is significantly less than is generally consumed in this country.

Still too much meat consumption

Although meat consumption in Germany tends to decline slowly, in 2020 it was still a little more than 57 kilos per person. In 2000, the annual consumption was over 61 kilos. However, according to the WWF, this is roughly double the consumption in the 1950s.

Messner had already stated in 2020: “As long as the price of the food does not also reflect the environmental damage, the cheap neck steak will be preferred to a soy schnitzel for a long time to come.”

High development costs for meat substitutes

There are reasons for the price differences: Antje Risius is researching sustainable eating styles at the University of Göttingen. She explains the striking price differences by the fact that meat is an established product on the market, while substitute products are still “newcomers”. “The meat market has an unbelievable competitive advantage because the structures are already established there. Production can take place at a completely different level, efficiently and structurally at very reasonable prices.”

Because they are mostly still in the development phase, replacement products would still have relatively high investment costs. In addition, they are often very heavily processed – and the many intermediate processing steps are also expensive, says Risius.

Cheap meat and the social question

The WWF warns that the price imbalance between meat and meat substitute products is causing many people to resort to meat for reasons of cost. Dräger de Teran demands that sustainable nutrition should not remain a social issue. “We have to get to the point where the simple choice is the good, healthy and sustainable choice. And we are still a long way from that.”

Almut Jering from the UBA has observed, however, that a growing range of meat and milk substitute products in supermarkets is attracting more and more people’s interest, despite the often higher prices. Recently, the number of people who followed a vegetarian or vegan diet has increased significantly. “I think there is some social progress going on.”

Meanwhile, the WWF sees politics and business as having a greater responsibility. The organization is demanding a steering tax based on sustainability criteria on food of animal origin from the next federal government, which is less of a burden on products from organic agriculture. Retailers need a change in pricing policy: For example, discounts should no longer be given on meat and sausage products, except shortly before the use-by date

Controversial project passed Bundestag decides Supply Chain Act

Status: 11.06.2021 11:58 a.m.

In the future, large German companies will have to pay more attention to compliance with human rights and environmental standards by their suppliers – otherwise they face fines. The opposition criticized the Bundestag resolution. The Bundestag has passed the Supply Chain Act, which makes large companies more responsible than before for conditions at their global suppliers. 412 MPs voted for the law, 159 voted against it and 59 abstained. During the final deliberations in parliament, the Greens announced that they would vote with the government factions of the CDU / CSU and SPD. The FDP and AfD spoke out against it, the left wanted to abstain. The controversial project had been wrestled for a long time.

There is a risk of fines of two percent of sales

From 2023, large companies in Germany will be obliged to take action against human rights violations and environmental violations at their suppliers. Failure to do so can result in fines of up to two percent of annual sales. It initially applies to corporations with more than 3000 employees. According to the coalition, there are more than 925 companies. From 2024, companies with more than 1000 employees are also to be included, which would be around 4800 companies.

“Children belong in schools and not in mines”

Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said that politics must take action against child labor. “Children belong in schools and not in mines,” he said. Around 160 million children are currently working around the world, half of them in particularly dangerous conditions. That is why we need clear standards.

For Development Aid Minister Müller it is “the most important law for more justice between rich and poor”. Image: dpa Development Aid Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) said the law was “certainly the most important law for more justice between rich and poor”. He emphasized that it came about against strong lobby pressure. In the interests of business, the Union had enforced that there is no additional civil liability for companies. Corporations would have legal and planning security, so representatives of the Union parliamentary group.

AfD: Law harms German economy

The FDP and AfD, however, accused the regulation of harming the German economy. The AfD criticized that competitors of German companies were the winners of the law. Greens and leftists welcomed the law as a first step, but criticized it as inadequate. The left argued that because there was no civil liability, the law was too weak and made too few companies accountable.

Ecocide is a crime The lack of punishment for these subjects indicates a major defect in the international legal system. Ecocide is defined as “the destruction of ecosystems, humanity and life”. This includes direct damage to land, sea, flora and fauna in affected ecosystems, as well as impacts to the climate. The negative effects of Ecocide are noted on many levels because the damage is not just the environment – it can be cultural, psychological as well as emotional. Communities are also affected, especially when their lifestyles are deeply linked with compromised ecosystems. The term “ecocide” was first recognized in 1970 at the Conference on War and National Responsibility in Washington, DC and since then, many scholars and legal experts. has campaigned to criminalize it. Promoting the recognition of ecocide as a crime on an international level is the first step towards establishing a legal obligation – not just morality – to all life forms on Earth. Writer and activist George Monbiot commented: “It will change everything. It can make the difference between a habitable planet and an uninhabitable one.” Around the world, frontline communities are fighting to protect their land, air, water, forests and means of livelihood. Resources are threatened by activities such as mining and deforestation, all of which have serious social and environmental impacts. There is also an occupation of land that is destroying the entire area. Usually all of this happens while the world is looking in the other direction. Campaigners are calling for the act of destroying nature as an international criminal offense. Ecocide is an idea that environmental activists consider both very extreme but also plausible. This theory holds that no one can be neglected or punished after destroying the natural environment. Many advocates of the criminalization of environmental destruction that will help emphasize the environmental and human costs of such problems as climate change. Responsibilities of the ICC Activists believe that this type of crime should be included in the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) – the agency currently prosecutes only four types of crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression. Although the ICC can also prosecute environmental crimes, it has so far only been possible within the framework of the four crimes mentioned above – there is no legal restriction on losses occurring in time. jar. Although each country has its own laws and regulations to avoid loss, criminalization activists of environmental destruction believe that widespread environmental destruction will continue as long as the law is full. bridge is established. This is not going to be too light or deterrent because of international practice – like the Paris Agreement on climate change, where countries set their own goals to cut emissions. With the inclusion of a fifth offense – the crime of environmental destruction – in the Rome Convention, the perpetrator can be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned. But it also helps to create cultural change in the way the world perceives actions that harm nature. “If something becomes a crime, we put it under the red line of morality. Now, you can still come,” said Jojo Mehta, co-founder of the Stop Ecocide campaign. government agencies and apply for a license to exploit shale oil using hydraulic technology to cut or mine, or drill for oil, while you cannot apply for a murder permit, because it is a crime. Once you put that standard into practice, you change the cultural mentality as well as the reality of law enforcement. Jojo Mehta argued that having an anti-environmental law would hold those who cause serious environmental harm to the environment. Activists believe that environmental destruction should only be considered for the most damaging activities on a large scale – such as causing oil spills, seabed extraction, animal ranching. industrial tissue and oil sand extraction. In 2010, female lawyer Polly Higgins defined environmental destruction as “causing serious harm … to the point that the peace of the creatures in the area has been or will be severely destroyed”. In 2019, Higgins died at the age of 50 after being diagnosed with cancer. It was the shock to the anti-environmentalism movement – she was a legal leader and avid campaigner, sold her house and quit her high-paying job and devoted her life to the campaign. this. Mehta’s advocacy group – Stop Ecocide – is in the process of bringing together a panel of international lawyers to write a “clear and legally strong” definition for crimes of destroying the environment to Countries can apply to the ICC. Once an official definition is in place, the next step is to have a country support it in The Hague court. For campaigners like Mehta, the criminalization of environmental destruction is a way to end the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems and destroy the organisms that live there.

The amount raised through long-term bonds is only a small portion of the total debt that Amazon has issued, estimated at about 18.5 billion USD. The company says it can use these funds to invest in clean transportation and carbon-free buildings. Amazon’s projects will include purchasing electric vehicles for fleets, as well as other electric delivery vehicles. In addition, Amazon said it will also use electric heating and cooling systems powered by renewable energy at the company’s new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. In one pledge, Amazon will cut all carbon emissions by 2040 and power all renewable energy operations by 2030. Amazon’s decision to raise funds for social projects comes when the company faced criticism around the labor issue. In addition to being charged with unsafe procedures and affecting employees’ health, Amazon has also been criticized for illegally firing workers and forcing them not to unionize. However, Amazon has denied these allegations and said it has always supported employees’ equal rights. According to Reuters According to Reuters

A new “tourist” destination between the capital has potential risks of unsafety and environmental pollution Witnessing these images, Mr. Cong, an “aboriginal” of Long Bien ward, was upset, shaking his head: “Only when an incident occurred, the other guests knew they were joking with death. Subsidence of sand or indentation of swirling waters is the risk of happening at any time ”. The people’s need for entertainment, entertainment and relaxation during the holidays is very legitimate. In terms of space, the area in the middle of the Red River seems to meet that need; because it is near the center, because there is a cool Red River; There is a large land, open to thousands of square meters, spoiled for playing without “touching” anyone. That’s why the phenomenon happened a long time ago, when there are several hundred and thousands of people every day, vehicles, even motorbikes, cars, just follow the border gates in Long Bien, Bo De, Thach Ban. …to enter. Gathering activities take place from morning to night, even through the night. Then, after each fun, the environmental “disaster” stayed in the middle beach. Not many groups and families consciously clean up garbage before leaving. People put in place. People do not mind… throw garbage into the river. “There used to be local people who had to worry about the polluted landscape in the middle yard and moved out. But that was only the first time, when there were few visitors elsewhere. Now I have … “, Mr. Cong sadly. Bringing the question of the “mixed” pollution above to the Long Bien Ward Committee, we only received a shake of our head. Because, there are no regulations or sanctions to prevent people from going to the beach to gather and play. Having “cornered” all the contingent of ward cadres, grassroots cadres to remind and propagate, just like… salt left the sea. The beach in the middle of the Red River needs to be “saved”, and “saved” as soon as possible! But to whom is that responsibility of the rescue? Once again, the question should be sent to the People’s Committee of Long Bien District, especially when the holidays are approaching April 30, May 1.

Waste characteristic of practical agricultural product processing establishments is organic matter which smells, causes strong infection, causes enough harm to human health. Most of the food products that people use, after being used, are not properly collected and handled, creating many risks of environmental pollution. Even on many streets in Hanoi, it is not difficult to see vendors in food and beverage shops pouring leftovers into closed containers, and waste water casually pouring down the drain.
If in the suburbs, food waste is used by the people as agricultural by-products or animal feed, in the inner city, all households collect it with domestic waste. Waste collection on Trang Thi street, Hanoi. Photo: Victory Ms. Nguyen Thanh Nhan (Linh Nam ward, Hoang Mai district) shared: “There are not many people in my house gathering leftovers to feed the animals, so there is no other way to wait for workers to clean the environment. school to collect ”. Therefore, in many areas, all kinds of waste are not classified but collected together. Rice, meat, eggshell … in garbage bags, splashing, wet, smells unpleasant. According to a cleaning worker in Hai Ba Trung district, organic waste such as excess food is believed to be the main cause of bad odors, bad smells in landfills, harmful to health.
According to Prof. Dr. Dang Kim Chi – Chairman of the Science and Technology Council, Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and Environment, food waste is a global problem, one of the causes of pollution. current living environment. Methane from food waste generates 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gas per year and accounts for about 7% of total emissions. In general, the improper disposal of waste also pollutes the soil and water resources. “If there is no good control as well as there is no suitable and scientific treatment method right from the production process and after use, the consequences from food waste are not small” – GS. Dr. Dang Kim Chi said.
Utilize as a resource resources
Facing pollution but difficult to manage food waste, Prof. Dr. Dang Kim Chi said that firstly, it is necessary to have radical, scientific and practical measures. First of all, it is necessary to control right from the production source, prevent harmful substances in the product from the source of waste generation. When this solution is well controlled, food waste will be reused, recycled into animal feed, microbiological fertilizer … Along with that, the second measure must strictly control food waste sources. The third method, which requires scientific contributions, when food waste has been contaminated and needs disposal, it is necessary to find a solution to separate or neutralize the toxin that follows the food waste before reintroducing it. into animal feed, organic fertilizer …
In addition to controlling right from the production source, according to the Deputy Director of the Institute of Natural Resources, Environment and Community Development Tran Thi Huong, it is necessary to utilize food waste as a resource. This is the general trend of the world to operate a circular economy to thoroughly limit the impacts of environmental pollution and utilize waste into raw materials. “The efficient use of by-products in food processing such as rice husks, bran, molasses, bagasse, organs, fish fat, mucilage biomass, crustaceans … by applying science and technology and technical progress in the stage of reproduction as well as investment and waste treatment; Implementing clean production, saving energy is to increase the surplus value by making full use of natural resources, and at the same time making an important contribution to environmental protection ”- Ms. Tran Thi Huong acknowledged. The revised 2015 Japanese Food Recycling Law requires 95% of recycling responsibilities for food processors, 70% for food businesses, and 55% for food retail stores. and 50% for restaurants. The act of intentionally disposing of bulk food, causing environmental pollution, can be subject to a very severe penalty.

The number of car charging stations is increasing globally and also in Vietnam.

The energy provided for electric vehicles is increasingly clean

The REN21 Global Renewable Energy (GSR) Report of 2020 (Global Multilateral Renewable Energy Policy Network) shows that, over the past 5 years, the renewable energy sector has reached its speed. 3 times higher than electricity produced from nuclear and fossil fuels.

“When the grid becomes ‘greener’, using electric vehicles will be more perfect ”, Gordon Bauer – electric vehicle researcher at the International Council for Clean Transport in San Francisco (USA) said. According to expert Gordon Bauer, the current innovative grid model will help improve the environmental efficiency of electric vehicles around the world.

The evidence is a study by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California (USA) that if all personal vehicles in the US are powered by electricity, each year, the country will lose 46%. greenhouse gas (0.5 gigatons CO2 equivalent) compared to conventional fossil fuel cars.

This is what environmental activists expect. Anne Laurent, president of the All-European Environmental Union, admits the members “have no doubts” about the positive impact this vehicle can have on the planet.

“We do not expect a perfect solution. Therefore, we are delighted that electric vehicles deliver positive environmental indicators“Ms. Laurent said in a report released at the end of 2020.

In Vietnam, green vehicles are also developing with the launch of private cars and VinFast electric buses. And look at “National energy development strategy to 2030, vision to 2045” – with the goal that the renewable energy in the total primary energy supply will reach 15 – 20% by 2030 and increase to 25-30% by 2045 we have the right to hope for a “green future, clean air” when clean cars are powered by clean electricity.

Electric vehicle batteries are too expensive to be … garbage

In addition to generating electricity, environmental activists have been concerned about the fate of electric vehicle battery blocks after they have run out of “trumps”. Elon Musk was the “victim” of this wave of protest. But in fact, electric car batteries can not be thrown away because … too expensive, even after the expiry date.

The reason is that the prices of cobalt, lithium, nickel and the metals used in lithium-ion batteries have skyrocketed as the electric car race intensifies between manufacturers across Asia to Europe and the US. Therefore, all electric car manufacturers are researching and announcing solutions to handle expired batteries with battery recycling technology.

“To meet electric vehicle battery demand in the next 10 years, the industry will need 1.5 million tons of lithium, 1.5 million tons of graphite, 1 million tons of nickel and 500,000 tons of manganese. Today, the world produces less than a third of that material ”Sam Jaffe, CEO of Cairn ERA, an energy consulting firm in the US, told CNBC.

Some studies show that recycling can recover between 95 and 98 percent of the nickel, cobalt, copper, aluminum, and more than 80 percent of the battery’s lithium. Ms. Celina Mikolajczak, Vice President of Battery Technology and Technology at Panasonic Energy North America, said that the battery recycling industry will be a billion-dollar land with the development of electric vehicles.

“There are so many benefits to recycling and it would be really stupid if we didn’t take advantage of the old battery cells’ ability to make the next generation.”Ms. Celina Mikolajczak confirmed.

This excellent solution not only eliminates the worry of running out of production materials, but also removes electric vehicle batteries from the burden of the environment.

There are more than 50 companies around the world engaged in the recycling of lithium-ion batteries of varying sizes, most of them concentrated in China (more than 20 companies), followed by Korea (6 companies), followed by the EU, Japan, Canada and the US. Even global tech giant Amazon hasn’t overlooked this potential by investing $ 2 billion in Redwood Materials, a battery recycling startup founded by former Tesla chief JB Straubel. Redwood Materials is also responsible for recycling electric vehicle batteries for Tesla.

In addition to recycling batteries for reuse for electric vehicles themselves, a series of projects to utilize old batteries have been implemented recently by car manufacturers. Toyota has a project to connect old electric vehicle batteries with solar panels to power 7-Eleven stores in Japan; Nissan is using old batteries to power the small robots; Renault is working with its partners to introduce static energy storage systems made of old electric vehicle batteries … Other car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Lucid Motors or Proterra … are also incorporating reusable principles into their designs. the battery.

“We believe that the ‘second life’ battery will become an independent business and cannot be disposed of as trash.”, Weiland Bruch, BMW spokesman forecasts.

When the final concern was that electric vehicle batteries turned into environmental waste were completely eliminated – it’s easy to understand why green cars are supported by environmental activists around the world. And that will also be the green future that we need to move towards to escape the country’s “scandal” of the “two-wheeled gas factories” that international indicators set for Vietnam.