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Former UNEP chief Dr. Klaus Töpfer gives public lecture in South Africa

Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer, environmental politics expert and former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will be the featured guest at a University of Johannesburg public lecture on February 23. Dr. Töpfer, along with a panel of experts, will examine the experiences of recent and past world environment summits to assess the prospects and progress on the transition to a low carbon economy.

Dr. Klaus Töpfer in South Africa

The bears are awarded at Berlinale

The 62nd Berlinale International Film Festival concluded with its famed awards ceremony on February 18. The Golden Bear went to the Italian docu-drama “Caesar Must Die” (Cesare deve morire). Best actress went to 14-year-old Rachel Mwanza from the Democratic Republic of Congo, for her first film role in War Witch and the documentary “Call Me Kuchu”, about gay rights activists in Uganda, was awarded Best Documentary as part of the independent Teddy Awards.

Winners at 2012 Berlinale

Increase of 9.3 million passengers at German airports in 2011

As reported by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis) the number of departing and arriving passengers at German airports amounted to 175.2 million travellers in 2011; with a growth of 5....

More passengers at German airports in 2011

Research and development are making German companies fit for the future

The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) published its "German Innovation Survey 2011" earlier this month. One of the key results to be shown is that in 2010, more German companies continuously pursued research and development than ever before. The relevant figure was put at 34,000, or 12 percent of German companies, thus topping the previous peak value from 2008.

Research and development are making German companies fit for the future

Germany's Helmholtz Association offering 40 postdoc positions

The Helmholtz Association is offering 40 postdoc positions in the fields of Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Key Technologies, Structure of Matter, and Aeronautics, Space and Transport. The positions are aimed at up-and-coming young scientists, providing optimal conditions for starting a successful career in research. The application deadlines are March 30 and April 10, 2012 for the different programs.

Helmholtz Association post doctoral positions

Intensive dialogue with important African partners

A German-Angolan Binational Commission has been established at Germany's  Foreign Office to help the German Government achieve its goal of strengthening its cooperation with Angola.

German-Angolan partnership

New WHO office in Bonn to handle environment and health

The WHO European Centre for Environment and Health opened in Bonn on February 14 with German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen, Health  Minister Daniel Bahr and WHO Regional Director for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab taking part in the ceremony. The centre will deal specifically with impacts of environmental factors on human health.

WHO European Centre for Environment and Health

New BMZ education strategy promises to double funding for Africa

The German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dirk Niebel, presented the new education strategy of his Ministry (BMZ) in Berlin on February 9. The strategy has the title "Ten Goals for More Education". Funding for Africa under the new strategy would rise to 137 million Euro, double the amount allocated for 2009.

New BMZ education strategy

Urban redevelopment takes centre stage in Project Earth: Our Future

Urban and rural communities play an important role in the development of sustainable lifestyles and are major players in Germany's Science Year 2012, "Project Earth: Our Future". To start off the year, a grass-roots oriented initiative entitled ZukunftsWerkStadt was launched wherein community members will contribute to the sustainable redevelopment of their local environment.

Germany's Year of Science 2012

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