A natural water reservoir

Intact wetlands function much like a sponge. During heavy rainfall, they absorb water and retain it in the landscape. This ensures that moisture remains available for longer during dry periods.

At the same time, the evaporation of water has a cooling effect on the immediate surroundings. Wetlands can thus help make landscapes more resilient to heat and drought.

They also play an important role during heavy rain because the water does not drain away immediately but is partially retained.

Blinklingmoos shows what renaturation can achieve

In the Blinklingmoos near Strobl on Lake Wolfgang, the natural water balance has been restored over the years. Former drainage ditches were filled in, and water is now retained in the marsh again.

The difference becomes especially apparent during dry periods: Even though the surface may appear dry, moisture is retained in the restored bog beneath it.

Austria Is Bringing Its Peatlands Back to Life

LIFE AMooRe – Austrian Moor Restoration is currently Austria's largest bog restoration project.

By 2033, measures to restore water levels and renature approximately 1,400 hectares of peatlands are to be implemented. About 40 peatland areas in all nine federal states are part of the project.

A total of 44.23 million euros has been allocated for this purpose.

There is a great need for action: Austria has approximately 44,000 hectares of peatlands. More than 90 percent of these have been adversely affected by past drainage efforts.

Small Spaces with a Big Impact

Wetlands cover only a small portion of our landscape, yet they serve several important functions at the same time.

They store water and carbon, provide habitat for specialized animal and plant species, and can help mitigate the effects of extreme weather events.

The restoration of wetlands thus demonstrates in very concrete terms what modern climate and nature conservation can achieve: restoring natural systems to full functionality and making our landscape more resilient.

The Blinklingmoos on Lake Wolfgang is a good example of this.

Sometimes part of the solution lies right under our feet.

No single technology solves the problem—it’s their interaction that does

A modern energy system is not based solely on wind turbines or solar panels. The key lies in the interaction of various components:

• Solar power provides affordable electricity during the day.
• Wind power often generates a particularly large amount of energy in the evening and at night.
• Battery storage systems offset short-term fluctuations.
• Pumped-storage power plants store excess energy over long periods of time.
• Green hydrogen can store seasonal surpluses and make them available for use later.
• Smart grids distribute energy to where it is needed at any given moment.

It is precisely this combination that makes a stable and reliable power supply possible—even when individual energy sources temporarily produce less power.

What happens during a “dark lull”?

A "dark calm" refers to weather conditions in which there is little sunshine and only light winds for several days.

However, the study shows that such situations do not pose an insurmountable problem. By combining different storage technologies, Europe-wide interconnected power grids, and more flexible energy use, even these periods can be reliably bridged. This refutes one of the most common objections to renewable energy.

Digitalization is becoming a decisive factor

In addition to wind and solar energy, digitalization is becoming increasingly important.

Modern energy management systems can coordinate electricity consumption and generation in real time. For example, electric cars tend to charge when there is a particularly high amount of solar power available. Battery storage systems store excess energy and release it exactly when it is needed.

This makes the entire energy system more efficient and stable.

Paris: Streets Are to Be Transformed into Green Spaces

This transformation is particularly evident in Paris. For years, the city has been focusing on bike lanes, traffic-calmed school zones, and more green spaces along its streets.

In a public survey conducted in March 2025, approximately 66 percent of participants voted in favor of greening an additional 500 streets and redesigning them for pedestrian traffic. This is a development goal, not a measure that has already been implemented. The low turnout also shows that approval in a survey does not automatically mean there is a broad social consensus.

Nevertheless, the direction is clear: Fewer impervious surfaces and more trees are intended to do more than just change the cityscape. They can provide shade, absorb rainwater, and help alleviate the summer heat locally.

Barcelona: Neighborhoods Instead of Through-Traffic Corridors

Barcelona is taking a similar approach with its “superblocks” and green street corridors. Through traffic is restricted, while access for residents, deliveries, and necessary trips is to be maintained.

In the densely built-up Eixample neighborhood, sections of four streets—including Consell de Cent—have been transformed into green corridors. New plazas, trees, and seating areas are changing how the street space is used there: people can meet up, children have more room to play, and walking has become more pleasant.

The point isn't to make every street completely car-free. What matters is which traffic is actually necessary—and which is simply using a neighborhood as a shortcut.

Ghent: Through traffic will be rerouted

The Belgian city of Ghent shows that even changes to traffic routing can make a big difference. Since 2017, a traffic plan has divided the city center into several zones. Drivers who want to travel between these zones are generally routed via the ring road instead of driving straight through the city center.

The center will remain accessible. At the same time, it will be more difficult to use it as a through route. Direct connections for pedestrians and cyclists will remain in place.

The principle behind it is simple: A city can accommodate necessary car trips without giving all its streets over to through traffic.

Reducing traffic requires good alternatives

Changes like these don't happen on their own. If cars are simply pushed onto neighboring streets, the problem is merely shifted elsewhere. Without reliable bus and train service or safe bike lanes, everyday life becomes more difficult for many people.

Delivery drivers, caregivers, people with limited mobility, and commuters must also be taken into account. For local businesses, it’s not just the number of parking spaces that matters, but whether customers can easily access them. Whether a renovation will boost retail must be assessed on a case-by-case basis—blanket promises of success are just as unhelpful as blanket rejection.

Artificial intelligence seems to operate almost effortlessly on our smartphones and computers. Behind the scenes, however, lies a massive physical infrastructure: data centers with thousands of servers, high-capacity power connections, and sophisticated cooling systems.

With the boom in artificial intelligence, this infrastructure is currently growing at a particularly rapid pace. This is also driving up the demand for electricity, water, and suitable locations.

The European Union therefore wants to gain a more accurate understanding of how efficiently Europe’s data centers actually operate. Operators of large facilities are expected to make their energy and water efficiency more transparent. There are also plans to establish a European rating system for the sustainability of data centers.

2.5 percent of Europe's electricity consumption

Data centers already account for about 2.5 percent of the European Union’s total electricity consumption. And demand is expected to continue to rise significantly.

According to current forecasts, the installed capacity of European data centers could more than double, from about 12 gigawatts in 2025 to about 28 gigawatts in 2030.

Artificial intelligence is a key driver. Not only does training large AI models require enormous computing power, but their day-to-day use also runs on high-performance servers that must be operated and cooled.

Water is also becoming an issue

Water consumption is less obvious. Servers generate large amounts of heat. As a result, many data centers use cooling systems in which water plays an important role.

The actual amount of water required depends heavily on the location, the technology used, and the cooling system. This is particularly relevant in regions where water is already in short supply.

This also gives new significance to the choice of location. In addition to fast data connectivity and sufficient electricity, the local availability of energy and water, as well as climatic conditions, are becoming increasingly important.

Waste Heat Is Converted into Energy

At the same time, data centers offer the possibility of reusing a portion of the energy they consume.

Servers continuously generate heat. This waste heat can, for example, be fed into district heating networks and used to heat homes, offices, or public buildings.

Such concepts are already being implemented in several European cities. This can turn a byproduct of digitalization—which has often gone unused until now—into a local heat source.

Efficiency Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage

The key question is not whether Europe will need data centers in the future. Digitalization, cloud services, and artificial intelligence will continue to drive up the demand for computing power.

The key factor is how this infrastructure is built and operated.

Renewable electricity, more efficient chips and servers, smart cooling systems, the use of waste heat, and suitable locations can all influence resource consumption.

The issue is also gaining importance from an economic perspective. When it comes to operating large data centers, energy is not just an environmental issue, but a significant cost factor.

The digital future is by no means intangible. Behind every AI application are real buildings, servers, and resources. The more artificial intelligence is used, the more important the efficiency of the underlying infrastructure becomes.

The first leaves are falling, the summer flowers are fading, and it’s time to tidy up the garden. But if you remove every leaf and prune back all the perennials now, you’ll also be taking away valuable hiding spots. A little autumnal clutter helps animals get through the cold season—and saves us a lot of work.

The rake is ready, the pruning shears are within reach. Tidying everything up one last time before winter arrives: For many, this is as much a part of fall as the last tomatoes and the cooler evenings.

It’s worth taking a closer look before cutting them back and discarding them. What looks to us like wilted or dead plants may provide food, shelter, or a winter home for other living creatures. A garden continues to thrive even after its colorful flowers have faded.

Fallen leaves still have a purpose

Fall leaves can be left under hedges, shrubs, and trees. They cover the ground, protect it from drying out, and moderate temperature extremes. Gradually, they decompose, returning nutrients to the natural cycle.

Numerous small animals find shelter among the leaves. The creatures that crawl and live there, in turn, serve as food for birds and other garden dwellers. Anyone who disposes of all the fallen leaves is also removing part of this habitat.

On suitable garden beds, a loose layer of leaves can also serve as soil protection. BUND Naturschutz recommends a mulch layer about three to five centimeters thick. BUND Naturschutz: Fall Garden Care

A quiet spot for the hedgehog

A sheltered spot where leaves, twigs, and some dead wood accumulate is especially valuable. Under a hedge or in a rarely used corner of the garden, this can provide a potential shelter for hedgehogs.

You don't need elaborate landscaping to do this. Materials that accumulate anyway during fall yard work can be piled up in a suitable spot. The key is to make sure this cozy spot is allowed to remain there afterward.

Once an animal has made itself at home, the pile should be left undisturbed throughout the winter. Even if a mild day here and there tempts you to keep working on it: A winter shelter is not garden waste that should be cleared away at the next opportunity. The combination of wood, brush, and leaves, in particular, provides suitable shelter for hibernating hedgehogs.

Perennials that have finished blooming can be left in place

It’s also best to exercise restraint when it comes to pruning shears. Dry stems and seed heads continue to serve important purposes: Birds can feed on the remaining seeds, while some insects overwinter in or on plant stems.

If you leave suitable perennials that have finished blooming in place until spring, you’ll be rewarded with these structural elements. In particular, plants with seed heads and hollow stems should therefore not be automatically cut back during fall cleanup.

And there’s something for the eye to enjoy, too: grasses silhouetted against the light, dark seed heads, and later, perhaps, hoarfrost on dry flowers. The garden changes its appearance. It doesn’t have to be empty in winter.

Where Tidying Up Is Still a Good Idea

Of course, not every path has to be covered in leaves. Wet leaves should be removed from stairs and high-traffic areas to prevent anyone from slipping. A thick, persistently damp layer of leaves on the lawn is also undesirable.

The raked-up material can then be reused under shrubs or in a sheltered corner. For smaller garden areas, a rake and a broom are usually sufficient. Leaf blowers, on the other hand, can suck up small animals along with the leaves and injure them.

This way, manicured paths and wild areas can coexist without any problems. Even a deliberately left-unplanted edge changes how much space the garden allows for its animal inhabitants.

This fall, it's okay to leave some things as they are

Perhaps the change begins in a single corner: under the hedge, behind the raised bed, or along the fence. The leaves are left there. Next to them, a few perennials are allowed to keep their seeds.

It doesn't cost much and, above all, just requires us to skip a familiar routine every now and then. Before we get everything ready for winter in the fall, we can ask ourselves: Who might need exactly what I'm about to put away?