To the Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate Malu Dreyer, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck
This petition is run byThe Round Table for Renewable Energies (Runder Tisch Erneuerbare Energien)
Petition text
A flood disaster destroyed large parts of the Ahr valley in Rhineland-Palatinate in the summer of 2021. The reconstruction of the entire area in the district of Ahrweiler must be done sustainably.
Now the right lessons must be learned and implemented: "100 percent renewable energies by 2030 at the latest". This is the only way to effectively reduce greenhouse gasses in the region, create new sustainable jobs, and create a model for renewable energy production.
The Ahr valley can become a model region for renewable energy and serve as a positive example for other rural regions in Germany and Europe.
This project is called: "From Ahrtal to SOLa(h)rtal". Scientists have shown that it is technically and temporally possible to convert the entire region to a model for renewable energy. And that is what we are demanding for the region: to generate 100 percent of electricity, heat, transport and industry consumption from renewable energies by 2030.
However, the state and the federal government have refused to recognise the project’s status and financing since September 2021.
Therefore, we call on the responsible politicians to:
- Keep the promises you made before the elections and make available as soon as possible the budget funds of 10 million euros decided at the district level for the project "From Ahrtal to SOLa(h)rtal".
- Ensure that this money is well spent, because it invests in the imperative of climate neutrality and thus reduces energy costs in the medium term (assuming a sensible energy and climate protection policy).
Why is this important?
In mid-July 2021, Germany was rocked by a massive flood. The most affected area, the Ahr valley, mourns 134 deaths. Many people, flood victims and helpers, are still traumatised. (1) Now, the politicians and the population must do everything to promote the reconstruction of the Ahr Valley and to inform and support the inhabitants as best as possible. A group of scientists has developed an energy concept that shows how this reconstruction can be an opportunity for the region and for our climate. At the heart of this concept is a holistic approach to housing, work and mobility, in which the electricity for heat, transport and industry is generated 100 percent from renewable energies by 2030. (2) The project, supported by more than twenty environmental and climate organisations, offers the severely damaged region the chance not only to repair the damage, but to become a role model of potentially global significance. (3)
We must not wait for climate change-related disasters to accumulate and become overwhelming. (4)
What is needed is sustainable and forward-looking reconstruction that guarantees a future worth living for the affected citizens. There is great support for this project among the population. (5) Politicians and government representatives at the state and federal level must keep their promises now and provide the necessary funds for a promising 100% renewable energy region. On August 10th, the federal and state governments already agreed on a reconstruction fund of 30 billion euros. For the conversion to the SOLa(h)rtal, 10 million euros were finally decided at the district level, but have not been released until today. (6)
The reconstruction of the Ahr valley as a model region for sustainable energy management is technically possible, makes economic sense, reduces climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions and creates new future-oriented jobs in the region. So what are you waiting for? Support the people in the Ahr valley, do your part to save our planet, and release the necessary financial resources.
Five renowned scientists from the circle of "Scientists for Future" and the Solarenergie-Förderverein Deutschland e. V., with the support of the Round Table Renewable Energies, have shown how to make it a reality in their paper "From Ahrtal to SolAHRtal".
The implementation of the ambitious contents of the concept is to be carried out in a project structure according to local political resolutions.
REFERENCES (in German):
(1) https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/flut-in-ahrweiler-so-gross-ist-der-schaden-104.html
(2) Impulskonzept für den Wiederaufbau: „Aus Ahrtal wird SolAHRtal“ (energiewende-2030.de);
https://sfv.de/aus-ahrtal-wird-solahrtal
(3) https://energiewende-2030.de/ahrtal-solartal/
(6) Ahrtal wird Solartal – Ist die Regierung mit im Boot oder nicht? – pv magazine Deutschland (pv-magazine.de)
Wiederaufbau samt Energiewende: Der Weg zum SolAHRtal ist möglich - Wirtschaft - Rhein-Zeitung;
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From Ahrtal to SOLa(h)rtal
