environment

This is why you should visit the FCI European Dog Show in Budapest – PHOTOS

Perhaps the last major event of the year, the FCI European Dog Show opened on Tuesday 28 December, at Hungexpo. Helló Magyar thought that, as dog lovers, they must check out the first day.

The event, originally scheduled for May, had to be postponed to the end of the year due to the pandemic. Hence, the FCI Dog Show became the closing event of the “One with Nature” – World Hunt and Nature Show. The show was also visited by Helló Magyar.

The biggest event involving dogs in Hungary and Europe is held at Hungexpo in Budapest this year. Between 28 and 31 December, each day a colourful range of programmes will entertain dog lovers.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

The exhibition is jointly organised by the World Canine Organisation (Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in French) and the Hungarian National Association of Dog Breeders (MEOE Association).

Tickets are averagely priced. Adult tickets are available for HUF 3,500, while senior citizens and students can visit the dog fair for HUF 1,800.

The event can be divided into two parts. There is a large area (Pavilion A, D, E) where the dog show itself takes place with judges and “competitors”. Concurrently, there are programmes and performances, by and with dogs every day in Pavilion G.

Dog show

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

Those professionally involved with dogs in Hungary were very much looking forward to the event. Understandably, as the last time our country hosted the FCI was in 2008. According to the organisers, around 16,000 dogs from 57 countries will take part in the four-day event. We can see it already in the car park that visitors have come from all around the world. There are several caravans and minibuses, meaning people traveled thousands of kilometres just to compete with their pets at the FCI.

The climax of the event will be on 31 December. The breed group winners (selected from the breed winners), will compete for the title of Europe’s most beautiful dog. On the afternoon of the 31st, the winner of the most valuable trophy will be chosen from 16,000 dogs. If you are a fan of the domestic breed, you are especially recommended to attend the World Meeting of Hungarian Dog Breeds on 30 December.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

It is important to note that the show is a very serious competition for the participants. The winners of the breed championships and other prizes do not only bask in the glory of the awards. Winning also has a significant impact on breeding practices. The price of offsprings can easily be inflated due to international recognition.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

The dog owners attendees invest an incredible amount of energy, time and money into their pets. It is more of a professional league, with very few enthusiastic “amateurs”. It is also clear from the equipment that some families or groups of friends have been competing in this field for a long while. Depending on the breed, competitors have their own beauty table and grooming products, and many take their own mobile stirrups and cages to the four-day European Championship.

One thing is for sure: if you are a dog lover, you will not regret attending the FCI show, where only the best of Europe compete. On top of that, you can meet some special dogs up close that you have only seen in pictures.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

However, it is also fun to watch the more popular dog breeds compete so that you can see what a “real” German Shepherd, Dachshund or Golden Retriever looks like.

Presumably, the organisers are focusing on the competitors, because people who are simply interested like us are not really provided with information. There were no maps or descriptions at the entrances to the pavilions, so many people just wandered around the vast area without any clue.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

There is also no timetable on the stages so that visitors could learn about the upcoming events. Unfortunately, we could not find any support staff when we had questions to ask. At such a large-scale event, the minimum expectation is to have organisers at the entrances who can direct guests and provide information. This is what we missed the most.

We would also have liked to get rid of our winter coats, but this was not possible, as to our surprise, the cloakroom was not open. It goes without saying how uncomfortable it is to walk around for hours like this, especially when you have to carry your winter coats but also want to take photos of your favourite breeds.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

Other programmes

The huge stage and temporary grandstand in Pavilion G were very well designed and, for a better experience, you can even follow the demonstrations on large screens.

The organisers are planning to have obedience and rally obedience performances, service and search dog demonstrations, dog dancing performances, distance directing performances and the Hungarian breed agility championships. We checked out the obedience show, which attracted a couple of dozen people on Tuesday at noon. This venue will be full when the event moves here in the afternoon and the judges announce the winners of the day.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

The number of vendors at the exhibition was very low, partly due to the cold weather and partly due to the end of the year.

On the central streets between the pavilions, there were a few stalls where you could buy food specialities. In Pavilion G, there were dog souvenirs on sale (blankets, statues, mobile kennels and the like). This exhibition will not become the favourite event for gastronomy lovers, as the selection was moderate and also quite expensive. For example, we tried some pork cuts with chips, asked for mustard and bread on the side, and although it was a large portion, we ended up paying HUF 5500.

FCI Kutyakiállítás Budapest, 2021. Fotó: Helló Magyar ©️

Summary

This event is truly only recommended for dog lovers, as the dogs often get up close and personal with the visitors, and people who are less fond of dogs could possibly feel tense during this time.

But those keen on dogs will love the closeness and even a few petting sessions, with the owners’ permission of course.

All in all, we do not regret visiting the FCI European Dog Show, and if you can, go to Hungexpo in the next few days. You can find the official website and the programme schedule here.

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Opposition would set up ‘green ministry’

Hungary LMP green party
The opposition LMP party on Wednesday pledged to set up a “green ministry” and to stop environmental destruction should the party come to power at the general election in the spring.
 
Reviewing the events of 2021, party co-leader Erzsébet Schmuck slammed the government for “a long list of measures endangering this generation’s lives and livelihood” as well as the liveable environment in the future. Environmental destruction also causes serious economic damage and increases poverty, she told an online press briefing.
 
Schmuck insisted that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán “feels the pressure over the cabinet’s policies that speed up climate change …
 
and is attempting to greenwash those measures.”
 
Hungary continued to veto European Union climate goals in 2021, and the government failed to take steps to curb emissions, adapt to climate change or protect green areas, she said. “While the prime minister goes on about taxing large polluters in the EU, he signs strategic cooperation agreements with large corporations at home,” she said.
 
 
After car manufacturing, the
 
government is subsidising battery manufacturing, another “high polluting industry”,
 
she said. Meanwhile, Orbán “insists on expensive and dangerous” nuclear energy, she said.
 
Meanwhile MTI reported that the share of renewables in Hungary’s gross final energy consumption rose by 1.3 of a percentage point to 13.9 percent last year, an annual report released by the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH) shows.
 
Also the share of energy from renewable sources in transport increased by 3.5 percentage points to 11.6 percent.
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New Hungarian arena boasts never-before-seen architecture – PHOTOS

Kanizsa Arena 2

Kanizsa Arena, one of the latest sports arenas in Hungary was designed and built keeping in mind two important factors of modern architecture. The constructors wanted to build it as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible, while also making the buildings disabled-friendly for both athletes and spectators.

Magyarépítők reports that the building was finished about 2 weeks ago in the middle of December. They highlighted that the technology used to make the building’s construction more eco-friendly and solid, has never been used in Hungary before. This technology made several features of the building feasible to create.

The designer studio that worked on the sports hall is Pauliny & Partners, who designed several architectural masterpieces in Hungary, such as Budapest’s latest malls, the Etele Plaza, the Bicske Healthcare Centre and the Budapest ONE Business Park among many others. They also designed buildings for other countries, such as Finland, Greece and Romania among others.

Kanizsa Arena 1
Source: paulinyiandpartners.com

The architectural studio claims that they are “one of the most prestigious groups of engineering companies with important history in Hungary and it is considered to be one of the market leaders”.

Kanizsa Arena was built as part of the Modern Városok (Modern Cities) development program. Magyarépítők wrote that it is not only a sports hall, but it can also be used for other purposes, such as organising concerts and other cultural events.

Read also: Debrecen Airport to build a new terminal – here are the visual designs

It has 3,000 seats on the spectator stands and it can be extended to have an additional 2,000 seats. This means that the multifunctional sports and events hall can house a total of 5,000 people if necessary.

The designing team, Pailiny & Partners thought it would be important if the main sports area could be divided to several smaller fields. The main hall is wide enough to have two handball fields next to each other, but it can also be divided in a way to have three basketball courts lengthwise.

This is very beneficial as the Kanizsa Arena will not be used only by professional athletes but also by local schools to hold PE classes and public sports events.

read also: Most prestigious construction award won by futuristic Hungarian bridge

Magyarépítők highlights that the economical footprint of the construction was very low. With the new technology, they were able to lessen the CO2 impact of the building to 0,42 tonnes per square metres. The Allianz Arena in München had a CO2 impact of over 1 ton per square metre.

To further mitigate the environmental impact of the building, a 32,000 square metre green area will be developed around the arena, including a green leisure park. The architectural company said the following about the environmental impact:

“During planning we aimed to make every effort to ensure environment conscious location planning and also environment conscious building, energy efficiency, efficient water usage and optimal inner comfort. On the roof surface of the building we ensure the possibility of the placement of a photovoltaic system.”

The lively interior also includes further five training rooms for martial arts practitioners and another room with mirrors installed. The designers included an on-site doping test station and a buffet as well.

Magyar Zene Háza House of Hungarian Music
Read alsoCheck out this mesmerising new building in the heart of Budapest – PHOTOS

Most sustainable building in CEE built in Budapest- PHOTOS

Servita Square Building, developed by Horizon Development, has become the first mixed-use development in Central and Eastern Europe to achieve a LEED Platinum environmental certification for its sustainable design, environmentally conscious technologies and innovative built-in solutions.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and it is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED certification expresses that a building is designed, constructed and operated in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way that ensures electricity cost savings and lower carbon emission rates.

A few days ago, Servita Square Building received the highest level of LEED environmental certification in the LEED v4 BD+C (Building Design and Construction) accreditation system, confirming the project’s sustainability initiatives and the viability of future-conscious solutions, writes Portfolio.

So far, no other mixed-use building has received this prestigious environmental certification in Central and Eastern Europe.

Read also: Brand-new green district centre to be built in Zugló, Budapest – PHOTOS

Szervita Square Building is a mixed-use, sustainable commercial building located in downtown Budapest. The 7-storey building offers retail and office premises and luxury residential units.

The “unique shape, lightweight and ethereal structure, soft facade contours and reflecting surfaces” of Szervita Square Building fit perfectly in the historic setting.

“With its abundant natural light, functional and inviting interiors, flexible layouts, natural proportions, cosmopolitan ambiance, and excellent accessibility and visibility, it is an ideal office and retail destination in the CBD with maximum brand exposure,” emphasises Horizon Development.

Szervita Square Building has already received numerous awards. For example, in 2019, it was awarded the “Future Project 2019” title at the 3rd CRE Awards and this year, it was selected the “Best Mixed-Use Development 2021” at the 23rd FIABCI Hungarian Prix d’Excellence.

It also has to be noted that the real estate market in Budapest is at the forefront in terms of green ratings in Europe.

The rate of green ratings in the city’s total office stock of 3.96 million square meters increased from 32% to 43% in five years.

79% of the buildings are BREEAM-certified and 35% are LEED-rated. The rate of WELL-certified buildings is still relatively low (3.5%) compared to other European countries.

building
Read alsoBudapest’s astonishing Hungarian House of Music to open soon! – PHOTOS, VIDEO

Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo ended on Sunday

Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo ended on Sunday

Climate change and water crises are not partisan issues, and plastic pollution is threatening people regardless of their political convictions, President János Áder said in his Blue Planet (Kék bolygó) podcast on Monday.

In the podcast where he answered questions regarding the Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo, which ended on Sunday, Áder said the expo had presented solutions offered by 183 exhibitors in the agriculture, food safety, water management, waste management, energy effectivity, transport and smart cities sectors.

The expo showcased solutions developed in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and especially targeted young people with interactive programmes,

he said.

Áder warned that overconsumption in households, the industry and services sectors threatened with the current quality of life becoming impossible in 50 years.

Regarding the return of the investment in the expo, Áder noted that

the three Budapest Water Summits organised previously had received a total of 1.5 billion forints (EUR 4.1m) in state funding and brought a “threefold return on the investment according to conservative estimates” by improving the position of Hungarian companies on the market, creating new jobs and promoting climate friendly solutions.

Áder said he “hoped” that within a few years, the monies invested in the expo would flow back into state coffers from the exhibitors who showcased their solutions and found new business opportunities at the fair.

Planet-Budapest-2021
Read alsoThis is why you should visit the Planet Budapest 2021 expo – PHOTOS

These Hungarian tram stations play music composed by plants

E.ON

E.ON and ACG Communications Agency made a unique campaign. Thanks to sonication technology they put music generated from the bio-vibrations of the plants on speakers.

E.ON decided to bring nature closer to people. Recently, they have launched a campaign with the help of ACG Communications Agency. – writes raketa.hu. The two companies decided to put speakers at two tram stations in Budapest.

Now, people in the Hungarian capital city can listen to the music generated from the bio-vibrations of plans at Széna square and Szent Gellért square while waiting for the next tram to catch. The locations were chosen carefully. These two stops are usually loud and the air is polluted due to traffic. To make them more relaxing and bring the passengers closer to nature, the stops were decorated with live plants. The installation includes ivy, heather, and moss.

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“The base of environmentally conscious thinking is the respect towards nature because if we know and respect the opportunities that are hidden in it, a stronger motivation develops inside us to protect it. The goal of the campaign is to remind people of the importance of nurturing a closer connection with nature, and thus to promote environmentally conscious thinking.” –  Blikk quotes Rita Alberti, creative director of ACG.

“With this gesture, we wanted to give an unexpected beauty to the passengers, put a smile on their faces while waiting, and show how important green thinking is to E.ON.” – Zsuzsanna Károlyi, head of brand and marketing of E.ON Hungária Group added.

The music played at the stations is generated through biotechnology.  Plants have bio-vibrations and these are recorded with a device called “Music of the Plants”. Sensors are attached to the plants’ leaves and roots, and the bio-vibrations are converted into MIDI data. Then they are converted into sounds and music.

The campaign indeed brings people closer to nature. Even if someone lives close by or passes by the two squares, they can easily change their route to witness the beauty of nature. The relaxing sounds and the unique oasis-like atmosphere of the stations can be very appealing and beneficial to people’s wellbeing.

If you are in Budapest, it is worth visiting these two stations to admire the installations or listen to the music. If you do not wish to spend extra time commuting, HERE you can also listen to the music.

Dubai-crown-prince
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Budapest Airport among world leaders in carbon neutrality

budapest airport

Budapest Airport has been awarded carbon neutral certification for the fourth year in a row, continuing to be one of the 362 airports in the world that operate in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner, fully offsetting the carbon emissions generated by their operations. Budapest Airport joined the Airport Carbon Accreditation program in 2011, and during this ten years, it has halved its direct carbon dioxide emissions and reduced carbon dioxide emissions per passenger to one-third.

The company recently received its certificate from Airports Council International (ACI), which also recognizes that the airport operator continues to fulfill its sustainability commitments, despite the impacts of the global pandemic on aviation.

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. The system is based on the fact that airports can be rated 1, 2, 3, 3+ while 4 or 4+ have recently been added, based on their emissions and efforts to reduce emissions, meaning that ACI assesses all airports that join the program voluntarily, regardless of size, category or function.

Despite the operational and financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus epidemic,

another 67 airports joined the global effort to reduce carbon emissions this year, bringing the total number of airports currently in the program to 362 worldwide.

22 airports on the African continent, 48 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 50 in North America, 60 in Asia and 182 on the European continent have been awarded carbon accreditation. According to this year’s assessment, only 43 airports in Europe are carbon neutral, like Liszt Ferenc International Airport, and Budapest Airport is one of 58 airports worldwide that currently meet the stringent requirements of carbon neutrality, or 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’s new Main Gate completed and opens

Budapest Airport joined the initiative in 2011,

based on its 2010 carbon footprint, and was the first airport in the CEE region to attain carbon neutral accreditation in April 2018. The current certification means that it has now managed to maintain this for the fourth year running. During this ten years, it has halved its direct carbon dioxide emissions and reduced carbon dioxide emissions per passenger to one-third. 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. Currently, only 13 airports in the world, 7 in Europe, 5 in Asia and 1 in North America, meet the requirements of the highest level, 4 and 4+, set in 2020.

As the airport operator is committed to sustainable growth and environmental protection, in 2019 it also 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 recently announced 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.

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“Climate change is a real threat that can only be tackled by joining forces and working together. The recognition of our achievements means that we, the airport community, are not just talking about it, but are actively taking action for our future,” said Chris Dinsdale, the CEO of Budapest Airport. He added: “We are constantly working to reduce emissions at the airport, moving forward step by step, with energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy, to achieve the next level in our carbon accreditation and net zero carbon emissions at the end of the process. The time for excuses is over. Specific action is needed, with every company, regardless of the industry, playing a responsible role.”

In line with its sustainability goals of zero carbon emissions, energy efficiency and transport developments, Budapest Airport also joined the STARGATE consortium this year, 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.

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This is why you should visit the Planet Budapest 2021 expo – PHOTOS

Planet-Budapest-2021

If you are interested in environmental protection, sustainable development, green technologies, or the future of our planet and ecosystem, Planet Budapest 2021 is probably the place you should be. You can learn about and even try a lot of innovative technologies that might pave the way for a cleaner, greener and better future. The Hungarian President, János Áder, chief patron of the event, is passionately campaigning for environmental protection on Planet Budapest 2021.

Therefore, you can even meet him there like the 2nd graders of the Ottokár Prohászka secondary grammar school did yesterday.

Planet-Budapest-2021
President János Áder with the 2nd graders of the Ottokár Prohászka Catholic Secondary Grammar School on the youth exhibition ‘Heros of the future’”. Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry

Hungary has more work to do when it comes to environmental protection, but it must also recognise what it has achieved so far, Áder told public television channel M5 on Thursday. He said that though some may be disappointed by the outcome of last month’s United Nations COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, it was “still good news” that at the end of the summit the United States and China agreed to put aside their differences and enhance climate cooperation. The president highlighted the

commitment by more than 100 countries to reverse forest loss by 2030 as another step in the right direction.

Planet-Budapest-2021
President János Áder checking out the prefabricated, zero energy house of the ÉVOSZ. Photo: MTI/Noémi Bruzák

He noted that after losing 90 percent of its forests under the WWI Trianon Peace Treaty a century ago, Hungary has been steadily increasing its forested areas. Meanwhile, he said the three World Water Summits Budapest has organised so far had cost 1.5 billion forints (EUR 4.1m), but the business deals they yielded made them profitable for the state budget. On the topic of sustainability, Áder said

mankind should only consume resources that are naturally replaceable.

Winter Food Fest – New street food festival in Budapest!

Asked about the energy policy of the new German government, Áder said its decision to shut down coal-fired plants alongside nuclear plants and restrict gas power plants could “turn everything on its head”. Until Germany creates the infrastructure for efficient energy supply and long-term storage capacities for cheap electricity, it will need conventional power plants, he said.

Planet-Budapest-2021
Environmental friendly detergents by Nature Clean Kft. Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry

Concerning Hungary’s energy mix, the president said 70 percent of the energy produced in the country was carbon-free, two-thirds of it nuclear energy and the rest renewables. Once the two new reactor blocks at the Paks nuclear plant are up and running and Hungary doubles the capacity of its solar plants, 90 percent of the energy generated in the country will be carbon-free, he added.

Planet-Budapest-2021
A model railway layout powered by a bicycle in the Nature Friendly Development exhibition. Photo: MTI/Noémi Bruzák

Though Hungary’s CO2 emissions have risen recently, this has been caused by increased international freight transport, he said. He noted Hungary’s plan to

replace its entire bus fleet with electric buses by 2030,

adding that electric rubbish lorries were also increasingly common. Ader also said Hungary was one of ten European Union countries that have reduced their CO2 emissions by more than 30 percent and one of 21 countries in the world that have been able to reduce their emissions while increasing their economic output. He noted that the government has also set the goal of not leaving any sewage untreated by 2030. At the same time, the president said Hungary still had more work to do in other areas, such as boosting the energy efficiency of buildings.

Planet-Budapest-2021
Solar pavement made by Platio Solar on the Nature Friendly Development exhibition. Photo: MTI/Noémi Bruzák

He also said that sustainability is about the future of young people, as their fate depends on whether or not mankind is able to preserve the balance of nature. Reckless human attitudes may

easily destroy the biosphere that evolved over millions of years,

he said.

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So it matters to what extent the environment is polluted and the degree to which air, water and soil quality is degraded, he said, warning that everyone had a common responsibility, and sustainability depended on everyday decisions. Áder said that producing a piece of clothing involved a water footprint of thousands of litres. “So it’s worth reconsidering our shopping habits and breaking with the global norms of the past decades that promoted consumption over greater needs,” the president said.

Planet-Budapest-2021
President János Áder at the Planet Budapest 2021 expo. Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry

On Thursday, he told the public radio that the Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo is aiming to ensure that the quality of life of younger generations will be “at least on par” with today’s lifestyle. The event running through Sunday at the Budapest fairgrounds features several inventions of young people contributing to a sustainable future, Áder told Petofi Radio. He cited a composting robot and a water-economic car wash system as examples.

Áder

warned of the “throw-away society” gaining ground,

and called on listeners to review their consumption habits. According to a UN survey, one-third of clothes purchased is not worn more than once, he said. In the interview, Áder also touched on a campaign by the Regőczi Foundation, headed by First Lady Anita Herczegh, collecting money to

support some 1,000 Hungarian children orphaned in the coronavirus pandemic.

Planet Budapest 2021
Read also183 companies on Planet 2021 expo in Budapest – PHOTOS

Glasgow COP26 climate conference: success or failure?

Galsgow-climate-summit

Jobbik MEP Márton Gyöngyösi’s thoughts in the issue

If you have an insight into the EU’s political processes, you are probably familiar with the time- and energy-intensive practice always applied by the 27-member community to eventually arrive at a final decision or just a joint statement on even the simplest of questions. This should come as no surprise because, as we are fully aware, it’s hard to find a compromise in any issue among 27 points of view and interests. And since it is indeed a compromise, when it happens, the proverbial glass is either half full or half empty for some.

That’s exactly what happened at the end of the Glasgow climate summit, too: we may have mixed feelings about the final agreement and our judgement largely depends on whose point of view we take. But could it actually be any different when it comes to an agreement that was negotiated and signed by nearly 200 countries, especially when the debate is about the most pressing and difficult issue: our climate and the global warming that threatens the future of our planet?

Should we consider the COP climate conference a success or a failure?

While we completely understand such feelings as the desperation of the countries stricken by the global warming induced natural disasters or the future generations’ frustration with the lack of political will or the laborious decision-making processes, it’s vital to stay with both feet on the ground of reality and feasibility when we evaluate the climate conference and its results. Although we do have a lot to thank activists like Greta Thunberg and other NGOs for their efforts in the area of climate protection, especially because they ultimately kept the issue on the agenda and put pressure on decision makers, unfortunately the often overly ambitious goals and unrealistic expectations dishearten and depress many people when the results fall short of what they expected.

Opposition party pledges annual €816 million for home insulation support

However, the depression is not justified this time, because the conference did actually achieve significant breakthroughs in several issues.

Of course, we can lament the fact that the conference and the final declaration did not commit to a specific target date for phasing out coal-fired power, and produced hardly more than a reference to curbing methane emissions, but, realistically speaking, it’s a miracle that the carbon issue made it to the final draft at all, instead of falling victim to the veto of the developing countries who still rely on coal as a key energy source. The richer countries have undoubtedly failed to pay up the promised financial contributions so sorely needed by poorer countries for adapting their economies, but it’s also a fact that the agreement managed to double the funding for the transition of developing countries by involving a wider group of richer countries and private sector stakeholders, including the world’s largest corporations that were persuaded to make generous pledges in order to ultimately achieve net zero emission. Indeed, the mandatory NDCs, i.e., Nationally Determined Contributions are currently far below the level needed to make

the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 feasible, but the summit did make each participant promise to come up with new commitments and upgraded plans for next year’s COP27 conference in Egypt.

On top of all that, the Glasgow conference, contrary to all expectations, was able to keep the global warming limit at the level of 1.5 degrees Celsius which was originally agreed by the participants of the 2015 Paris summit and which, in the present state of scientific knowledge, is vital for us to avoid a climate catastrophe. This goal probably would not have been achieved without the participants finalizing the so-called Paris Agreement Rulebook, making the Agreement operational and implementable at last.

V4 countries back nuclear energy for climate protection

They also signed agreements on reducing methane emissions, cutting down on deforestation and supporting zero-emission transport, i.e., the production of electric vehicles.

Another exceptionally positive outcome of the COP26 is that western countries committed to mobilise $8.5 billion over the next five years to enable the transition of South Africa, i.e., Africa’s largest economy, from carbon based power plants to more sustainable solutions. It may seem like a tiny step, but the summit has just created a citable and attractive precedent of how the developed world can support the poorer countries in their transition.

Based on these achievements, the agenda of the next COP27 Egypt conference is already given.

While we have absolutely no reason to lean back after the Glasgow conference, it would be an equally big mistake to fall into lethargy over the deficiencies of the agreement. In the upcoming decades, each country will face enormous challenges to make the decisions allowing us to hand down a more sustainable and liveable world to the next generations to come. For that to happen however, we’ll need ambitious but realistic goals, solidarity and cooperative efforts from all nations.

As far as climate conferences are concerned, they will always fall short of the expectations but, despite all their deficiencies and imperfections, they are still our planet’s greatest and perhaps only chance and hope for us to achieve our goals together.

Planet Budapest 2021 expo to open today with presidents’ address

The Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo will open on Monday evening with addresses by Hungarian President János Áder and Polish President Mateusz Morawiecki and a concert, the commissioner responsible for the expo told public broadcaster Kossuth radio.

Sustainability was a key factor in organising the event, István Joó said. Access to the Budapest fair grounds will be ensured with 40 electric buses, and rubbish will be collected by electric trucks, he said. Meanwhile, the use of paper will be minimised, and most necessary information will reach the visitors through apps, he said.

About one-third of the 185 exhibitors come from the Visegrad Group (V4) countries, Joó noted.

While Hungary’s “strength” is in water management, Czech participants will focus on smart cities and Slovaks on energy issues, he said.

Some 4,600 students have registered to visit the expo in organised groups,

Joó said. The expo offers youth programmes involving an adventure track and featuring the “latest innovations of the 21st century,” he added.

The expo runs between November 29 and December 5.

President-Ader
Read also Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit to be held from November 30

Hungary ready to live up to 2050 environmental commitments, says minister

Mátra Power Plant,

Hungary is ready to live up to its 2050 commitments and has started large investments to improve the effectiveness of its energy use and production, and to increase the ratio of sustainable energy resources, Lászlo Palkovics, the minister of technology and innovation, said on Monday.

In his address to a central European conference on energy in Bratislava (Pozsony), Palkovics said solar energy was in the forefront of Hungary’s plans to boost sustainable energy resources. Solar energy production capacity is currently at 2.6 GW, and the government is planning to ramp it up to 6GW by 2030, he said.

Palkovics also called for “clean, fully carbon-free nuclear energy” to be recognised as green energy.

Nuclear and solar energy production is key in improving the effectiveness of Hungarian energy production, he said.

Hungary will continue to resist the European Union’s aim to expand its emissions trading system to areas directly impacting private users, such as heating private homes and the use of private cars, he said. The issue is one of the most important topics of the Bratislava conference, he said.

Palkovics also noted that

KPMG’s Net Zero Readiness Index has put Hungary at 13th place, with the regulatory environment among the top 5 worldwide.

Hungary’s economy, industry and society are ready to fulfil the 2050 commitments, he said.

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President helps plant 700 trees along motorway in Hungary

Hungarian President János Áder planting trees

President János Áder on Friday attended an event organised under the auspices of the upcoming Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and world conference, in which 700 trees were planted along the M7 motorway southwest of Budapest.

The trees are planted to counterbalance the impact of the world expo on the environment, Áder said in his address. He said that organisers of the event, starting on November 29, laid great emphasis on applying recycled materials at the venues, but it would still leave a footprint depending on the number of participants.

Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit to be held from November 30

Hungarian green party slams ‘disappointing’ COP 26 summit

Áder said that further trees would be planted, adding that the strips along motorways, a total of 20,000 hectares nationwide, could not be used for agricultural production and the goal was to use those areas for the purpose.

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Read alsoHungary ranked among TOP countries for reducing carbon emission

Unbelievable discovery! How much gold can be found in Börzsöny?

Gold

There is much more gold than it was originally estimated.

“Hungary has a wide wealth of natural resources. The World Bank estimated that in 2019, the Hungarian gross domestic product would be the 58th highest in the world at $164 billion, while its per capita gross domestic product would be the 54th highest in the world at $16,905,” writes worldatlas.com. The country’s natural resources include arable land, grapes, livestock, forests, fish, and natural gas.

Azomining.com writes about other natural resources of the beautiful Eastern European country. The portal lists industrial minerals, fossil fuels, coal, hard coal and lignite as the main resources. In Börzsöny, however, precious gold and silver were found.

Börzsöny
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Civertan

In our former article, we wrote about Hun-Bányászat Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovációs Kft. The company planned to open a mine in Börzsöny. The company turned to the Hungarian Mining and Geological Service in October. Its primary activity is iron ore mining. Ore contains 1.05 grammes of gold and 27.51 grammes of silver, on average.

Ore assets explored in the Nagyirtáspuszta area contain 1,075.8 tonnes of crop gold and 909 tonnes of crop silver. In the Rózsabánya area, there are 18.6 tonnes of gold and 98.85 tonnes of silver, we wrote back then. Now, it turns out that even more precious metals can be found in Börzsöny.

A recent georadar research shows that the mountain contains gold and silver worth 50,000 billion forints.

Five places in Hungary with the most breathtaking views

The entrepreneur sent data and samples to laboratories. Three universities in Switzerland were interested, and they found out that the amount of gold and silver is three times more than the originally estimated amount, writes Ripost.

They found out this information using 7 satellites, searching through 70 square kilometres of land. According to the analysis made up to the depth of 500 metres, there are 3,000 tonnes of gold and 3,000 tonnes of silver.

“It’s just unbelievable. I always knew there was gold there, but that it was so much and so dense, it shocked me, too,” said the entrepreneur. No wonder that the businessman was shocked by the results. The monetary value of it is truly astonishing.

It is worth 153 billion euros.

The Hungarian state has to issue a concession before the mining can start. The full production, mining, and three-phase enrichment would also take place in the depths of the mine. Only the finished gold bars would be brought to the surface.

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Where can you breathe the cleanest and the most harmful air in the world? – MAP

Air Quality Around The World

HouseFresh has compiled the data and made an interective map of air quality of the world and all the states of the US. Below, you can find a summary of what they found.

The American Lung Association State of the Air 2021 report found that despite nationwide efforts in controlling air pollution, more than 40% of Americans – over 135 million people – are still living in areas with unhealthy particulate pollution and ozone levels.

In fact, 9 out of 10 urban dwellers are affected by air pollution. And this isn’t just the case in the United States, it’s a worldwide problem. But which cities are the worst, and which are the best for breathing fresh air?

To find out, HouseFresh visualized the latest data on air quality in major cities around the world, revealing the most and least polluted cities in nearly every country, as well as in every US state.

HouseFresh is a team of experts in keeping your house clean and fresh. Whether they are rounding up the best advice for cleaning your kitchen or shortlisting the best air purifiers on the market, HouseFresh’s goal remains the same: making your house a little “fresher” without breaking the bank.

Terrible! Air quality worsens across Hungary

Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit to be held from November 30

Methodology:

Researchers at HouseFresh extracted city-level air quality data from the latest 2020 World Air Quality report by IQAir. Data in hand, the team identified the best and worst cities and towns for clean air across nearly 100 countries, as well as across all 50 US states.

Cities and towns were ranked on the average value of PM2.5 concentration in μg/m³ in 2020 and countries without at least five cities were omitted.

The team then plotted the results on an interactive map, plus static world and continent maps.

Key Findings:

  • Bangladesh takes the top spot as the most polluted country, followed by Pakistan, India, and Mongolia.
  • 49 of the 50 most polluted cities worldwide were in Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, and India.
  • Japanese city Obihiro was Asia’s top city for clean air with a PM2.5 of 5.6μg/m3.
  • Judbury (Australia), Kailua Kona (U.S.A.), and Muonio (Finland) were the cities with the cleanest air around the globe.
  • Susanville in wildfire-ravaged California had the dirtiest air in America with a PM2.5 of 26.2μg/m3.

If you would like to know more, give a visit to HouseFresh and check out the air quality statistics of all US states. Clikc HERE.

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Read alsoHungary ranked among TOP countries for reducing carbon emission

Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit to be held from November 30

President-Ader
Sustainable cities require dedicated city leaders and good ideas, President János Áder said in an interview to public radio on Wednesday.
 
Many of these ideas and initiatives will be presented to visitors during the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit to be held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5, Áder, who is the chief patron of the event, said.
 
Three-quarters of the population are likely to live in large cities by 2050, Áder said, with
 
around one million moving to cities each week.
 
Whereas in 1960, there were few cities with more than 5 million residents, currently there are 31 with more than 10 million, he added.

This high level of concentration entails severe burdens when it comes to energy and water consumption, waste management, transport and pollution, he noted. Not only does this raise sustainability challenges; extreme weather conditions such as flash floods and heat waves are also associated with dense populations.

It has been projected that the same amount of
 
new infrastructure will need to be built by 2050
 
as the total infrastructure built in the past 2,000 years, he said. Old city districts will have to be revamped in terms of energy efficiency and new green surfaces will be needed to improve air quality and reduce growing heat, he added.

City leaders can play a key role in solving such sustainability problems, he said. Budapest and other big cities in Hungary belong to an international initiative which targets climate neutrality by 2050, the president noted. Some 260 cities, provinces and countries with 1.7 billion residents, representing half of global GDP, are part of it, he said, adding that its success depended on good planning.
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President Áder presents Hungarian organic soil moisturiser on podcast

Hungarian organic product

On his regular Blue Planet (Kék bolygó) podcast streamed on Monday, President János Áder presented a Hungarian organic product designed to preserve soil moisture and improve fertility.

Dubbed Water Retainer (VízŐr), the liquid solution developed by Water&Soil in partnership with scientists of Budapest ELTE University and the University of Gödöllő helps plants absorb water while creating favourable environment for microbes in the soil, the company’s managing director said on the programme. It can be applied in organic farming as it is absorbed fully without residues in the soil in 100-105 days while increasing crop by 10-22 percent, Antal Vattay said.

After three years of testing, the product has been introduced in India, where it is now being tested in rice farming, he said.

According to preliminary data, the product reduces water use by 50 percent, Vattay said.

Áder noted that

the company will be a participant at the Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo held between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5.

Read more abour Water Retainer – VízŐr – Hungary

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Hungarian green party slams ‘disappointing’ COP 26 summit

Máté Kanász-Nagy

Hungary’s opposition LMP party on Sunday slammed the United Nations GOP 26 climate conference, saying the summit had so far yielded “disappointing results”.

In the fifty years since the first world conference on environmental destruction, the situation has worsened due to man-induced climate change, party co-leader Máté Kanász-Nagy told a press conference.

Although the leading nations of the world have pledged to protect forests and curb methane emissions, those commitments are insufficient, Kanász-Nagy said.

Terrible! Air quality worsens across Hungary

Fidesz MEP: Hungary safe from power failures despite energy crisis in Europe

“We know what we should do but we don’t act. At best, we are treating the symptoms of the environmental crisis,” he said.

“Meanwhile, it is as if Hungary wasn’t even present at the summit,” Kanász-Nagy said. The Hungarian government continues to support the “great polluters”, multinational companies, and continues to hinder the spread of sustainable energy resources, he said.

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Read alsoHungary ranked among TOP countries for reducing carbon emission

New Danube open beaches to be built in Budapest soon!

SHO beach Budapest

The Ráckeve-Soroksár branch of the Danube will be completely revitalised within the framework of one of the most significant environmental investments of the coming years.

With its ecosystem and wetland area, the Ráckeve-Soroksár branch of the Danube is an unparalleled natural treasure. The renewal of this section of the Danube is of particular importance for the preservation of water quality, aquatic life, and the natural environment.

For example, Europe’s second-largest floating bog, covering almost 8 times the area of Margaret Island, can be found here. Floating bogs are rare communities developed on floating vegetation mats in deep water. In addition to providing home for countless animals and plants, it also acts as a “water purification device”.

The aim of the new project is to

improve the water quality on the 57-km-long river section between the Kvassay and Tassi lock-gate and make the waterfront accessible in numerous places,

explained Balázs Fürjes, Minister of State for Budapest and the Development of the Capital’s Metropolitan Area, on Facebook.

Brand-new Danube bridge plans enter next stage

The Budapest Development Centre has already started the preparation and planning of the EU-funded project. After obtaining all water and environmental permits required for the implementation, the preparatory stages will be completed by 2024.

The revitalisation of the Ráckeve-Soroksár branch of the Danube directly affects the daily lives of more than 380 thousand inhabitants of 4 districts in Budapest and about 21 settlements.

The map below shows the settlements directly affected by the investment.

Revitalisation-of-the-Rackeve-Soroksar-branch-of-the-Danube-development
Photo: www.facebook.com/furjesbalazsbp

During the development,

the accumulated sludge will be dredged, and the river will be cleaned and deepened,

writes Telex. The shorelines will also be cleaned and reconstructed between the Kvassay lock-gate and the Gubacsi Bridge, and sludge traps will be installed. In addition, a solution will be developed to stop wastewater or any garbage from being discharged from South-Pest Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Ráckeve-Soroksár branch of the Danube.

Revitalisation-of-the-Rackeve-Soroksar-branch-of-the-Danube-development
Photo: www.facebook.com/furjesbalazsbp

As the last step of the project, a wetland oasis will be built on Csepel Island. You can read more about Budapest’s largest park development of the past 50 years HERE.

The water level of the Ráckeve-Soroksár branch is relatively constant, and its flow rate is low. So, with the improvement of water quality,

all conditions will be suitable for safe bathing.

Read alsoNew, prominent area to be born in the heart of Budapest – PHOTOS