Freiburg, Germany (Sustainable Urban Living Example) | AQA GCSE 9-1 Geography

Case study of Freiburg, Germany: an example of a sustainable urban environment This is the sixty-second video for the AQA GCSE 9-1 Geography course, and the twelfth video of the Urban Issues & Challenges topic. The Urban Issues & Challenges Playlist: »    • Urban Issues & Challenges | AQA GCSE 9-1 G...   Follow me on all platforms: » https://linktr.ee/keducate Do you have a video suggestion? » https://forms.gle/gxc3xHQ1b1wUeANT9 Video Script: The German city of Freiburg set the goal of becoming sustainable in 1970 and has since developed into an excellent case study through a variety of policies to promote sustainability. Freiburg plans to have a fully renewable energy supply by 2050, which will involve reducing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency. Solar power is hugely significant in the city, both environmentally and economically. Many homes and businesses use solar power and there are over 400 solar panel installations which produce over 10 million kilowatts of energy per year. This even includes the football stadium. Furthermore, many solar energy companies are headquartered in Freiburg, with more than 1,000 people being employed in the industry and the city hosting major European solar energy conferences. But it’s not just solar energy, the largest proportion of the city’s renewable energy comes from biomass. This also helps with waste management in the city, which demonstrates how different aspects of sustainability are all linked together. Speaking of waste management, Freiburg is excellent at reducing, reusing and recycling waste. There are 350 community collection points for recycling and more than 88% of packaging waste in the city is recycled. The amount of non-recyclable waste in Freiburg is much lower than the rest of Germany, at 90 kg per person compared to 122 kg per person nationwide). This has helped reduce annual waste disposal from 140,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes in just 12 years. Freiburg encourages the conservation, recycling and reuse of water. Rain and wastewater are collected and reused and permeable surfaces, such as green spaces, allow rainwater to soak through into the ground. Flood retention basins on the River Dreisam allow excess water to be stored, which is used in the city and helps reduce the risk of flooding. Freiburg is known for its green spaces, which includes 600 hectares of parks. 44,000 trees have been planted in these parks and on streets, which are all native species. 40% of the city is forested, with many of these also being conservation areas. Freiburg is home to an integrated transport network. Trams run every 8 minutes and 70% of the city’s residents live within 500 metres of a tram stop. The tram network covers 30 km and is also connected to the 168 km bus route network. Tickets allow unlimited travel and tickets for sport events and concerts are valid for public transport. Outside of public transport, cycle infrastructure in the city includes over 400 km of cycle paths and 9,000 bike parking spaces, many of which are at stations. This has resulted in low car ownership, with less than 500 cars per 1,000 residents and the number of car journeys reducing by nearly 30,000 in one year. -- GCSE Geography 04/06/2025 Keducate