Hamburg, European Green Capital, Rejoices at Being Awarded the Title of "UNESCO-World-Natural-Heritage" for Hamburg Wadden Sea

HAMBURG, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Hamburg rejoices in having received the title of "World-Nature-Heritage" for their Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. The award comes just at the right time for the city that is holding the title of "European Green Capital 2011". Moreover, Hamburg is now the only metropolitan area in Europe to hold a World-Natural-Heritage title.

"This title represents the highest distinction for an exceptional landscape that is unparalleled in the world," says Klaus Janke, director of the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. "Hamburg has been given the task of preserving this treasure for future generations."

The national park covers 137 square metres and is now ranking among natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef. The Hamburg Wadden Sea complements the existing World-Natural-Heritage-Sites of the North Sea. Visitors can go on mudflat hiking tours, experience migrant birds and seals, and stay over in one of the guesthouses (http://www.nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/hh).

Further down at the Elbe River, the City of Hamburg offers lots of green: 25 percent of the city's surface is covered by parks, green spaces, forests, nature reserves and water. Therefore Hamburg is regarded as the greenest of the bigger European cities. Yet the title of "European Green Capital 2011" has been primarily bestowed to Hamburg due to its climate protection scheme. As a constantly growing port and industrial hub, the city has still managed to cut CO2 emissions by 15 percent since 1990. Until the year 2020, emissions are planned to be reduced by 40 percent, and by the year 2050 even further by 80 percent. Measures that are taken to achieve this goal include sustainable-business and construction, environmentally-friendly traffic, nature-conservation, sustainable-consumption and educational-programs (http://www.hamburggreencapital.eu).

Contact:

Hamburg Marketing GmbH
Guido Neumann
Phone: +49-40-411110-617
Mobile: +49-160-97298302
guido.neumann@marketing.hamburg.de
http://www.marketing.hamburg.de/greencapital