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Mayor Prof. Dr. Schwandner's Speech at Six Party Talk - Road to Rio+20

 

November 18th 2011
Zhuhai, China
 
 
 
Dear Mr Zukang (Under Secretary General of the United Nations),
Dear Mr Downey (President of the International Downtown Association),
Dear Mr Cheng (President of the Global Mayors Forum and “United World Chinese Association”),
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Once upon a time there was a planet.
Let’s call it ‘Earth’.
 
It suffered a strange virus.
Let’s call it ‘mankind’.
This virus had a certain problem.
It needed the planet to live; but it didn’t care about its health.
Instead, it caused serious damage.
 
That went on and on for years and years.
Until, one day, an idea came to life.
Small and silent at first, then bigger and bigger, louder and louder.
The virus became self-conscious.
It suddenly recognized it was biting the hand that fed him.
 
 
So, the virus questioned its behaviours and beliefs.
And it came to the conclusion it was about time to change them.
From that day on, there was hope for planet earth.
 
Ladies and gentlemen,
We have come together to add another chapter to this story.
There was a dramatic change, a turning point.
But the climax has yet to come.
We don’t just have to turn; we also have to walk.
That’s what we’re doing today.
And that’s what we’re doing next June in Rio.
 
 
I’m excited to be part of the China Sustainable Development Forum.
And I’m thankful you invited me.
There a two reasons for that.
 
First, my hometown of Oldenburg, Germany, is a competence centre for environmental technology, sustainable economy, renewable energy, electromobility, and energy efficiency.
We cover the whole production chain of sustainable development:
Fundraising and financing, research and development, energy production as such, grid integration and distribution, power storage and balancing, even weather forecasts and wind predictions.
You name it, we got it.
 
Let me elaborate further on two points.
First: electromobility.
This topic is going to be huge, if it isn’t already.
Traffic contributes one fifth to the carbon emissions in Germany.
The savings will be massive, if we could optimize both, mass transportation and individual traffic.
We have to ask ourselves: How do we want to travel?
 
 
The best solution would probably be if all people would just ride their bikes – like they do in Oldenburg and in China.
But let’s be honest: that won’t happen.
So, we have to work further on effective yet practicable solutions.
 
The second point is: renewable energy.
In the last thirty years, Oldenburg has developed vast knowledge and experience in sectors like wind energy, solar power, bio mass and geothermic energy.
Still we’re innovators and pioneers.
 
 
For example, an energy supplier from Oldenburg runs the first and – thus far – only offshore wind farm in open sea environment.
It was also the first wind farm in the world to operate with 5-megawatt-turbines.
 
Don’t worry, we don’t rest on our laurels.
We’re always striving to do better.
We expect decentralised energy production to be the next big thing.
In the future, there won’t be huge power plants; there will be millions of virtual power plants in private households.
Maybe we’ll get into that in the discussion.
 
 
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to brag about our competences.
I want you to know, because we want to help.
We don’t have to reinvent the wheel again and again.
If there is a concept or a method that may apply in other parts of the world – why don’t we share it?
To quote Deng Xiaoping:
“No matter if it’s a white cat or a black cat.
As long as it can catch mice, it’s a good cat.”
 
Sure, there may be economic interest and money issues.
 
 
But let’s do first things first.
Let’s tell each other, what we think, what we know, what we do and what we plan.
That could already inspire new actions to save the planet.
And that’s what it’s all about.
 
I mentioned there are two reasons why I’m excited to be here.
The second reason is the form of collaboration.
I think the international approach is pretty much necessary.
The health of planet earth is not limited by territorial boundaries or national borders.
 
 
We have to face the challenge globally.
 
It’s a brilliant idea, that decision-makers come together to tackle shared problems around the world.
I consider this a promising exchange of concepts and ideas.
It’s an efficient and effective way to find new insights and – possibly – solutions for one problem or another.
 
Ladies and gentlemen,
I’m not only excited to be here, I’m also proud.
I think we’re doing a right thing and we’re doing it a right way.
 
 
So I’ll stop talking about it instead of doing something.
We have nothing less to do then save the planet.
 
Thank you for your commitment.
And thank you for your attention.