Expo: Bewerbung um Weltausstellung 2035 könnte an Berliner Verwaltung und Trump scheitern

The bid for the 2035 World Expo has been said to face potential obstacles with Berlin's administration and former US President Donald Trump. The concept for the Expo has been developed and funded by the Global Goals association and Expo 2035 Berlin GmbH since years. The organizers aim to showcase the Expo around climate neutrality in 2035 and the 17 United Nations Sustainability Goals.

However, the Berlin administration has previously been against an official bid. The last German city to host the Expo was Hannover in 2000. Berlin's current mayor, Kai Wegner (CDU), has publicly supported the bid, but according to organizers, progress is slow. The Berlin Senate discussion focuses on small things like where the trash cans should be placed instead of focusing on the main pillars.

A Berliner sustainability advisor, Hinrich Thölken, criticized the Senate for discussing a lot but doing little for the future. Thölken emphasizes that the Expo can help create a positive future image and show that there is a vision. The Berlin Expo bid comes after Miami's bid was supported by former US President Trump, who mentioned it on his social media platform.

Trump has written about the "next big step for our golden era in America". Miami has reportedly engaged a feasibility study for $1.3 million, which is now ahead of Berlin. The organizers anticipate that the US will officially submit their bid in September or October. This competition between the US and Germany has given the German Expo bid a broader significance, according to Thölken.

The organizers aim to provide a counterproposal to Trump's autocratic approach. The Berlin administration faces additional challenges as the original concept involved using the former Tegel Airport, which may not be available by 2035. A new plan involves moving the Hauptsitz to Schöneberg and involving Brandenburg. Brandenburg's Minister-President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) has stated that he will not cooperate with any Berlin concept, and the project has not moved forward since May.

The upcoming local elections in Berlin on September 20th may disrupt the project, as former mayor Kai Wegner is not expected to run again after criticism of his handling of a power outage. However, the project may benefit from new supporters, particularly from the SPD and industries like Tesla or PCK Schwedt. A PwC analysis found that the costs and revenues of a German Expo would roughly balance out over five years, benefiting the Berlin economy.