Europe Launches Large-Scale CO₂ Storage

Europe Launches Large-Scale CO₂ Storage

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Europe is taking a new step forward in carbon dioxide storage. In Denmark, “Greensand Future”—the European Union’s first commercial, fully integrated offshore CO₂ storage chain—has been launched.

The process works as follows: CO₂ is captured, liquefied, transported to the port of Esbjerg, and then shipped to the North Sea on a vessel designed specifically for this purpose. There, it is pumped into a former oil reservoir about 1,800 meters below the seabed and stored permanently.

What has long been tested primarily in pilot projects is now set to be implemented on an industrial scale within the EU for the first time.

 

From CO₂ Emissions to Storage Under the North Sea

In the first phase, the CO₂ comes primarily from Danish biomethane and biogas plants. After capture, it is liquefied and transported by truck to the new CO₂ terminal in the Port of Esbjerg.

From there, a special transport vessel takes over. The destination is the former Nini West oil field in the Danish North Sea. The CO₂ is ultimately injected deep beneath the seabed via the existing offshore infrastructure.

The geological storage site was already evaluated during a pilot project. The technical review of the storage site was conducted by, among others, the independent inspection agency DNV.

 

Up to 400,000 metric tons per year

In the first commercial phase, Greensand can store up to approximately 400,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year. The EU-supported project initially aims to store a total of approximately 2.4 million metric tons over eight years.

In the long term, much larger scales are planned. If there is sufficient demand and the infrastructure is further expanded, capacity could increase to four to eight million metric tons of CO₂ per year.

The European Union is providing Greensand Future with 41 million euros from the Innovation Fund.

 

Why store CO₂ at all?

Carbon Capture and Storage—CCS for short—is intended primarily for use in situations where it is technically difficult to completely avoid CO₂ emissions.

These include, for example, parts of the cement, lime, chemical, and steel industries. Even in the renewable energy sector, some industrial processes continue to generate CO₂ emissions.

In addition to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electrification, the EU is therefore increasingly focusing on carbon capture and storage. By 2030, the EU aims to establish storage capacity for at least 50 million metric tons of CO₂ per year.

 

CCS Remains Controversial

However, this technology is no substitute for preventing emissions.

CO₂ must first be captured, liquefied, transported, and then permanently stored at great expense. This requires additional energy, infrastructure, and significant investment.

Critics also fear that an excessive focus on CO₂ storage could delay the necessary transition to lower-emission production processes.

Proponents, on the other hand, view CCS as a key component of those industrial processes in which emissions cannot be completely avoided for the foreseeable future.

 

Facts & Figures

• Greensand Future to open on September 18, 2026, in Denmark

• The EU's first commercial, fully integrated offshore CO₂ storage chain

• Storage approximately 1,800 meters below the seafloor

• Up to approximately 400,000 metric tons of CO₂ storage capacity per year in the first phase

• Approximately 2.4 million metric tons of planned storage over eight years

• Long-term potential of four to eight million metric tons of CO₂ per year

• 41 million euros in funding from the EU Innovation Fund

• EU target: at least 50 million metric tons of annual CO₂ injection capacity by 2030

 

Conclusio

Greensand marks a significant milestone: For the first time in the European Union, a technology that has been tried and tested over many years is giving rise to a commercial infrastructure that integrates CO₂ capture, transport, and permanent storage.

Whether CCS can make a significant contribution to European climate neutrality will, however, depend on how quickly the technology can be scaled up, what costs are involved, and where it is actually deployed.

After all, preventing CO₂ from being produced in the first place remains the most effective solution.

For those emissions that are technically difficult to avoid, however, part of the solution could lie deep beneath the North Sea.

 

More information: https://greensandfuture.com/

Episode 23: Rügen – Chalk Cliffs, Ancient Beech Forests, and Sustainable Vacations on the Baltic Sea

Episode 23: Rügen – Chalk Cliffs, Ancient Beech Forests, and Sustainable Vacations on the Baltic Sea

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Where the sea meets ancient forests

White chalk cliffs overlooking the Baltic Sea, majestic beech forests, kilometers of beaches, and tranquil Bodden landscapes: Rügen is one of Germany’s best-known natural regions. Germany’s largest island is also a place full of contrasts. On the one hand, there are historic seaside resorts and popular beaches; on the other, national parks, wetlands, and coastal landscapes where nature still sets the pace.

It is precisely this combination that makes Rügen particularly appealing for sustainable travel. After all, the key question is: How can a popular vacation destination benefit economically from tourism without endangering the very natural environment that draws people to the island in the first place?

 

Jasmund National Park—small but extraordinary

Jasmund National Park is located in the northeastern part of Rügen. Covering about 3,000 hectares, it is one of Germany’s smallest national parks, yet its landscape is among the most impressive. Its most famous landmark is the Königsstuhl, a massive chalk cliff formation towering high above the Baltic Sea.

The true ecological treasure lies just beyond. The Jasmund Peninsula is home to ancient beech forests, parts of which are included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe.” Here, visitors can observe how a forest develops when natural processes are given more room to take hold. Deadwood is left lying on the ground; fungi and insects decompose it, thereby creating the foundation for new life.

Even the famous chalk cliffs are not a static backdrop. Wind, rain, frost, and the surf are constantly eroding the rock, and natural collapses occur time and again. It is precisely this dynamic that is part of the landscape. Sustainable tourism therefore also means respecting barriers and accepting that nature cannot be controlled or preserved for human purposes everywhere.

 

Getting There – Exploring Rügen Without a Car

Many vacationers travel to Rügen by car, which leads to heavy traffic, especially during the peak season. Yet the island offers excellent conditions for a vacation using public transportation.

Long-distance and regional trains run to destinations including Bergen on Rügen and Binz. From there, you can continue your journey by bus, train, or bicycle. One highlight is the “Rasende Roland,” a historic narrow-gauge railway that connects several well-known vacation destinations.

If you choose your accommodations wisely, you can spend much of your vacation without needing a car. This makes particular sense on an island: Space is limited, and additional roads or parking lots take up land that is also important for nature, agriculture, or the local population.

 

Discover Rügen at a Leisurely Pace

Many people associate Rügen primarily with beach vacations. But the island is also ideal for hiking and biking. Tours through the beech forests of Jasmund, along the Bodden landscapes, or through quieter stretches of coastline are particularly charming.

Even well-known destinations like Cape Arkona can be combined with longer walks or bike rides. If you take the time, you’ll discover small villages, tree-lined avenues, fields, wetlands, and quiet coastal areas away from the tourist centers. It is precisely there that Rügen reveals a character that you’d hardly notice on a quick tour.

A bicycle is ideal for this. The distances between many places are manageable, and e-bikes further extend the range. For a heavily visited island, a good network of bike paths is therefore much more than just a recreational option—it’s part of a sustainable mobility strategy.

 

Accommodations – Quality Over Constantly Adding New Beds

Rügen has a long tradition of tourism. Binz, Sellin, and Göhren, in particular, shape the island’s well-known image with their historic seaside resort architecture. Hotels, guesthouses, and vacation rentals are an important economic factor, but at the same time, the question of the limits of further growth arises here as well.

New accommodations require land, energy, water, and infrastructure. Sustainable tourism should therefore place greater emphasis on utilizing existing buildings, making them energy-efficient, and promoting regional economic cycles. Family-run guesthouses, smaller hotels, and vacation farms can play an important role in this regard.

What matters is not just how many people stay overnight on the island, but how much of their vacation spending actually stays in the region.

 

Cuisine – The Baltic Sea on Your Plate

Naturally, the island’s location by the sea also shapes its cuisine. Fish is a traditional part of Rügen’s culinary heritage, but sustainable enjoyment today requires a closer look at origin, fishing methods, and the status of the respective fish stocks.

In addition, the island has much more to offer in terms of cuisine. Sea buckthorn is processed into juices, jams, and other specialties, and local farms produce potatoes, vegetables, meat, dairy products, and grains. Farm stands and regional markets allow visitors to shop directly from producers.

This makes food an integral part of sustainable travel: Short distances reduce the need for transportation, while at the same time ensuring that more economic value remains with the people who live and work on the island.

 

Rügen's Hidden Natural Treasures

While the chalk cliffs appear in almost every travel photo, other habitats often remain in the background. Bodden waters, reed beds, marshes, and wet meadows are at least as valuable ecologically. They provide food and refuge for numerous bird species and play an important role during bird migration.

Bog landscapes are of particular importance. Intact bogs can store large amounts of carbon. If they are drained, however, carbon that has been sequestered for a long time can be released as a greenhouse gas. Protecting and rewetting such areas therefore directly links species conservation and climate protection.

 

Sustainability Factor – An Island Has Natural Limits

Rügen illustrates particularly clearly why tourism success should not be measured solely by rising visitor numbers. An island has limited resources. Transportation, drinking water, wastewater, energy, housing, and available land cannot be expanded indefinitely.

It is especially during peak season that it becomes clear how quickly popularity can become a burden. A sustainable strategy must therefore spread visitors more evenly throughout the year and across the island. Longer stays, traveling outside of peak season, public transportation, and greater involvement of local businesses can all contribute to this.

A vacation in the spring or fall offers an added appeal. In the spring, forests and coastal landscapes come to life; in the fall, the foliage of the old beech forests changes color, and numerous migratory birds are on the move. At the same time, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses benefit from a longer season, rather than having to concentrate their revenue into just a few summer weeks.

 

Climate Change on the Coast

For an island, the consequences of climate change are particularly significant. Long-term sea-level rise, storm surges, and changing precipitation patterns affect coastlines, nature, and agriculture.

Coasts, however, have always been dynamic landscapes. Beaches change, cliffs erode, and currents shift sediments. The challenge lies in deciding where infrastructure must be protected and where natural coastal evolution can be allowed to take its course.

Here, too, a fundamental principle of sustainable development becomes apparent: Not every change in nature can be prevented. In the long run, adaptation may make more sense than attempting to permanently preserve landscapes in a specific state.

 

An Island That Needs Time

Rügen is much more than just chalk cliffs and beach vacations. Ancient beech forests, dynamic coastlines, Bodden landscapes, moors, traditional seaside resorts, and a cultural landscape that has evolved over centuries make the island exceptionally diverse.

It is precisely this diversity that we must preserve. That’s why traveling sustainably on Rügen doesn’t mean giving up on experiences. It means traveling differently: arriving by train and bus, riding a bike, supporting local businesses, respecting sensitive natural areas, and perhaps staying one day longer.

This gives rise to a form of tourism that doesn't involve consuming as many sights as possible in the shortest amount of time. Instead, a place regains what is often missing in modern travel: time.

 

More information: https://www.ruegen.de/

 

Next Episode: Ausseerland Salzkammergut—lakes, alpine pastures, living traditions, and the question of why preserving regional culture is also part of sustainable travel.

It's Okay for the Garden to Get Messy: Why Animals Need Fallen Leaves and Wild Corners Right Now

It's Okay for the Garden to Get Messy: Why Animals Need Fallen Leaves and Wild Corners Right Now

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The first leaves are falling, the summer flowers are fading, and it’s time to tidy up the garden. But if you remove every leaf and prune back all the perennials now, you’ll also be taking away valuable hiding spots. A little autumnal clutter helps animals get through the cold season—and saves us a lot of work.

The rake is ready, the pruning shears are within reach. Tidying everything up one last time before winter arrives: For many, this is as much a part of fall as the last tomatoes and the cooler evenings.

It’s worth taking a closer look before cutting them back and discarding them. What looks to us like wilted or dead plants may provide food, shelter, or a winter home for other living creatures. A garden continues to thrive even after its colorful flowers have faded.

 

Fallen leaves still have a purpose

Fall leaves can be left under hedges, shrubs, and trees. They cover the ground, protect it from drying out, and moderate temperature extremes. Gradually, they decompose, returning nutrients to the natural cycle.

Numerous small animals find shelter among the leaves. The creatures that crawl and live there, in turn, serve as food for birds and other garden dwellers. Anyone who disposes of all the fallen leaves is also removing part of this habitat.

On suitable garden beds, a loose layer of leaves can also serve as soil protection. BUND Naturschutz recommends a mulch layer about three to five centimeters thick. BUND Naturschutz: Fall Garden Care

 

A quiet spot for the hedgehog

A sheltered spot where leaves, twigs, and some dead wood accumulate is especially valuable. Under a hedge or in a rarely used corner of the garden, this can provide a potential shelter for hedgehogs.

You don't need elaborate landscaping to do this. Materials that accumulate anyway during fall yard work can be piled up in a suitable spot. The key is to make sure this cozy spot is allowed to remain there afterward.

Once an animal has made itself at home, the pile should be left undisturbed throughout the winter. Even if a mild day here and there tempts you to keep working on it: A winter shelter is not garden waste that should be cleared away at the next opportunity. The combination of wood, brush, and leaves, in particular, provides suitable shelter for hibernating hedgehogs.

 

Perennials that have finished blooming can be left in place

It’s also best to exercise restraint when it comes to pruning shears. Dry stems and seed heads continue to serve important purposes: Birds can feed on the remaining seeds, while some insects overwinter in or on plant stems.

If you leave suitable perennials that have finished blooming in place until spring, you’ll be rewarded with these structural elements. In particular, plants with seed heads and hollow stems should therefore not be automatically cut back during fall cleanup.

And there’s something for the eye to enjoy, too: grasses silhouetted against the light, dark seed heads, and later, perhaps, hoarfrost on dry flowers. The garden changes its appearance. It doesn’t have to be empty in winter.

 

Where Tidying Up Is Still a Good Idea

Of course, not every path has to be covered in leaves. Wet leaves should be removed from stairs and high-traffic areas to prevent anyone from slipping. A thick, persistently damp layer of leaves on the lawn is also undesirable.

The raked-up material can then be reused under shrubs or in a sheltered corner. For smaller garden areas, a rake and a broom are usually sufficient. Leaf blowers, on the other hand, can suck up small animals along with the leaves and injure them.

This way, manicured paths and wild areas can coexist without any problems. Even a deliberately left-unplanted edge changes how much space the garden allows for its animal inhabitants.

 

This fall, it's okay to leave some things as they are

Perhaps the change begins in a single corner: under the hedge, behind the raised bed, or along the fence. The leaves are left there. Next to them, a few perennials are allowed to keep their seeds.

It doesn't cost much and, above all, just requires us to skip a familiar routine every now and then. Before we get everything ready for winter in the fall, we can ask ourselves: Who might need exactly what I'm about to put away?

No More Unsubstantiated Green Promises: New Rules Against Greenwashing

No More Unsubstantiated Green Promises: New Rules Against Greenwashing

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Terms such as “climate-neutral,” “environmentally friendly,” and “sustainable” have long since become key selling points. However, it is not always clear what such claims actually mean. New regulations are intended to change this and ensure that environmental advertising becomes more understandable, verifiable, and credible in the future.

Starting September 27, 2026, stricter requirements for environmental and sustainability claims will take effect in Austria. These requirements are based on the European EmpCo Directive, which is intended to better protect consumers from misleading business practices.

 

General terms are no longer sufficient

In the future, general claims such as “green,” “ecological,” or “environmentally friendly” may no longer be used without a verifiable basis. Companies must be able to clarify what their claims refer to and how they are substantiated.

For example, a product may not be advertised as environmentally friendly solely because a single component was produced in a more sustainable manner. What matters is the impression the overall presentation creates among consumers.

Claims such as “climate-neutral” are also coming under increasing scrutiny. Statements that rely exclusively on the purchase of CO₂ credits or other offset measures are particularly problematic. This can create the misleading impression that a product itself causes no emissions or fewer emissions.

 

Greater Clarity on Sustainability Labels

The number of green labels and environmental labels has also risen sharply in recent years. Many of them look official, but are based on criteria developed by the companies themselves or are virtually impossible for consumers to verify.

In the future, sustainability labels may generally be used only if they are based on a recognized certification system or have been introduced by a government agency. This is intended to strengthen credible labels and curb the use of made-up labels.

Promises for the future must be verifiable

Many companies promote long-term goals such as “climate neutral by 2040” or “net zero by 2050.” Such announcements are, in principle, still possible. However, they must be based on a transparent and publicly available plan.

This includes concrete measures, measurable interim goals, and an independent review of progress. Mere statements of intent without a reliable path to implementation should no longer be allowed to be marketed as sustainability achievements.

 

An Opportunity for Credible Companies

The new rules do not mean that companies are no longer allowed to talk about their environmental performance. On the contrary: Companies that save energy, reduce emissions, make products more repairable, or recycle materials can continue to communicate these achievements.

In the future, the difference will lie more in the ability to provide evidence. Companies that already operate transparently and document their progress will have an advantage over those that use sustainability primarily as a marketing pitch.

It will also become easier for consumers to compare products and companies. Environmental claims should rely less on appealing colors, images, and catchphrases—and more on verifiable facts.

 

Sustainability Requires Credibility

Greenwashing doesn’t just harm consumers. It also undermines those companies that actually invest in climate protection, the circular economy, and sustainable production. When nearly every product can be labeled “green,” the term loses its value.

The new guidelines can therefore lead to greater fairness. They do not yet create a sustainable economy, but they do change the rules governing how it operates.

Those who act in a genuinely sustainable manner have no reason to fear stricter requirements. On the contrary: when green promises become verifiable, real progress regains its importance.

How Europe's Cities Are Reclaiming Their Streets – Mobility for Livable Urban Spaces

How Europe's Cities Are Reclaiming Their Streets – Mobility for Livable Urban Spaces

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Streets are more than just thoroughfares. They are routes to school, places to shop, meeting spots, and a major part of our public space. Yet for decades, they were designed primarily for moving and parked cars. In European cities, this perspective is changing: where parking spaces and through traffic once dominated, green spaces, safe paths, and places to linger are now emerging.

European Mobility Week, taking place September 16–22, will focus on this trend. Under the theme “Mobility for All,” the 2026 event will also address the question of how public spaces can be made accessible and usable for people of all ages.

 

Paris: Streets Are to Be Transformed into Green Spaces

This transformation is particularly evident in Paris. For years, the city has been focusing on bike lanes, traffic-calmed school zones, and more green spaces along its streets.

In a public survey conducted in March 2025, approximately 66 percent of participants voted in favor of greening an additional 500 streets and redesigning them for pedestrian traffic. This is a development goal, not a measure that has already been implemented. The low turnout also shows that approval in a survey does not automatically mean there is a broad social consensus.

Nevertheless, the direction is clear: Fewer impervious surfaces and more trees are intended to do more than just change the cityscape. They can provide shade, absorb rainwater, and help alleviate the summer heat locally.

 

Barcelona: Neighborhoods Instead of Through-Traffic Corridors

Barcelona is taking a similar approach with its “superblocks” and green street corridors. Through traffic is restricted, while access for residents, deliveries, and necessary trips is to be maintained.

In the densely built-up Eixample neighborhood, sections of four streets—including Consell de Cent—have been transformed into green corridors. New plazas, trees, and seating areas are changing how the street space is used there: people can meet up, children have more room to play, and walking has become more pleasant.

The point isn't to make every street completely car-free. What matters is which traffic is actually necessary—and which is simply using a neighborhood as a shortcut.

 

Ghent: Through traffic will be rerouted

The Belgian city of Ghent shows that even changes to traffic routing can make a big difference. Since 2017, a traffic plan has divided the city center into several zones. Drivers who want to travel between these zones are generally routed via the ring road instead of driving straight through the city center.

The center will remain accessible. At the same time, it will be more difficult to use it as a through route. Direct connections for pedestrians and cyclists will remain in place.

The principle behind it is simple: A city can accommodate necessary car trips without giving all its streets over to through traffic.

 

Reducing traffic requires good alternatives

Changes like these don't happen on their own. If cars are simply pushed onto neighboring streets, the problem is merely shifted elsewhere. Without reliable bus and train service or safe bike lanes, everyday life becomes more difficult for many people.

Delivery drivers, caregivers, people with limited mobility, and commuters must also be taken into account. For local businesses, it’s not just the number of parking spaces that matters, but whether customers can easily access them. Whether a renovation will boost retail must be assessed on a case-by-case basis—blanket promises of success are just as unhelpful as blanket rejection.

 

Facts & Figures

According to estimates by EIT Urban Mobility, traffic congestion in and around urban areas costs the EU approximately 270 billion euros annually. More than 75 percent of the EU’s population lives in cities and their surrounding areas; urban traffic accounts for about 23 percent of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Concrete examples illustrate the potential for change: In Ghent, before the traffic plan was introduced, nearly 40 percent of motorized traffic in the city center consisted of through traffic. In Barcelona, the redevelopment of four green street corridors in the Eixample district created approximately 58,000 square meters of additional pedestrian space. The proportion of permeable surfaces in the project area rose from about 1 percent to 15 percent. Paris plans to green and redesign another 500 streets and remove approximately 10,000 parking spaces. The figures are from different survey years and describe both changes that have already been implemented and planned measures.

 

A Different Use of the Limited Space

The examples illustrate different approaches, but they all share the same basic idea: Streets can do more than just accommodate traffic.

Where less space is needed for cars, opportunities arise for green spaces, social interaction, and physical activity. This can make cities quieter, safer, and more resilient to heat. This requires well-thought-out planning, viable alternatives, and a willingness to address any issues that arise after implementation.

A city worth living in isn't created solely by cleaner cars. It's also created by ensuring that its limited space benefits more people.

 

More information: European Mobility Week

From Prison to Natural Paradise: How a Greek Island Became a Nature Reserve

From Prison to Natural Paradise: How a Greek Island Became a Nature Reserve

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In the middle of the Aegean Sea lies an island that for decades was synonymous with imprisonment, exile, and military use. Today, Gyaros is one of the most valuable refuges for endangered species in the Mediterranean.

The story of this uninhabited island shows how quickly the significance of a place can change—and what is possible when nature is protected for the long term.

 

A dark chapter in history

Gyaros is part of the Cyclades and lies about nine nautical miles off the coast of Syros. After the Greek Civil War, thousands of political prisoners and opponents of the regime were exiled to this barren island. Later, the area also served as a military training ground.

For people, Gyaros thus became a symbol of oppression and isolation. For nature, however, decades of isolation had an unexpected effect: coastlines, bays, and marine habitats were largely spared from development, tourism, and intensive use.

 

A sanctuary for endangered species

Today, there are about 70 Mediterranean monk seals living around Gyaros. This makes the island home to one of the most important populations of these rare marine mammals. The secluded caves and undisturbed coastlines offer the animals shelter and suitable places to give birth and raise their young.

The island is also of great importance to seabirds. Gyaros is home to one of the largest colonies of Mediterranean shearwaters. More than 30 bird species have been documented on and around the island. Underwater, seagrass beds, coral formations, and rocky habitats characterize the ecosystem.

The interplay of these habitats makes Gyaros an exceptional hub of biodiversity in the Aegean Sea.

 

Protection is permanently enshrined

After years of collaboration between government agencies, scientists, conservation organizations, and local fishermen, the area was designated a marine protected area in 2019. In April 2026, Gyaros was finally granted permanent legal protection through a presidential decree.

The protected zones specify which areas will remain completely untouched and where limited use is permitted. Particularly sensitive habitats are protected from fishing, unregulated tourism, and other human impacts. Modern monitoring and the presence of nature conservation rangers are intended to ensure that the rules are not just on paper.

 

Conservation in Partnership with Local Communities

A crucial part of the project is collaboration with the surrounding island communities and the local fishing industry. After all, sustainable marine conservation can only succeed if ecological goals and regional interests are aligned.

In the long term, healthy marine habitats can also strengthen fish stocks outside strictly protected zones. Protected areas are therefore not necessarily at odds with economic use—when properly implemented, they can safeguard their natural foundation.

 

Nature Can Return

Gyaros is not an untouched island with no history. The place has been shaped by humans, exploited, and subsequently largely abandoned. It is precisely this history that has given rise to a unique habitat, which is now being consistently preserved.

The island shows that nature conservation is not just about preventing further losses. Where habitats are given enough space, time, and reliable protection, nature can stabilize and species can return.

What was once a place of exile has thus become a sanctuary for endangered species—and an example of how a difficult past can give rise to a better future for nature.

 

More information: https://www.wwf.gr/en

Europe's Air Under Pressure: Heat Waves Threaten Progress

Europe's Air Under Pressure: Heat Waves Threaten Progress

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In many places across Europe, the air has become cleaner in recent decades. Stricter emission limits, more modern industrial facilities, and lower levels of pollutants from transportation and energy production have reduced air pollution. However, these gains are coming under increasing pressure. Heat waves, droughts, and large-scale wildfires are creating new risks that know no national borders.

The World Meteorological Organization warns that climate change and air quality are closely linked. Extreme heat not only exacerbates existing problems but can also contribute to the formation of harmful pollutants.

 

When Heat Becomes an Air Quality Problem

On hot, sunny days, ground-level ozone concentrations often rise. Unlike the protective ozone layer high in the atmosphere, this gas near the ground irritates the respiratory tract. It can cause coughing, inflammation, and breathing difficulties, as well as exacerbate existing heart and lung conditions.

Children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with asthma or cardiovascular diseases are particularly affected. People who work outdoors or exercise are also exposed to higher levels of pollution.

The longer a heat wave lasts, the bigger the problem can become. High temperatures, intense sunlight, and little air movement contribute to the buildup of pollutants—especially in cities and densely populated areas.

 

Smoke knows no boundaries

In addition, large wildfires and forest fires pollute the atmosphere. These fires produce enormous amounts of smoke, soot, and particularly fine particles. PM2.5, a type of fine particulate matter that poses health risks, is so small that it can penetrate deep into the lungs and, in some cases, even enter the bloodstream.

The danger is not limited to the immediate vicinity of a fire. Air currents can carry smoke hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. As a result, air quality can deteriorate even in regions where there are no fires burning.

Monitoring stations and satellites therefore track not only the areas affected by fires but also the spread of smoke plumes across countries and continents.

 

Progress can be lost again

Europe has made significant efforts to reduce traditional air pollutants from transportation, industry, and heating systems. These measures remain essential. At the same time, however, it is becoming clear that technical improvements alone are not enough.

As extreme heat becomes more frequent, dry spells last longer, and the risk of wildfires increases, additional stress peaks arise. This threatens to undo, at least temporarily, the improvements that have already been achieved.

 

Air quality and climate protection go hand in hand

Clean air therefore cannot be considered in isolation from climate change. Reducing the use of fossil fuels not only lowers greenhouse gas emissions but also reduces many air pollutants that are harmful to health.

Climate-resilient forests, better water management, more green spaces in cities, and effective early-warning systems are also becoming more important. They can help mitigate heat, reduce the risk of wildfires, and warn the public in a timely manner about high levels of pollution.

The air in many parts of Europe has become cleaner. But climate change is altering conditions. Isolated hot days are turning into longer heat waves, and regional wildfires can lead to cross-border pollution.

A wildfire does not end at the fire's perimeter. Its effects can often be felt far away in the air.

Basis: Current findings from the World Meteorological Organization on the interaction between climate change and air quality.

Episode 22: Tegernsee, Schliersee, and Spitzingsee – When Beauty Becomes a Challenge

Episode 22: Tegernsee, Schliersee, and Spitzingsee – When Beauty Becomes a Challenge

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Between a Picture-Perfect Landscape and Crowds of Visitors

Turquoise-blue water, with the first peaks of the Alps in the background, traditional farmhouses, and green meadows: The lakes south of Munich are among Bavaria’s most famous landscapes. Tegernsee, Schliersee, and Spitzingsee are quintessential examples of the image many people associate with a vacation in Upper Bavaria.

But her beauty comes with a challenge.

The region’s proximity to the Munich metropolitan area makes it attractive not only to vacationers. On sunny weekends, it also draws large numbers of day-trippers. Roads, parking lots, hiking trails, and lakeshores quickly reach their capacity limits.

That is precisely why the region is particularly interesting for our series. After all, sustainable tourism isn’t limited to places where few people visit. The greater challenge lies in developing popular destinations in a way that ensures nature, the local population’s quality of life, and tourism remain compatible in the long term.

 

Three Lakes – Three Different Personalities

Although Tegernsee, Schliersee, and Spitzingsee are only a few kilometers apart, they are quite different from one another.

Lake Tegernsee is internationally renowned and a major tourist destination. Towns such as Tegernsee, Rottach-Egern, and Bad Wiessee offer hotels, restaurants, cultural attractions, and numerous recreational activities.

In many places, Schliersee seems quieter and more unspoiled. The lakeshore, the surrounding mountains, and the small villages give it a more rural character.

Spitzingsee presents itself in yet another light. Nestled between mountains and forests at an elevation of about 1,100 meters, it offers a more immersive alpine nature experience.

Together, the three lakes form a region where a wide variety of tourism activities can be observed within a small area.

 

Travel – Perhaps the Most Important Sustainability Factor

The excellent rail connections are one of the region's greatest strengths.

From Munich, Tegernsee and Schliersee are accessible via the Bayerische Regiobahn. The train can also be combined with regional bus routes for hikes toward Spitzingsee.

This provides a real alternative to the car.

This is especially crucial for popular tourist destinations. That’s because a significant portion of tourism’s environmental impact comes from travel to and from these destinations.

People who board the train in Munich aren't just reducing emissions; they're also taking some of the pressure off the roads, town centers, and parking lots.

For a region that faces heavy traffic on some weekends, sustainable mobility is thus becoming a key component of its future as a tourist destination.

 

Tegernsee – A Long Tradition of Tourism

For generations, Lake Tegernsee has been one of Bavaria's best-known vacation destinations. Its proximity to Munich, the mountain scenery, and the high quality of life have made it a sought-after travel destination.

This brings economic benefits, but also conflicts.

High visitor numbers are met with limited space. Traffic, second homes, rising real estate prices, and intensive recreational use can affect the quality of life for the local population.

Sustainability, therefore, means more than just nature conservation in this context.

The question is how much tourism a region can sustain and to what extent the resulting economic value actually remains in the local community.

Small hotels, traditional inns, artisanal businesses, farms, and regional producers play an important role in this.

Those who make a conscious effort to shop, stay, and dine with them help ensure that tourism not only brings visitors but also strengthens regional communities.

 

Schliersee – A Nature Experience Between Water and Mountains

Just a few kilometers away, Schliersee offers a more peaceful side of the region.

Around the lake, hiking, biking, and water sports can be easily combined. Many of these activities require very little additional infrastructure.

Hiking, in particular, is a good example of sustainable tourism: the landscape itself is the experience.

Popular destinations in the area include the Schliersbergalm and hikes toward Brecherspitz. If you choose lesser-known trails and avoid peak times, you’ll experience the region in a much more peaceful setting.

The same applies here: Sustainable travel often doesn't start with complicated rules, but with simple decisions.

Not everyone has to go to the same lookout point at the same time on the same Saturday.

 

Spitzingsee—an Alpine lake under particular pressure

Spitzingsee is perhaps the most spectacular of the three lakes in terms of scenery.

Surrounded by mountains, it lies at an elevation of about 1,100 meters and serves as a starting point for numerous hikes and mountain tours. In winter, winter sports enthusiasts also flock here.

However, it is precisely its easy accessibility that makes it vulnerable to high visitor traffic.

On nice weekends, parking lots and access roads can become very congested. At the same time, this is a sensitive alpine natural area.

Therefore, the solution cannot be to keep creating new parking spaces in the long run.

The more attractive public transportation, shuttle buses, and combined mobility options become, the more effectively the number of car trips can be reduced.

Spitzingsee is thus a prime example of many Alpine regions: It is not accessibility that needs to be reduced—but rather dependence on private cars.

 

Activities – Taking It Slow

The lake region offers ideal conditions for a vacation focused on physical activity and experiencing nature.

Hiking, biking, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, or simply taking a stroll along the water require relatively little infrastructure.

The combination of different modes of transportation is particularly appealing: travel by train, continue on foot, cover part of the route by boat, and then hop back on the train.

This gives rise to a form of travel in which the journey itself becomes part of the experience.

In winter, snowshoeing and winter hiking are becoming increasingly popular. Given rising temperatures and unpredictable snow conditions, these activities could become even more important in the future.

 

Staying Overnight – Staying Longer Instead of Just a Quick Visit

A key question for heavily visited regions is: How does a vacationer differ from a day-tripper?

Visitors who stay for several days take advantage of local lodging, dining, and regional attractions. This results in significantly greater local economic impact than a short day trip by car.

Sustainable tourism development can therefore also mean focusing less on maximizing visitor numbers and more on the quality of the visitor experience.

Family-run hotels, guesthouses, and vacation rentals are particularly important in this regard.

Using regional products, saving energy, and hiring local employees further enhances this positive effect.

"More guests" then becomes a different objective: more value added per guest with less strain on the region.

 

Cuisine – The Landscape on Your Plate

Upper Bavaria has a strong agricultural tradition.

Dairy farming, alpine farming, fishing, and small-scale food producers continue to shape the region to this day.

The menus feature cheese and dairy products, fish from local waters, game, meat from local farms, and seasonal vegetables.

Especially in regions with a highly developed tourism industry, the origin of food is crucial.

A restaurant that sources its ingredients locally creates a direct economic link between tourism and agriculture.

In this way, the guest is not only paying for a meal, but also indirectly supporting the preservation of local businesses and cultural landscapes.

 

Sustainability Factor – Not Every Visitor Is the Same

Tegernsee, Schliersee, and Spitzingsee drive home an important point: Sustainability cannot be measured solely by the number of visitors.

What matters most is how people travel.

A guest who travels by train, stays for several nights, dines at local restaurants, and gets around on foot or by public transportation leaves a different environmental footprint than a day-tripper who drives there, stays for just a few hours, and then drives back home.

For popular destinations, this could be precisely where an important strategy for the future lies.

Instead of concentrating as many people as possible in as few places as possible, we should spread visitors out more evenly, encourage longer stays, and make climate-friendly transportation more attractive.

 

Climate Change—The Pre-Alps Are Changing, Too

Climate change doesn't just affect glacier regions.

In the Bavarian Prealps, too, rising temperatures are changing forests, the water cycle, and winter sports.

Droughts put a strain on trees, heavy rains can damage trails and slopes, and winters with little snow call traditional winter sports activities into question.

Tourism regions must therefore take a longer-term view.

Hiking, biking, health, culinary experiences, and nature activities are largely independent of artificial snowmaking and could become even more important in the future.

Sustainability thus becomes not only an environmental challenge but also an economic necessity.

 

Beauty Requires Good Management

Tegernsee, Schliersee, and Spitzingsee are among Germany’s most beautiful lake regions. Yet it is precisely their popularity that makes them an interesting example for the future of tourism.

After all, the key question is no longer just: How do we attract more guests?

The question is increasingly: How can we provide people with a special experience without jeopardizing the very landscape and quality of life that drew them here in the first place?

The region has a key advantage in this regard: it is already exceptionally well-connected by public transportation.

Those who travel by train, stay longer, support local businesses, and explore the countryside on foot or by bike will have just as much of an experience.

On the contrary.

Perhaps sustainable travel begins right there: not trying to see as much as possible in as little time as possible, but rather taking the time to truly experience a place.

 

More information: https://www.tegernsee-schliersee.de/

 

Next episode: Rügen—chalk cliffs, beech forests, and the question of how sustainable tourism can work on Germany’s most popular vacation island.

When Regional Wool Regains Its Value

When Regional Wool Regains Its Value

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A few days ago, I listened to a conversation with Marco Scheel on the podcast “{ungeskriptet}.” In it, the founder of Nordwolle spoke with great enthusiasm about a sustainable project that demonstrates how regional value creation can work in practice.

 

A raw material that has virtually no value left

While sheep’s wool is imported into Europe from far away, domestic wool has few buyers in many places. For many sheep farms, the proceeds do not even cover the cost of shearing. As a result, this regional raw material is sometimes used as fertilizer or disposed of.

Marco Scheel wasn't going to accept that. Since 2013, Nordwolle has been producing outdoor clothing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from the virgin wool of old and endangered native sheep breeds. The story began with the gray-wooled Pomeranian native sheep.

Because there were hardly any processing facilities or markets for this wool, Scheel taught himself traditional techniques. Eventually, he purchased 200 kilograms of Pomeranian sheep’s wool and had his first batch of loden made from it. Today, Nordwolle combines this regional raw material with modern manufacturing processes.

 

Naturally colored instead of artificially colored

No artificial dyes are used. Instead, the natural colors of the various sheep breeds are intentionally incorporated into the products. What might seem like a disadvantage is thus transformed into a distinctive feature.

The project combines several environmental and economic goals:

• A regional and renewable raw material is used instead of being discarded.

• Short supply chains reduce dependence on imported wool.

• Old and endangered native sheep breeds are regaining their economic value.

• Sheep play an important role in maintaining meadows, dikes, and cultural landscapes.

• Durable natural textiles offer an alternative to short-lived clothing made from synthetic fibers.

 

Conviction as a Starting Point

What really came across in the podcast was the personal passion behind the project. Nordwolle wasn't born out of a short-term business idea, but rather out of a love for sheep, regional raw materials, and traditional craftsmanship.

This example illustrates how a circular economy can work in practice: An existing raw material that had become virtually insignificant economically is once again integrated into a regional value chain.

Sustainable innovation doesn't always mean inventing something completely new. Sometimes it means rediscovering the value of what has long been there.

More about the project: Nordwolle

Climate Change Is Becoming a Cost Factor—Europe's Extreme Summer Is Hitting the Economy

Climate Change Is Becoming a Cost Factor—Europe's Extreme Summer Is Hitting the Economy

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Heat, drought, wildfires, and low water levels are no longer merely an environmental problem. The consequences of climate change are increasingly affecting agriculture, businesses, and households—and are thus becoming an economic factor.

UN climate chief Simon Stiell warned the European Parliament this week that Europe's extreme summer could further intensify price pressures. Crop losses, rising energy demand, damage to infrastructure, and higher costs associated with adapting to extreme weather are having an increasing impact on the European economy.

 

This trend is particularly evident in agriculture at the moment.

Heat and drought are hurting crop yields

According to the latest data from the European Commission's Joint Research Center, extreme heat and water shortages have significantly worsened the outlook for summer crops in large parts of Western and Central Europe.

The countries affected include France, Germany, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.

For some summer crops, projected EU yields are now up to 14 percent below the average for the past five years. In regions particularly hard hit, local crop failures are even possible.

Pastures and grasslands are also suffering from the drought. This is putting additional pressure on the supply of animal feed.

 

Water Is Becoming an Economic Factor

According to the European Drought Observatory, critical drought conditions persisted across large parts of Europe in mid-August. Drought alerts were in effect in France, southern Germany, northern Italy, and large parts of the Danube region—including Austria—among other areas.

At the same time, four of Europe’s major rivers—the Rhine, Danube, Loire, and Po—reached exceptionally low water levels in August.

This doesn't just affect nature. Low river levels can disrupt shipping and supply chains, make electricity generation more difficult, and limit the availability of water for agriculture and industry.

 

Climate risks are becoming price risks

This is giving rise to a trend that consumers are increasingly able to feel firsthand.

Declining harvests can drive up food prices. Heat waves increase the demand for electricity used for cooling. Low water levels can raise transportation costs. Wildfires, floods, and other extreme events cause damage to buildings and infrastructure and, in the long term, increase the pressure on insurance companies and public budgets.

Climate change is thus increasingly becoming a price risk as well.

 

Facts & Figures

• Yield forecasts for certain summer crops are up to 14 percent lower than the five-year average

• Severe effects of heat and water shortages in Austria, Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, among other countries

• Severe drought conditions across large parts of Europe

• Exceptionally low water levels in the Rhine, Danube, Loire, and Po

• increasing pressures on agriculture, energy supply, transportation, and infrastructure

 

Conclusio

The economic consequences of climate change often don't become apparent until food prices rise, insurance premiums increase, or companies have to adjust their production and supply chains.

But this is exactly what is already happening.

Climate protection and climate adaptation are therefore no longer just a matter of environmental policy. They are increasingly becoming an economic issue: How high will the costs be if Europe does not adapt its infrastructure, agriculture, and energy supply quickly enough to a warmer and more extreme climate?

The key question, therefore, is less and less whether climate change costs money—and more about how high the bill will ultimately be.

 

Photo: Simon Stiell, UN Climate Chief | © European Union, 2026 / Claudio Centonze | CC BY 4.0