Consumer advocates demand climate protection at fair prices
As one of the first projects of the next federal government, the consumer advice centers are calling for stronger climate protection at fair prices for citizens. The chairman of the federal association, Klaus Müller, asked for a guarantee at the German Consumer Day in Berlin: 100 percent of additional income from a higher CO2 price would have to be returned to consumers. This is possible, for example, through a tax reduction in the price of electricity and the introduction of climate checks. Müller emphasized that consumer protection should be high on the agenda of the upcoming government in order to make people’s everyday lives more affordable, simpler, safer and more sustainable.
E-prescription is in the test phase
In order to get the right medication, patients in the future will only need a digital code in the pharmacy. In some medical practices and pharmacies in the Berlin-Brandenburg test region, from the beginning of July you can also show an electronic prescription on your smartphone instead of the old pink paper prescription. The planned start for the e-prescription throughout Germany is January 1, 2022. However, the paper prescription will not go away completely in the coming year. The printed code can be read in in the pharmacy just like the digital one. So if you don’t have a smartphone, you won’t be excluded.
Potential of the circular economy
The circular economy has great potential for Germany. By 2030, additional gross value added of 12 billion euros per year can be achieved in the recycling industries as well as upstream and downstream industries, write the Federal Association of German Industry and the management consultancy Deloitte in a new study. In addition, there is an increase of 177,000 jobs. Fewer imports of raw materials usually also mean fewer CO₂ emissions, which arise, for example, from the extraction and transport of raw materials. A circular economy could thus significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Satellite provides the most precise data on sea level
The “Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich” earth observation satellite is now making the most accurate measurement data available to date on the height of the sea level available to the public. The responsible space agencies NASA and ESA announced this and speak of data with unprecedented accuracy. The step was preceded by more than six months of calibrations. Sentinel-6 is part of ESA’s highly successful Copernicus program and continues the sea level measurements that have been carried out from space for more than 30 years.
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