In Hamburg, all signs point to green: with more than 1,500 events and a good dozen international congresses and trade fairs, the Northern German waterside metropolis is in the centre of international attention in terms of climate and environmental protection. With a comprehensive programme of events, stretching out over several months, the European Green Capital 2011 is going to present the decisive factors that contributed to the EU Commission awarding this title to Hamburg. Guided tours, public viewings, presentations, information and cultural events invite guests from near and far to gain an insight into Hamburg’s climate protection scheme.
In addition to that, Hamburg is hosting a wide range of international trade fairs and top-class conferences addressing climate change, renewable energy, resource protection and sustainability both in Europe and on a global scale. Here, one of the highlights will be the sixth Extreme Weather Congress, to take place from 12 to 15 April, during which the most recent findings in global climate change will be presented.
In May and June, several international conferences will be addressing the climate situation and the use of renewable energy in the Near East, North Africa and the Baltic Sea states. The “goodgoods” trade fair, Germany’s first sustainable consumer goods show, to take place from 27 to 29 May, will present sustainable products and services in the fields of living, fashion, technology, mobility, nutrition and health on an exhibition space of 8000 square metres. The aim of “goodgoods” is to reconcile the awareness of environmental responsibility with quality, function and design.
The most recent trends in green technologies will be presented at the “H2Expo”, an international conference and trade fair covering hydrogen, fuel cells and electrical drives. The conference will be held for the eighth time on 8 and 9 June and will address the most recent developments in the field of energy supply, and the automotive, aviation and shipping industries. It will also discuss current trends and developments in this field. For the first time, the fair expands to include fields that are closely linked to electrical movement technology, electrical energy storage and hybrid systems, making it a platform for comprehensive information about energy and advanced transport technologies.
Another highlight of the Green Capital series of events will be the world’s largest gathering of the photovoltaic solar energy industry at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition EU PVSEC, which is considered the most important conference and exhibition for photovoltaic solar energy worldwide. The exhibition is taking place from 5 to 8 September, simultaneously with the conference that runs from 5 to 9 September. Hamburg is hosting this leading event in the photovoltaic industry for the second time, again becoming an international meeting point for representatives from the industrial and scientific communities in the fields of renewable energies and environmental technologies. During the conference and the exhibition, new products and technology innovations from all fields of photovoltaic cells will also be presented to an international specialist audience.
The international conference “acqua alta” will be held from 11 to 13 October, accompanied by a specialized exhibition about the impact of climate change on flood protection. “acqua alta” is the only exhibition and conference event worldwide dedicated to expert exchanges in matters of climate change and protective measures, and the impact of climate change on flood protection and disaster management. It provides a forum for politicians, business experts, academics and experts to discuss the latest developments and strategies in a whole range of issues linked to climate change.
Moreover, it is also worth mentioning that other “green” exhibitions have been held in Hamburg, such as REISEN HAMBURG, which is considered one of the biggest tourism and caravanning exhibitions in Northern Germany. From 9 to 13 February, special offers for environment friendly holidays were presented here, including information dedicated to the latest travel equipment for biking lovers. Furthermore, INTERNORGA, the international trade fair for hotels, restaurants, public catering, bakeries and pastry shops, was held from 18 to 23 March. The trade fair, which is considered the largest of its kind in Europe, witnessed the participation of about 1,000 exhibitors from 25 nations. It offered pure information and much more to the trade visitors from all over the world.
With its programme of events, Hamburg is initiating a dialogue that will combine expertise and open up new perspectives for climate and environmental protection. Hamburg is setting the bar for international environment and climate protection – a fact that is also proven by the Hamburg Senate’s comprehensive climate protection approach that integrates a wide range of measures into a long-term strategy. Hamburg’s dedicated climate protection scheme was one of the decisive factors when being awarded the title of “European Green Capital 2011” by the EU committee. As an international port and industrial hub that is constantly growing, Hamburg has still successfully reduced its CO2 emissions by 15 percent since 1990. By the year 2020, CO2 emissions are planned to be reduced by 40 percent, and can even be reduced by 2050 to 80 percent. Measures for achieving this objective include sustainable management and construction, eco-friendly transport, nature conservation, as well as educational programmes and sustainable consumption.
Today, it has become one of Hamburg’s trademarks to integrate active environmental protection into the challenges of a dynamic trading and port economy, thus reconciling economic success and ecological foresight. Thus Hamburg serves as a striking example in showing that a prosperous business location with Europe’s third-largest port and more than 500 industrial plants can make a valuable contribution to global climate protection. What is more, the renewable energy sector is growing beyond average: hundreds of companies, primarily from the fields of wind, solar and biomass energy, are located in the Hanseatic City of Hamburg.