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Climate Protection is worthwhile


The opinion that climate protection is expensive is just as wrong as it is widely spread. Apart from the contribution to the preservation of the global climate, energy-saving and climate protection measures on local level bring about concrete advantages and relieve the strained position of public money especially in the times of high energy costs.


Climate protection...

… saves money
Economy and Ecology can be unified. This is shown more clearly at no where other than by the energy and cost saving  which the local authorities achieve through optimising the use of energy in their own buildings. Especially in times of limited financial resources and high energy prices expenditures can be reduced through improved technology, heat insulation and efficiency. In contrast, not effected  restorations heighten cost pressure of the authorities. Cities which do not make use of known saving possibilities waste not only energy , but also public money.


… revives local economy
Each Euro which a city gives out for the promotion of heat insulation, restoration of heating facilities or installation of solar collectors creates new jobs for the local handicraft and in small and medium-size businesses. The additional employments and reduction of annual energy costs of households and businesses lead to strengthening of buying power and revive the regional economic circle.


… as capital investment
Through "energy saving-contracting", local authorities can reduce their energy costs by 30 to 70 percents without using their own funds. The trick: a contracting company plans and realises energy saving restoration of swimming pools, schools or administration building and  prefinance the measures. The financial commitments of the companies shall be repaid within a guaranteed payback period from the actual savings of energy costs. In this way private capital in the population can be mobilised, which earns interest through the acquired savings of energy costs and shall be paid back to the stockholders in an agreed period (guarantor-contracting). Only in the European Union, through more than 100 contracting projects between 1996 and 2004, a total of 146 millions Euro was saved and 79,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions were reduced.


... improves the quality of life
Exhaust gas and other pollutants as well as dust particles often blow over the cities like a smog dome. The increase of motorised traffic, noise and pollutants has a negative effect on the living quality and health of the population. The promotion of renewable energies means purer air, less dust and noise and a healthier environment.


… makes independent
Investments in renewable energy sources, decentralised power supply and efficient technologies make the local authorities more independent of high energy and electricity prices and create a secured long term supply. With rising energy prices and sinking costs for efficient technologies renewable energy sources become more and more economical. Renewable energy is available unboundedly and is nowadays already in many places competitive to finite fossil energy sources.


… creates a positive image
Cities and municipalities which voluntarily engage in climate protection and implement progressive climate protection concepts save not only energy, money and carbon dioxide, but also maintain along the way their image as a environment friendly authority. This is mostly appreciated positively by the public. So is, for example, the improvement of quality of life through a notable reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide und sulfur dioxide an aspect that health resorts like to use for their tourist promotion advertisements.



 

 

 

 

 Save energy - save the climate - save money: Guide for local and regional governments,
  pdf 1333 KB