U-Bahn campaign in Hamburg: U-Turn for the climate for the World Environment Day!

U-Bahn campaign in Hamburg: U-Turn for the climate for the World Environment Day!

Hamburg, Deutschland - In Hamburg, an original campaign for the World Environment Day provides attention. The signs were reversed at several central subway stations, including town hall, Jungfernstieg, Landungsbrücken and St. Pauli. This measure bears the name "U-Turn for the Climate" and was initiated by the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) and the Hochbahn. The aim of the campaign that runs until Tuesday is to point out the importance of using buses and trains for climate protection. As the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund Website toast.

The campaign is part of a broader initiative to raise awareness of the effects of our mobility decisions on the climate. In view of the multi -layered challenges that climate change brings, the promotion of sustainable mobility is of central importance. This challenge is also examined by the Federal Center for Political Education . Data show that the transport sector in Germany outlined 165 million tons of CO2 in 2019, which corresponds to almost the level of 1990.

The urgency of a rethink

In 2022, emissions rose slightly to 148 million tons of CO2, which exceeded the legally defined annual goals by 9 million tons. In order to achieve the climate goals, a decline from 85 million tons of CO2 is required by 2030. This means that emissions have to be almost halved within a decade. These figures illustrate the urgency of a rethink in transport policy.

The proportion of the traffic sector in the energy -related greenhouse gas emissions in Germany is about a fifth. Much of these emissions comes from road traffic, which causes around 96 % of greenhouse gases in traffic. Cars with 61 % and trucks with 36 % contribute to this. The initiative of the Hochbahn and the HVV is therefore a small step into a necessary social movement towards more sustainability.

The challenges for mobility

Despite increasing electric vehicle numbers, which make up almost 30 % of new registrations, motorized private transport remains dominant, while local public transport is often not sufficiently promoted. Traffic policy in Germany continues to promote car and truck traffic, which hinders progress in the direction of more environmentally friendly mobility. The Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan provides 133 billion euros for road construction, while only 112 billion euros are planned for rail expansion.

In summary, the Hamburg's “U-Turn for the climate” campaign shows that it is increasingly important to put the importance of local public transport in the foreground as part of the climate protection measures. It is a clear message: In order to achieve the defined climate goals, changes in the traffic sector are essential. The initiative is seen as an impetus to further promote the discussion about sustainable mobility and to promote concrete measures to reduce CO2 emissions.