State Secretary Adler backs flexible, targeted solutions in utilities supply and waste management
Gunther Adler, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Environment and Building, opened the two-day RETech beacon conference "Sustainable Waste Management and Recycling Concepts in Mega Cities" in Berlin. The event aims to inspire sustainable waste management and circular economy in megacities and to shine light on the opportunities and challenges this presents for the stakeholders involved. The international conference is funded in the framework of the BMUB’s export initiative for environmental technologies.
State Secretary Adler explained: "German recycling and waste management businesses, municipal service providers and universities have comprehensive knowledge about developing a modern circular economy. We can make this know-how available and share it. Through capacity building and knowledge transfer, we are contributing to sustainable development. At the same time, we are creating a framework for tapping into global sales markets."
The growth in the world population is accompanied by increasing urbanisation. Currently, around 50 percent of people around the world live in cities; in a few decades, it will be 80 precent. Megacities, quickly growing metropolitan areas, and new major cities springing up in developing countries and emerging economies face formidable challenges, particularly in utilities supply and waste management. Planned development frequently lags behind growth. There is no magic bullet for structural planning in megacities – flexible, location-specific solutions are necessary.
At the RETech conference, which is funded by the BMUB in the framework of its export initiative for environmental technologies, presenters from international megacities like Hong Kong, São Paulo, Dubai, Singapore and New York will speak about their experiences and plans. They will discuss potential solutions with representatives from German businesses.
The BMUB’s export initiative for environmental technology supports the foreign business operations of German green enterprises by promoting the construction of environmental infrastructure. The export initiative aims to make knowledge about and the application of environment and climate technologies and innovative green infrastructure more widespread and more robust in target countries. This support initiative especially benefits small and medium-sized businesses that need assistance in internationalising their green spectrum of services. The growth of global demand for environmental, climate and efficiency technologies opens up great opportunities on the international market for German businesses. In addition, this initiative is also intended to promote information about international environmental standards and frameworks and their use.