With Germany at the frontline of global efforts to battle climate change, the country’s capital city wants to become a worldwide leader for energy efficiency and the increased use of renewable energy. Following the collapse of East Germany’s inefficient and dirty industry after German reunification in 1990, Berlin’s pollution levels and greenhouse gas emissions improved greatly with little real effort.
CO2 emissions dropped 14% between 1990 and 2002, but the city government is hoping to cut a further 25% by 2010. Wide-ranging measures are outlined in a new municipal energy policy programme, details of which can be found in German at www.berlin.de/sen/umwelt/klimaschutz/landesenergieprogramm/index.shtml.