environment

Budapest Zoo ranked among Europe’s best! – Programme Guide

Budapest Zoo has been ranked 15th on the Sheridan list of top zoos in Europe and occupies the top spot in Hungary.

The unofficial Sheridan list ranks zoos based on visitor experience, the parks’ level of services, and the professional work carried out in the zoos.

Budapest Zoo scored 207 points, putting it in 15th place on the list of Europe’s top 126 zoos.

As such, it beat the zoos in Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo, and several other major European menageries.

The ranking is compiled by British zoo expert Anthony Sheridan, who turned to reviewing Europe’s top zoos in 2007, after a successful business career in the electronics industry.

The Budapest Zoo ranked 17th out of 110 zoos on the last Sheridan list released in 2018. The institution has improved its ranking by two places in recent years, while the total number of zoos included in the evaluation has also increased.

Budapest Zoo

Budapest Zoo enables visitors to discover the wildlife of seven continents in the Hungarian capital. The wide range of animal curiosities – more than 8,000 unique animals – live in the fascinating historic zoo on a territory of 11 hectares.

Budapest Zoo5 — Photo: www.facebook.com/allatkert/

Read also6 interesting facts about Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden − PHOTOS

Budapest Zoo3 — Photo: www.facebook.com/allatkert/

Among others, you can get an insight into the Australian or Madagascar wildlife, discover the America Tropicana and the Savannah Zone or get immersed in the World of Waters. The bravest ones should not miss the house of giant reptiles or the bat tent either, after which they can finish their tour in the relaxing atmosphere of the Butterfly and Botanical Gardens of Budapest Zoo.

In the wintertime, the zoo is open from Monday to Sunday from 6 am to 4 pm. Tickets – adult tickets cost HUF 3,300 (€ 10), children’s tickets cost HUF 2,200 (€ 6) – can be bought online or on site.

Programme guide

This weekend, Budapest Zoo awaits its visitors with a special bear carnival.

At the event, you can see brown bears and polar bears being fed, as well as sea lions being trained. Find more details about the programme HERE.

The entrance for children under 14 years of age in a costume or with a teddy bear is HUF 200 per person. Tickets can be purchased from 29th January at the ticket offices or online.

Read alsoThe best zoos in Hungary — PHOTOS

January 29, 2022

Budapest’s iconic square beautifully renewed – PHOTOS

The renovated square is in the 9th district of Budapest. Bakáts square is an important meeting point, where many locals spend their free time in Ferencváros. Interestingly, it is also one of the favourite squares of Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest.

According to epiteszforum.hu, compared to the original plans, more green areas were created in the Bakáts square. Furthermore, the developers included many social functions there. They will inaugurate them in the following days, and locals can test them in the next two months.

The local government and the capital provided the needed financial support for the project, which followed the plans of the Garten Stúdió. Samu Balogh, the chief of staff of Budapest’s mayor, shared some photos and information about the square.

Read also: This is what Budapest’s new green oasis will look like! – PHOTOS

He wrote that the subcontractors created more green areas than the original plans contained. Despite the original 225 m2, they made 1730 m2 green. That is eight times more than the original state and 30 pc more than the 2018 plans. There are 98 trees instead of 69, and they placed a drinking fountain there for people and dogs. Moreover, they replaced ten diseased trees and placed benches on the square. Furthermore, they built tables for check and mill games, a combined MOL Bubi station and a micro-mobility platform. Finally, there is a bicycle store for 100 bikes, as well.

They will build a temporary stage and a bleacher for 348 people for the summer. Thus, locals can expect a variety of outdoor programs from this year. They created „kiss&ride” parking lots in front of the school, where parents can stop shortly, and children can get out of the car. They also made a 25-metre-long loading bay to support local shops. In front of the church, there is a traffic-free area for pedestrians. Meanwhile, behind the building, there is an extended green surface.

Krisztina Baranyi, the district’s mayor, said locals would test the new square for two months. That is because the implementer will correct the errors people report. She added that locals and tourists would experience the full-scale beauty of the square in spring when the plants turn green.

Read alsoBudapest ranked as the world leader in tram transport

January 29, 2022

PM Orbán: opposition covets power and harms the nation’s interests

Regarding opposition criticism of the way the government has handled the pandemic, PM Viktor Orbán said in his morning interview that his political opponents had gone “too far”. “There is always a better way to do things,” he said, adding that it was the opposition’s role to highlight those.

Accusing the opposition of “coveting power to the extent that harms interests of the nation, the country and the population”, however, he added that protection efforts should not be politicised.

Orbán said the operative body set up two years ago had been working to save lives, “and

they deserve better than to be attacked for it.”

He said the security of Hungarian citizens had always been the cornerstone of the protection efforts, and that went for vaccines too. The vaccines delivered as aid to other countries are reserves that would expire before they could be administered to Hungarians, so “it is better to give them away than to throw them out,” he added.

Regarding vaccine procurement, Orbán said: “It would be a mistake to expose Hungary to the group of Western pharmaceutical companies rallied by the European Union.” This way, Hungary can “show we are not here to provide extra profits to anyone,” he said. Commenting on the government’s decision to cap the prices on seven basic foods, Orbán said it could not be left to market players to solve the situation. The government, he added, would continue to

protect Hungarians “until things get back on track,”.

Read also: This is why Hungarian Olympic champion Csollány died in COVID

Growing energy prices rooted in politically motivated decisions are driving the inflation, Orbán said. “Brussels’ energy policy has failed,” he said. Climate protection should not be “forced” by imposing high energy prices, Orbán said, because that would lead to general price increases. “Policymaking in general should be about reconciling various viewpoints such as climate protection and social considerations,” he said.

The Hungarian government, the prime minister said, had “for years protected families by cutting utility prices”. Climate policy should focus on ensuring that

large polluters bear the brunt of the costs, “rather than letting Brussels burden Hungarian families,”

he said.

press_statemen_end-of-year-international_press_conference_orban

Read alsoPM Orbán: “we want our own children, not foreign children, to inherit this country”

January 28, 2022

Paks nuclear power plant development by Russia to start this May

European and global climate goals are impossible to achieve without the use of nuclear energy, the Hungarian foreign minister said after talks with Russia’s deputy prime minister in charge of energy, on Thursday.

Péter Szijjártó held talks online with Alexander Novak which focused on European nuclear energy regulations.

In a Facebook post, he said that “thanks in large part to its Paks nuclear power plant, Hungary is among the 21 countries in the world that have been able to cut their greenhouse gas emissions while increasing their economic output.” The construction of the new Paks plant will allow Hungary to prevent the emission of 17 million tonnes of harmful gases a year, he added.

Read also: This is how the Russians will build Paks II nuclear plant in Hungary

He welcomed the emergence of a strong alliance led by France within the European Union taking on the task of lobbying Brussels towards labeling nuclear energy as a sustainable and environment-friendly energy source.

Szijjártó said he had briefed the Russian deputy prime minister about his talks on Wednesday with the executives of Rosatom, the general contractor of the Paks upgrade, and their approval of the schedule of the project for the next months. “If the permits submitted get approved,

the project can enter the implementation phase in May,“

he said.

Read alsoTwo new blocks in Paks expected to produce electricity in 2029-2030

January 28, 2022

Hungary to manufacture electric trucks from 2025 – PHOTO GALLERY

The Hungarian Ministry for Innovation and Technology has recently reported to MTI that one of the largest Russian automobile industry companies will launch a new research and development facility this year in Hungary with over sixty highly trained engineers.

The ministry has also highlighted that the facility will employ twice as many professionals in two year’s span, reaching the full capacity of the new research facility. Moreover, from the middle of the decade, the Russian company could also establish a factory in Hungary to increase its productivity as well.

A letter of intent and the details of the cooperation were signed between the Hungarian Ministry for Innovation (ITM) and Technology and the leaders of the KAMAZ automobile company on 24 January.

According to Hellómagyar, the negotiations for establishing bilateral cooperation in the field of electric vehicles started between the Hungarian ITM and KAMAZ last summer.

Read also: Production starts of first electric car manufactured in Hungary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehRyOjycKXQ

This cooperation would be realised in two steps: the first focuses on research and development.

Hellómagyar reports that the Hungarian side of the partnership provides a world-class testing environment, encouraging university and industry partnerships and engineering team building. The Hungarian research and development facility could employ 130 professionals by the year 2024.

The ministry added that following that year, the construction and operation of the production facility could begin in 2025 at the earliest, launching production with 32,000 electric vehicles yearly.

Based on preliminary planning, the production facility could increase its output tenfold by 2030. In order to accomplish this, the two parties may form a joint venture.

Read also: Central Europe’s largest bus factory opens in Hungary!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6OT-aQrBU0

KAMAZ Group is one of the largest automobile companies in Russia, and it is among the top 20 manufacturers of heavy goods vehicles (HGV). The Russian company has over 60 different models of HGVs on offer, but its portfolio also includes buses, motorbikes and trailers.

Lácsló Palkovics, the Hungarian Minister for Innovation and Technology has highlighted about the letter of intent that:

“Automobile manufacturing is an important asset in Hungarian domestic economic growth, industry performance, employment and export. Hence, it is in Hungary’s unequivocal interest to strengthen its capabilities in all areas concerning the sustainable future of the automobile sector currently going through a paradigm shift.”

Read alsoBrand new Hungarian-developed electric buses have arrived — PHOTOS

January 28, 2022

Next Hungarian president prepares for ideological cold war

“I am prepared to take action rather than gestures,” Katalin Novák, the ruling parties’ candidate for president said in an interview published by the weekly Mandiner on Thursday. “We must be prepared for an ideological cold war with freedom against licentiousness,” she said in her interview.

Novák called for “finding common areas to manifest the unity of the nation” and mentioned national pride, protection for families, promoting the national heritage and young talents as such areas. She also pledged to suspend her (ruling Fidesz) party membership once elected.

As president, Novák said she would strive for good neighbourly relations with other countries, adding that

“Hungary is a key player in cooperation between central European countries”.

Concerning the current situation, Novák said the coronavirus pandemic and inflation were the greatest challenges. She welcomed that “wages and family assistance have increased considerably” since 2010, but added that wage hikes should be continued especially in health and education. But in the long run “it is of paramount importance that

Hungary should stay a Hungarian country”,

she added.

On another subject, Novák called for vigilance because “in the West LGBTQ propaganda is targeting kindergartens and schools” and voiced agreement with a government-initiated referendum on the subject. “It is my conviction that parents should have the primary right to educate their children. Anyone influencing minors behind their back and contrary to their intentions is wrong,” Novák said.

Read also: Hungary’s next President announced what she will do in early 2022

Touching upon the election campaign, Novák said “social media has now become a part of everyday life … demanding more and more, becoming more and more aggressive and personal”.

“I have always avoided harming the human dignity of others and will continue to do so,”

she added.

As for environmental protection and sustainability, Novák said it was natural for her not to waste anything. In her childhood, she said “it was natural to use whatever we could and never throw away food”. “Sustainability starts with having a young generation to pass an environment-friendly attitude to. If there is no next generation, there is nobody to preserve the Earth for,” she said.

On the subject of the rule of law, Novák said that protecting the constitutional order was a presidential task irrespective of political affiliation. “I will not assist to toppling the rule of law,” she insisted.

Read alsoNovák: Becoming 1st female President of Hungary would bear great responsibility

January 27, 2022

This is what Budapest’s new green oasis will look like! – PHOTOS

The new green oasis in the 12th district of Budapest will be constructed within the framework of the renovation project of Városmajor. Presumably, the so-called “Green Corridor” will link Vérmező, Tabán, and Gellért Hill parks along the Ördög-árok valley, all the way to the Danube.

Budapest’s new oasis could cover 600-700 thousand m2 that has already been included in the plans for the renovation of Városmajor. The green corridor would improve air quality by increasing green areas, planting new trees and well-maintained recreational areas, and it would also provide residents with more sports facilities and outdoor activities.

As Hungarian news portal Portfolio reports,

the green corridor is planned to link the Vérmező, Tabán, and Gellért Hill parks along the Ördög-árok valley, all the way to the Danube.

green_corridor2 — Photo: www.facebook.com/fürjesbalázs

The green corridor in Budapest’s 12th district will be easily accessible. One way of ensuring this is to calm traffic on connecting streets that link Városmajor and Vérmező. Cars will be banned from entering and parking in the area. Additionally, several surrounding streets will be converted into pedestrian and cycle-friendly zones to create a truly green corridor.

Dávid Vitézy, the CEO of the Centre for Budapest Transport, highlighted that a significant part of the environmental renovation can only take place after the development of the southern circular railway. Many of the affected areas are connected to the construction site.

budapest_southern_railway3 — Photo: www.facebook.com/vitezydavid

budapest_souther_railway4 — Photo: www.facebook.com/vitezydavid

“While the central part of the planned green corridor, the Hamzsabégi Promenade, has been a valuable green space and park for residents for years, the beginning and the end of the axis from Budaörsi Road to the Danube are now rather unorganised and lacking in function. The other side of the railway embankment, the area around Sárbogárd and Dombóvár Roads, is also affected by the planning, and the missing link between the two sides will be created by the pedestrian and cycle crossings that will be built as part of the railway project.

budapest_southern_railway2 — Photo: www.facebook.com/vitezydavid

This entire area will become a coherently landscaped, pedestrian and cycle-friendly corridor, with traffic calming where needed. The priority is to create humane, liveable, green, and urban spaces at the crossing main roads, including the Bartók Béla junction, Csonka János Square or the area under the Buda bridgehead of the Rákóczi Bridge,” said Dávid Vitézy.

budapest_green_oasis — Photo: www.facebook.com/vitezydavid

Presumably, the development of the southern circular railway will be completed at the end of 2027.

Therefore, it will take some time until the construction of Budapest’s green corridor is completed. Still, the visual plans clearly reflect the main purpose: to regenerate the area around the railway by the end of the project, reported Hungarian news portal Portfolio.

Read alsoThis is how Budapest’s City Park to become car-free

January 27, 2022

Fidesz MEP: we demonstrated our strength against left-wing green ideology

A total of 78 MEPs from fourteen countries have signed a Polish initiative calling on the European Commission to take into consideration regional differences and stop increasing energy poverty when introducing climate policy regulations, ruling Fidesz MEP András Gyürk said on Tuesday.

Gyürk said in a statement that the initiative published as an open letter was an “important move against the left wing’s increasing attempts of exerting pressure”.

“We have demonstrated our strength against left-wing green ideology,”

he added.

Read also: Outrage! Bosnians say Orbán wants to murder Muslims

The signatories of the initiative welcomed the EC plan to give green classification to investments in nuclear energy and natural gas, Gyürk said. At the same time they said Brussels was not sufficiently taking into consideration regional differences and failed to act against energy poverty. In order to achieve change, more resources must be made available for projects involving nuclear energy and natural gas because these are required to keep public utility costs low and fulfil climate goals, he said.

As a first step, the signatories called on Brussels to improve its proposal concerning the taxonomy regulations, Gyürk said. The Hungarian signatories included Gyürk and two other Fidesz MEPs: Enikő Győri and Edina Tóth.

Featured image: illustration

Read alsoHungary breached EU merger rules

January 26, 2022

Budapest Airport cuts carbon emissions to half of 2011 level

In 2021, Budapest Airport once again took huge steps to maintain its carbon neutral operations and achieve its sustainability goals. Last year, the company further reduced its direct carbon dioxide emissions, which are now half the level of ten years ago, while emissions per passenger were only one third of 2011 levels. In 2021, Budapest Airport set itself the primary goal of achieving net zero emissions 15 years earlier than the previously commitment, by 2035 at the latest, through the so-called zero carbon roadmap. Last year, the airport operator was again part of the global elite club of just 58 airports that fulfill airport carbon accreditation 3+ and are carbon neutral, i.e. fully offsetting the carbon emissions generated by their operations. A green summary of 2021 for Ferenc Liszt International Airport.

Net zero emissions by 2035

As the airport operator is committed to sustainable growth and environmental protection, in 2019 it officially joined ACI’s “NetZero by 2050” initiative, a commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2050 at the latest. However, Budapest Airport announced last October that with the help of its net emissions reductions scheme, it is working hard to reduce its net emissions to zero up to 15 years ahead of the current deadline of 2050, by 2035. The airport operator has taken significant and real steps to reduce its carbon footprint over the past year, with direct carbon emissions from the airport now only half of what they were ten years ago. With this commitment, Budapest Airport aims to become the first airport in the region to achieve net zero carbon emissions, setting an example for other European airport operators.

However, Budapest Airport is able to most effectively reduce the environmental impact of the airport when it works in cooperation with its airport partners. It therefore launched its Greenairport program in 2015. The aim of the 40 partners participating in the initiative is for the airport and the organizations operating there to work together and help each other reduce their carbon footprint and the general impact of their operations on the environment. The main aim of the program is to reduce the airport’s carbon footprint, by reducing energy use, creating opportunities for renewable energy, developing electric mobility, reducing water consumption, phasing out single-use plastics, and encouraging selective waste collection and waste reduction at the airport.

Budapest Airport part of 58-strong global elite team

Budapest Airport was awarded ACI carbon neutral certification for the fourth time last year, continuing to be one of 58 airports in the world that operate in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner, fully offsetting the carbon emissions generated by their operations. Airport carbon accreditation, launched by Airports Council International, is the only institutionally endorsed, global program that assesses the carbon emissions of the world’s airports, through a six-tier certification scheme.

read also: Budapest Airport reached records in the volume of cargo!

According to last year’s assessment, only 58 airports globally are carbon neutral, like Ferenc Liszt International Airport; they are the ones that currently meet the stringent requirements specified by ACI for level 3+. This means that, thanks to its consistent environmental strategy, the company is working with its airport partners to reduce emissions from its operations as much as possible and neutralizes the remaining emissions, by purchasing carbon credits. Budapest Airport is committed to achieve level 4+, thanks to efforts to be implemented in the next few years, placing it amongst the global leaders of the world’s airports in terms of sustainable operation and emissions reduction. Only 14 airports in the world currently meet the requirements for the highest levels, 4 and 4+, set in 2020.

Last year, Budapest Airport concluded its first ESG-based financing agreement, i.e. one that is responsible from an environmental, social and corporate governance perspective, which is unique among airports not only in the region, but also in Europe. Eligibility for ESG financial products highlights the company’s commitment to sustainability, as well as other socially relevant issues, in its day-to-day operations. ESG-linked instruments can provide benefits in the form of lower financial costs (or “greenium”) for organizations that achieve ambitious ESG goals.

As part of the agreement, Budapest Airport committed, amongst other things, to meeting its full electricity needs entirely from renewable sources, to develop a solar power plant with a minimum capacity of 5 MW and to install at least 100 new electric charging stations at the airport. Secondly, in the financing agreement, the airport committed to achieve ACI’s highest level of carbon neutrality, 4+, by the end of 2023. The airport operator is constantly working to explore new opportunities to even further improve corporate social responsibility, in order to make sustainable decisions during its operation and financing.

Budapest Airport keeping the area around the airport clean

The vicinity of Ferenc Liszt International Airport, in the area belonging to Budapest, Ecser and Vecsés, includes a number of locations that are frequented by large numbers of people for recreational activities, be it sports, dog walking, spotter activities, or just a pleasant afternoon outdoors. Last year, however, these public spaces were often used for illegal waste dumping by unknown persons. Budapest Airport therefore joined the initiative of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology and the Public Benefit Non-profit Limited Company for the Development of Industry to eliminate the illegal dumping of waste in public areas. The company used the approximately 13 million HUF of funding awarded under the “Clean up the country!” tender to install barriers, cameras and wildlife cameras in the affected areas around the airport and to remove more than 633 cubic meters of illegally dumped waste from areas outside the fence. Thanks to the cameras, the dumping of waste has virtually ceased in recent months, and the area is once again clean for those who would like to spend their leisure time there.

Developments in line with sustainability objectives

The airport operator implemented a number of developments in 2021 with sustainability objectives in mind, all of which support the reduction of the airport’s carbon footprint.

Amongst other projects, the heating center of the airport was modernized; by applying heat insulation to more than 2500 fittings providing heating for office, warehouse and hangar buildings, the airport saves 170 000 cubic meters of natural gas and 340 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year, also significantly reducing environmental burdens.

Budapest Airport also supports the reduction of environmental impacts by developing e-mobility and encouraging the use of electric vehicles, both inside and outside the airport fence. 76 ground handling vehicles, as well as 10 fleet and manager cars were recently replaced with electric or hybrid models upon the operator’s initiative, saving 140 000 liters of fuel and 350 tons of carbon dioxide a year in total. Budapest Airport has installed 42 electric vehicle chargers so far, and, in addition to improving public transport, it has constructed a bicycle road to the terminal. In December 2021, the government included Budapest Airport in the list of projects to be financed by the Connecting Europe Facility for a major development of its electric charging infrastructure, whereby it will install an additional 165 e-charging stations for ground handlers, airport staff and business vehicles, from a budget of 1.3 billion HUF.

The airport operator purchased 840 MWh of green energy in 2021, which is equivalent to the monthly electricity consumption of 3500 households of four people. The airport also recently procured additional, larger amounts of green electricity, by which it will ensure that 65% of its 2022 power demand is supplied from renewable sources, while from 2023 onwards, all electricity consumed on the territory of Budapest Airport will be from renewable sources.

Sustainability criteria are now a standard requirement for all airport developments. Budapest Airport is also currently working hard on important new developments, including the temporary reopening of Terminal 1 and the new Terminal 3, to serve the expected future growth in passenger numbers and to provide even better service quality for its passengers. In addition to these major developments, several new investments were completed in 2021: the airport’s new Main Gate (where roof-mounted solar panels provide part of the building’s electricity needs), the turbo roundabout in front of Terminal 2, the new airport bicycle path and Pier 1, all of which, together with several smaller improvements, were built with sustainability in mind, taking into account environmental considerations in terms of materials, energy use and traffic optimization.

In line with its sustainability goals of zero carbon emissions, energy efficiency and transport developments, Budapest Airport also joined the STARGATE consortium in 2021, as part of which it undertook, amongst other things, to develop and put in place a cloud-based, paper-free air cargo handling system. The project, led by Brussels Airport, has secured nearly 25 million euros of support from the European Commission, within the framework of the Green Deal program.

Read alsoThe last air crash at Budapest airport — VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY

January 25, 2022

Hungarian airline Wizz Air commits to being one of the greenest

Wizz Air is launching the Wizz Air – Fly the Greenest Sustainability Campaign, which could further strengthen its position as an industry leader as the greenest airline.

Wizz Air sent a statement containing their aims and goals to iho.hu.

New campaign

Wizz Air’s latest campaign aims to raise awareness of the company’s sustainability efforts. Wizz Air CEO József Váradi wrote an open letter to travellers, outlining the airline’s seven green steps and encouraging them to make the right decision when flying.

7 points

Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest-growing airline, is committed to serving more and more passengers in the most sustainable way possible. Here are seven reasons why Wizz Air is the greenest choice when it comes to air travel:

The average carbon footprint of a passenger travelling on a Wizz Air plane is only 57.2 grams per passenger kilometre (pre-epidemic level). If all airlines were as efficient as Wizz Air, CO2 emissions from European aviation would be reduced by thirty-four per cent in one day.
Wizz Air does not fly half-empty aircraft, in order to avoid unnecessary pollution.
Wizz Air does not have a first class, which is also one of the factors of unnecessary emissions.
The airline only flies on direct routes. One takeoff, one landing, no transfers, no extra fuel burning.
Wizz Air has the youngest, most modern fleet of competing airlines in Europe.
The airline uses world-class engines and aircraft, which are key to low emissions.
There is no direct train route of less than four hours on any of Wizz Air’s routes.

Read also: Emergency landing: here is why a Paris-Debrecen flight landed in Budapest

CO2 emissions

Wizz Air has one of the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre in Europe and is paying close attention to reducing its CO2 emissions by twenty-five per cent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.

Read also: Wizz Air passengers forced to wait half a day in Stockholm

Wizz Air operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, which currently consists of one hundred and forty-nine aircraft belonging to the Airbus A320 / 321 / neo family. The average age of the machines is five years, which is well below the industry average (around ten years). The number will fall to 3.6 years by 2024 and to 3.2 years by 2026, further strengthening the airline’s commitment to sustainability.

The CEO thinks of an even more promising future

“Wizz Air is an ambitious airline, and our strategy is to expand the company to a fleet of five hundred aircraft over the next decade while continuing to offer affordable travel for all. The campaign shows how growth and sustainability can go hand in hand and encourage those who want to travel to take into account the facts and the latest technology when deciding on aviation instead of vague promises for the future,” said József Váradi, the CEO of Wizz Air, to iho.hu

Read alsoThe last air crash at Budapest airport — VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY

January 23, 2022

Green party pledges to reduce motor vehicle traffic in Budapest

Opposition LMP’s organisations in Budapest approved a political declaration at their congress on Saturday that aims to reduce motor vehicle traffic.

LMP said in a statement that if they enter government, their aim is to “go beyond words and take action that ensures Hungary’s move towards sustainability”.

Read also: Green party: only a government change can save Lake Fertő

The party wants to reduce traffic with proportional tolls on vehicle use and engine emissions. LMP would introduce a 30km/h speed limit in all residential areas with the exception of thoroughfares.

LMP also pledged to oppose the construction of “elite foreign universities” with taxpayer money, the expansion of Budapest’s international airport and the construction of new buildings in City Park.

The party said it would promote cycling and pedestrian traffic and increase green areas in cities.

Read alsoMost sustainable building in CEE built in Budapest- PHOTOS

January 23, 2022

CEO of Budapest Airport announces his vision for 2022

Budapest Airport has recently posted on their social media page about Chris Dinsdale’s keynote address about the start of 2022. Dinsdale is the CEO of Budapest Airport, and he has shared his thoughts about the airport.

You can find the his key thoughts below, thanks to Budapest Airport. For more information about the airport, make sure to visit their social media site or browse from our other articles of the airport. You can find the original post HERE.

Chris Dinsdale’s remarks

“’The two most powerful warriors are patience and time,’ writes Lev Tolstoy in War and Peace.

Well, we have indeed started the New Year in that spirit. Many say that 2022 will be a year of creative power, full of positive energy and the power of change. One thing is for sure, we are already feeling this. A new year has begun, with new opportunities, new goals and new ideas to be implemented.

I feel that 2022 is the time for Budapest Airport. For a company that is committed to working every day to make Ferenc Liszt International Airport, or should I say The Airport, a worthy national gateway for passengers arriving and departing from Hungary. Even though the pandemic has been decimating our passenger traffic (and thus, unfortunately, our financial position as well) for more than two years, this period has taught us a lot.

First and foremost, patience. When I look out of my office window, I can still see a huge number of aircraft parked here, still grounded by the pandemic. It is not easy to see the positives in this sight, it is not easy to remain optimistic. Yet the team that manages the airport today worked every single day last year and the one before to ensure that we emerge from this crisis with sustainable growth, as quickly as possible. In 2021, we were named the best airport in the region for the eighth time, we were accredited carbon neutral for the fourth time, we achieved the best passenger satisfaction results compared to our competitors, we were named the most attractive employer in the service sector and we won the Oscar of the PR industry with our installation made for the airport’s seventieth birthday. Despite the pandemic, we have managed to rebuild more than half of our earlier 2019 monthly traffic, with 80% of destinations now available from Budapest again, with the addition of some new ones. So, when I look out of my office window, I am fortunately greeted by the sight of more and more aircraft taking off, which ultimately gives us a sense of optimism as we start this year.

But we also used the other “warrior,” time. We didn’t waste a minute last year, and I’m grateful that the slowing traffic gave us a chance for self-assessment and planning. For introspection. What we have to take stock of and what we have to do in the coming years. We have completely rewritten the airport’s strategy, which will define our development and developments over the next 5 years. We have produced a rich plan that reflects the determination and the ambition of all of the company’s employees. We have laid the foundation that will determine our actions in the period ahead, and we have also drawn up a precise map, showing the successive steps along the way. From 1 January, we follow this map from milestone to milestone, with full speed and vigor. This will not only help us to find our way in the good times, but will come in particularly handy if we are again caught in a storm – and not just because of the fifth wave of the pandemic.

I would like to highlight three very important strategic pillars – quality, capacity development and sustainability. All three will be with us in the decades to come, even more than before. In three years, we have spent more than 70 billion HUF on airport developments, which means an average of 2 billion HUF per month. This dynamic development – and the qualitative leap that goes with it – will continue to gain pace and will characterize our airport even more in the years ahead, as we will reopen Terminal 1 and start the construction of Terminal 3. We are doing all this while continuously reducing the airport’s carbon footprint. We would like to achieve net zero emissions by no later than 2035, having already halved our direct carbon-dioxide emissions and reduced emissions per passenger to a third in ten years.

And why are we doing all this? Well, the answer is simple. For even greater passenger satisfaction, higher quality, for our sustainable operations and respect for the environment.

These are ambitious plans; I wish us all the strength and perseverance to see them through, and to continue to be a proud gateway for the world to explore all that Hungary has to offer, and for Hungary to explore the world. Let’s make 2022 a memorable year!

WE are BUD”

Read alsoShut off ticket vending machines caused serious trouble at Budapest Airport

January 15, 2022

President Áder: International dialogue cannot be built on lies, denial of truth

International relations and dialogue cannot be built either on lies or the denial of truth, President János Áder said at a New Year’s reception to members of the diplomatic corps in Budapest on Monday.

Áder told the event at the Palace of Arts (Müpa) that during his tenure in office he had represented values that were important to him as a Hungarian citizen, as someone who thinks of future generations, as a father and a grandfather.

The president thanked the diplomats and the countries they represent for their partnership “in countless areas” such as when it came to accepting, declaring and representing truth.

Áder noted that

in 2013 he and his Serbian counterpart had paid tribute to the Hungarian and Serbian victims of the second world war, apologised for the crimes committed against each other’s peoples and vowed to make peace and move on from the past.

The president also noted that last year he and his Slovak counterpart inaugurated the restored Ferenc Rákóczi II castle in Borsi, in southeast Slovakia, and agreed that Hungary and Slovakia’s shared heritage connected the two countries.

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Áder also highlighted the 60th anniversary of the Holocaust when he declared in Budapest, at the former concentration camp of Mauthausen in Austria, in Auschwitz and Jerusalem that discrimination based on any ground such as religion or ethnic origin was unacceptable.

He also highlighted his addresses to the United Nations’ climate summits, his role in mobilising countries to set more ambitious climate protection goals and his work in the Presidential Water Council. Áder said that

during his presidency he had pushed to ensure that environmental protection was “not just a PR stunt, but the cornerstone of our mindset and actions”.

Áder added that during his visits abroad he had highlighted innovative Hungarian technologies, which he said served not only Hungarian economic interests but also a greener future.

When visiting Hungarian communities across the world, Áder said he had always highlighted that ethnic Hungarians were an asset to bilateral ties. Referring to his visits to Hungarian troops in foreign missions, he said that Hungary was a reliable and faithful partner in peacekeeping efforts.

The president said those encounters had cemented his faith that cooperation could be “more than a symbolic gesture, a carefully worded statement, or paragraphs in coldly polite protocol agreement”.

Cooperation could mean a lot more; it could be “braver, more active, and more efficient”, he said.

Concluding his speech, Áder quoted Robert Schuman as saying that global peace cannot be ensured unless creative efforts are made against the forces jeopardising it, and wished “a will to build peace, strength and health to cope with difficulties, to reject lies and accept truth, and creative efforts matching the perils” to participants.

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January 11, 2022

Hungarian company aims to conquer the US food market

Is it possible for a Hungarian company to break into one of the largest meat-producing industries in the world with a meat analogue product? Plantcraft, with the help of funds from the X-Ventures Gamma venture capital fund, certainly wants to try.

According to the company’s website, “Plantcraft was founded in 2018, by Csaba Hetenyi and Kati Ohens”. While working on a different food-related project, Kati, the employee of Csaba at the time, realised that they could create a ground-breaking plant-based meat analogue that would have a great impact on the increasingly popular environmental protection trends of recent years. They then decided to create Plantcraft.

Plantcraft told Forbes that they have developed a meat analogue from natural sources of plant proteins. What is more, all of their products are vegan while also being free from soy, gluten, and additives.

They currently have pátés and pepperoni in their product line, which they are hoping to extend. They have won the title of best meat substitute at the New York Plant-Based World Expo.

Plantcraft 1 — Photo: facebook.com/plantcraftfood

The future

Hopefully, this emerging sector will be as successful as some market research institutes think; Allied Market Research predicts a yearly 8% growth for meat substituting products in the market between 2018 and 2025. This means that the sector could reach a turnover of 7.5 billion dollars.

Another research institute, Bernstein, is much more optimistic. They have predicted that the industry of meat analogues could become a 40-billion-dollar business in the coming decade.

Plantcraft 2 — Photo: facebook.com/plantcraftfood

Plantcraft 3 — Photo: facebook.com/plantcraftfood

Hungary enters the competition

Hungarian startup Plantcraft would like to join this up-and-coming industry and popularise their meat analogue products among a wider audience. Moreover, they would like to offer a substitute for the products of the meat industry that are negatively impacting the environment.

According to Forbes, Plantcraft developed their recipe with the help of a Hungarian biotechnologist. Since then, their work has been supported by an incubation company in Berlin and by the Budapest-based CEU Innovations Lab.

Hellómagyar writes that Plantcraft mainly focuses on the US market as, according to them, more and more people are buying meat substitute products on a daily basis.

Plantcraft expects that their trade in the US could reach 3 million dollars by the end of 2022. They also aim to be available in over 1,200 stores and 500 food service establishments by the end of the year.

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January 8, 2022

Green party: only a government change can save Lake Fertő

Only a new government formed by the opposition parties could guarantee that Hungary’s protected areas including Lake Fertő can be saved, a lawmaker of green LMP said on Thursday.

Authorities have recently issued construction permits for “a gigantic property investment” planned on the lakeshore which would cover a much larger area than planned before, Péter Ungár told an online press conference.

“There is nothing against the development of the lake region, but what it is about here is that interest groups linked to [ruling] Fidesz want to transform the area and not arrange for its proper protection,” Ungár said.

Should the opposition parties come to power in the spring, they will make sure to maintain Hungary’s protected areas,

he said.

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LMP earlier criticised government plans for touristic investments affecting the lakeshore, including a hotel, a yacht club and a sports centre. UNESCO, ICOMOS, the EU’s environmental agency and several Hungarian and international green NGOs have sharply criticised the project.

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January 6, 2022

Over 70,000 Hungarians participate in consultation on environmental protection

More than 70,000 Hungarians took part in an online consultation on environmental protection launched by the government last year, the prime minister’s commissioner for social affairs said on Tuesday.

Zsolt Nyitrai told a press conference that the number of respondents made the consultation the most successful survey on environmental issues to date.

Detailing the results of the survey, Attila Steiner, the state secretary for climate, energy policy and the development of the circular economy, said

97 percent of respondents identified sustainability as a key issue.

The survey found that most Hungarians supported Hungary’s climate goals, with 81 percent backing them on the condition that they did not endanger the country’s energy security.

More than 85 percent of respondents agreed that the world’s top polluters should bear the costs of transitioning to a sustainable future, he said.

Altogether 67 percent expressed support for raising fines for illegal waste dumping, while 22.6 percent favoured even tougher penalties, the state secretary said.

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Nearly to 99 percent said they would welcome a new deposit return scheme for single-use plastic bottles. Meanwhile,

the installation of solar panels was backed by more than 95 percent, tree planting schemes by 98 percent and the reduction of single-use plastics by 90 percent of respondents.

Around half of respondents named renewable energy as the key to meeting climate protection goals, with many also highlighting afforestation and efforts to raise public awareness.

Close to 95 percent of respondents supported the development of an eco-friendly public transport system, while 87 percent agreed with the importance of preserving the country’s natural heritage in national parks, Steiner said.

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January 4, 2022

The first day of 2022 was the warmest January 1st in 101 years

We have just written a snippet about the weather going crazy on New Year’s Eve and breaking century-old records around the country, especially in western Hungary, but it seems that the weather continues to surprise us and the record-breaking continues in 2022 as well.

Időkép, a weather forecasting website wrote that the previous record set in 1921 in Budapest, the Hungarian capital have been already broken before noon on January 1^st, 2022.

It is almost as if spring had arrived to Hungary a few months early. Even though Hungary had a mild winter in 2021, and white Christmas only came to a few places, it is still shocking that meteorological stations have recorded over 17 °C on New Year’s Day in the country.

The Hungarian Meteorological Service have posted on their Facebook page that the previous all-time high on January 1^st was broken by over 2 °C.

Previously, the all-time high was held by Sopron with 15.3 °C recorded in 1921, while the current highest was recorded in Főnyed with 17.5 °C.

Budapest’s record was also broken. In 1921, they recorded 13 °C on the top of Gellért Hill. Yesterday, the temperature was 14.4 °C at Lágymányos, but Ferihegy (in the area of Budapest Airport) and Újpest was only lagging behind by 0.2 °C.

The Hungarian Meteorological Service also highlighted, that 50 of their weather stations have recorded higher temperatures than a 101 years ago.

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January 2, 2022

Number of electric vehicles grew by 50% in Hungary

The number of fully electric vehicles in Hungary grew by 50 percent in January-October, to 18,800, the Future Mobility Association said on Friday.

The association projects the number of full EVs on Hungarian roads will reach 30,000 at the end of next year, then increase to 75,000 after three years, and to 125,000 by the end of 2026.

Association chairman Gábor Pukler noted that full EVs first produced in large number 4-5 years ago are now showing up on Hungary’s used car market, increasing availability.

He said used EV prices are determined not by their production year or the number on their odometers but by the distance they can travel on a single charge.

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January 1, 2022