Monika Griefahn

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You are here: Home / Cradle to Cradle / Municipalities as important drivers for a true circular economy

28. May 2022 | BLOG Team

Municipalities as important drivers for a true circular economy

Picture shows Tim Janßen, Nora Griefahn and Sören Bartol.

Tim Janßen, Nora Griefahn and Sören Bartol (l-r). Photo: C2C NGO

Municipalities in Germany procure billions of euros worth of goods and services every year: local authorities decide how kindergartens are to be built. Districts plan local public transportation. They are responsible for hospitals and schools. In short, they shape things. The fact that municipalities with this creative power are a decisive driver for an economy that selects healthy and environmentally compatible materials that are also recoverable – that is what Cradle to Cradle (C2C) means – was underlined by the “C2C Summit: Shaping Communities of the Future” of the Cradle to Cradle NGO, which took place on May 12, 2022 at the C2C LAB in Berlin.

As with past events of the C2C NGO, it became apparent how much environmental and health-friendly and resource-saving circular economy would actually already be possible, if only consistent action was taken. It is good that with this event the NGO is focusing on those actors – public administrations – who can really make a difference. Consistent municipal development with C2C as a guiding principle encompasses all relevant areas of a municipality, from procurement to construction to mobility, infrastructure and local resource management. The possibilities to act environmental and health-friendly are therefore huge.

MATERIAL PASSPORT A MUST FOR EVERY BUILDING

One of the guests at the C2C LAB was Sören Bartol, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs. He informed the audience that in the coalition agreement, the German government plans to introduce a digital building resource passport in order to better track material flows. Understanding buildings as pools of materials is an approach that Cradle to Cradle has been pursuing for decades, and it is good that it has now reached the decisive bodies.

If you know what’s in your building, and then build it in a way that makes disassembling easy, you have a lot to gain when it comes to the issue of reusing materials. Considering that a significant portion of the waste generated in Germany is construction waste (in 2019, it was 230.9 million tons, according to statistics from the Federal Environment Agency), it’s clear that action is needed.

The event at the C2C LAB brought much to the point and was an asset to the debate, which absolutely must continue on this topic. Click here for the detailed press release (in German) with many interesting practical examples.

Filed Under: Cradle to Cradle, General Article

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Insights

Appointments

March 28, 2023: Keynote at the Automotive Industry Association VDA on “New Solutions for Climate Neutral Drives” Read more about the conference here (in German).

March 30, 2023: Participation in the real estate congress of the Federal Association of Free Real Estate and Housing Companies (BFW). Discussion in the panel “Departure into the circular economy.” Click here for the program (in German).

April 4, 2023: Announcement of the “Potato of the year” in the open-air museum at the Kiekeberg

April 20, 2023: Start of the four-day nature film festival Lüneburger Heide under the patronage of Monika Griefahn. You will find the program here shortly (in German).


Nature Film Festival Lueneburg Heath

Planning group for the next Nature Film Festival Lueneburg Heath.

April 20-24, 2023: 2nd Nature Film Festival Lueneburg Heath with Monika Griefahn as patron. At four venues in the region of the Lüneburger Heide Nature Park, after 2021, it is once again: “Film off!” Visitors can expect fantastic nature films, stirring documentaries and, above all, great conversations with filmmakers and experts. From now on, check the status of the program planning at www.films4future.de (German).


Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021

Logo C2C-Congress

Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021: Because of the Corona pandemic the C2C Conress took place in three parts this year: The first one was on June 14, 2021 in Freiburg. The second took place on September 7, 2021 in Mainz, the third November 4, 2021 in Mönchengladbach.


eFuels

Synthetic fuels are one of the decisive factors for the energy transition away from fossile fuels. That is why I am committed to the further development and practical use of eFuels and became a member of the Sounding Board of the eFuel Alliance in May 2021.
English website of the eFuel Alliance


Climate committee

Constituent session: Photo: City of Buchholz / Helms

In May 2021, the climate committee was constituted in the climate forum at my place of residence in Buchholz in the Nordheide. I am pleased to be chairwoman of the advisory board! The city has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral and there is still a lot to do to achieve this. The committee advises the municipal  administration on fundamental questions of climate policy.
To the article on the Buchholz website (in German)


Right Livelihood Laureate 2021

Right Livelihood Award

They stand up against violence and climate change and address the most pressing questions of our time: Marthe Wandou (Cameroon), Wladimir Sliwjak (Russia), Freda Huson (People of the Wet’suwet’en, Canada) and the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (India) are the winners of the Right Livelohood Award (“Alternative Nobel Prize”) 2021. Please find here the award ceremony documentation or read more about the laureates in our blog.


Federal Order of Merit

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

Our CEO Dr. Monika Griefahn received the Federal Order of Merit. Please read more about her biography and about the award ceremony in our blog.


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