International Workshop
Renewable Energies and Biosphere Reserves
Bliesgau Biosphere Reserve, Germany

11-13 September 2017

First international workshop to foster exchange of experiences and good practices related to renewable energy production, distribution and consumption in an around Biosphere Reserves designated under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, in the overall context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Background: Renewable Energy

The past few years have seen technological, financial and policy barriers to renewable energy being overcome at a rapid pace. This has resulted in an important expansion of renewable energy installations and operations ranging from the smallest pico systems to sophisticated smart grids and large-scale centralised installations and increasingly efficient and reliable storage systems. Wind, marine energy, photovoltaic, solar, hydro, geothermal and biomass installations are therefore already today making an important contribution to the global energy supply. The renewable energy sector will undoubtedly continue to grow in the foreseeable future, not only helping to meet energy demands, but also in the urgent fight against climate change.
The massive expansion of renewable energy installations and operations has however also raised sustainability concerns in terms of their actual and potential negative effects, notably in relation to biodiversity, ecosystems services, cultural landscape, land and property prices, food and water security. These concerns call for taking a cautionary approach also in relation to renewable energy in order to maximize its positive effects and to minimize any potential negative impacts.

Identification and sharing of good renewable energy practises and models in different socioeconomic, cultural- and natural environments are therefore needed.

registration:

you can subscribe for the workshop here: Registration 

hotel:
We reserved a quota of rooms in the following hotels:
 
Alpha-Hotel at a price of 65 € for a single room

Sengscheider Hof at a price of 79 € for a single room

The organiser will book the rooms after the registration. 

arrival: 
by train: The region can be reached via ICE/TGV (Frankfurt – Paris) with the stop at Saarbrücken Hbf. train station several times a day. This is supplemented by RE- and IC-trains that stop at Saarbrücken and in some cases in Homburg and St. Ingbert. The S-Bahn Rhein-Neckar ends in the rail station in Homburg. Regional trains and bus lines provide good daily connections to the Biosphere Reserve Bliesgau, they run mostly on an hourly schedule.

Here you can get all the information you need about travelling with public transportation: http://www.fahrplanauskunft.de

by air:

• You can reach the Biosphere Reserve Bliesgau by air via airport Frankfurt (http://www.frankfurt-airport.com) and from airport by train 
• airport Saarbrücken (https://www.flughafen-saarbruecken.de/) 
• Frankfurt Hahn Airport (http://www.flughafen-hahn.de/) and from airport by rental car or car-and bus-charter

by car: You can reach the car on the freeways A6 Saarbrücken - Mannheim A8 Luxemburg - Zweibrücken among other routes, as well as the national roads B10, B51 and B423.

In the case of international participants, the following travel agencies will support you The keyword is “UNESCO-Workshop”In the case of international participants, the following travel agencies will support you The keyword is “UNESCO-Workshop”

• TUI Center Homburg: E-Mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein! 
• TUI Reisebüro in St. Ingbert, E-Mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein! 
• TUI Reisebüro in Blieskastel, E-Mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!

Questions: 
If you have any questions, please send an E-Mail to Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!

Downloads:

program (05.09.2017)

Program in german (24.07.17)

declaration for reimbursement of travelling expanses

Erklärung zur Erstattung der Reisekosten

Outline Workshop (english)

Outline Workshop (german)