Study Tour to Europe
A Chinese delegation was invited by CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL to visit Europe to learn from European experiences and to meet European institutions and experts.
Start in Berlin: Monday, 25 November 2002
End in Vienna: Monday, 09 December 2002
Participants: Chinese Experts - 17 participants (+ 1 interpreter + EU expert)
Languages: English, German, Chinese
Organisation: Travelling in Europe and full accommodation organised by CENTRIC AUSTRIA.
Site Visits: The selection of site visits was in consideration to the topics of the training and specific interests of participants organised by Mr. Weihs, Mr. Agster, Mr. Kessling, Mr. Jungmeier, Mr. Dielacher, Mr. Angerbauer, Mr. Möller, Ms. Kampl.
Thanks: To all organisations and companies who made this programme possible and successful.
Summary report of the study tour
The study tour started on Monday 25th November 2002. During the tour various site visits in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Graz and Vienna were conducted. The tour ended on Monday 09th December 2002 in Vienna. For the whole duration Mr. Agster as guide and Ms. Zhou as translator accompanied the delegates. Full accommodation and travelling had been organised by Ms. Kampl from CENTRIC AUSTRIA.
- The study tour commenced with a visit to the German Ministry of Environment in Berlin. The presentations at the ministry covered two main topics: international relations of Germany in regard to climate protection and national policies to reduce CO2 emissions.
- Then visit at the Bewag Hydrogen Exhibition was on the programme. The visit to the Bewag hydrogen exhibition showed the delegates, which future developments can be expected from hydrogen as a fuel.
- On Wednesday the delegates had the opportunity to learn more about German contemporary architecture and the political system in Germany during a walk around Potsdamer Platz and on a guided tour in the Reichstag.
- The afternoon was reserved for a visit to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. PiK was founded to scientifically examine the results of climate change in the world. It consists of five different departments, which do research on climate change with their own special focus.
- The evening was used for the transfer to Frankfurt, where the most modern office building Prisma was visited the next day.
- In the afternoon of Thursday 28th of November various experts from ERM Lahmeyer´s - climate protection division presented their activities and answered the questions of the delegates. ERM Lahmeyer is one of the leading German companies in sector of Climate Protection.
- For the evening another transfer to Munich was scheduled. On Friday TUEV Sueddeutschland presented its projects to the delegation. TUEV Sueddeutschland will offer important steps in the project cycle of a CDM project. Additionally FutureCamp as a project developer offers assistance during the whole process of CDM project development.
- With these presentations the delegates got a complete impression on the legal and political background of climate protection projects from the German Ministry of Environment as well as socio economic dimensions of international climate protection and emission trading from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Change; and finally project development and certification from ERM Lahmeyer and TUEV Sueddeutschland.
- While the first week was largely centred around the theoretical background of such projects, the second week had its focus on the practical application of technologies. The start was made by a visit to the German Museum. The delegates visited jointly the German Museum which is the biggest technology based museum in Germany. Of special interest was an exhibition addressing climate change issues and CO2 mitigation.
- The weekend was reserved for a cultural programme with visits to Castle Neuschwanstein, Christmas market in Munich and the City of Salzburg. On Sunday 1st December Graz was reached.
- Monday offered the delegates an impression on the latest technologies to the use of biomass in energy production at Joanneum Research - Institute of Energy Reserach. In the afternoon a co-generation plant in Mellach near Graz was visited in a guided tour.
- Tuesday morning was of special interest to the delegates with a tourism industry background, since the Erzherzog Johann Hotel presented its activities in cleaner production. This was also the topic for the following two days, where cleaner production efforts of various companies where presented: Magna Steyr a car manufacturer, eoxal Heuberger a metal surface treating company, Puntigamer a brewery and Styria a printing company.
- Additionally the delegation attended a reception by the mayor of Graz in the town hall.
- The transfer to Vienna took place on Thursday, with a visit in Gleisdorf at the ARGE renewable energies, introducing the participants to low energy single family housing.
- In Vienna the visit to the Ministries of Environment and Innovation concluded the official programme. Before their departure on Monday, the delegates had the Chance to visit famous sites such as the inner City of Vienna and Castle Schoenbrunn.