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How to be Climate-Neutral? Brochure "Climate-Neutral Berlin 2050" published

To become climate-neutral until 2050 – This is the main objective of the Berlin Energy and Climate Protection Program (BEK), passed in June 2016 by the Berlin Senate. Ambitious, but achievable, according to the brochure "Climate-Neutral Berlin 2050", which was now published in German and English. It was developed by the IÖW on behalf of the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development and provides an overview of the final BEK report. The measures, generated with great participation of public actors, reveal how Berlin can save more energy, reduce CO2 and reach climate-neutrality until 2050. Less energy consumption and more energy from renewable energy sources are key factors.

"Cities which cause a large part of the greenhouse gases responsible for the global greenhouse effect have a duty here. But they also profit from the various additional benefits of successful climate policy, such as for human health, air quality and as impetus for regional value added and employment", as Andreas Geisel, Senator for Urban Development and the Environment, summarizes in his foreword. Specific measures requiring the city to take action are shown in the brochure.

The recommendations comprise various fields, such as energy supply, buildings and urban development, economy, traffic, private households and consumption. Energy-efficient renovation, more efficiency in companies or climate responsible behavior in regards to consumers and traffic are only a few issues. In order to give an overview, illustrations show the share of all fields of energy consumption or polluter balance, the intensive participation process or highlight the overall strategy for the BEK as well as key measures.

Translating theory into practice

Cities have an important duty in the fight against climate change. Therefore, the next step is for the Berlin Senate to adopt a BEK. Berlin will thus become an important and critical success factor for the German energy transition. But the Federal State of Berlin also needs to become a role model as climate protector. The effective implementation and the creation of an infrastructure are as important as the constant information of the public. "Broad participation will remain important for the future in order to successfully meet the major challenge of climate neutrality in the city of Berlin", is the résumé of the authors. This way, a climate-neutral Berlin can be an example for other cities and support international climate legislation.

 

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Download of Brochure (DE/EN)

  • Climate-Neutral Berlin 2050. Recommendations for a Berlin Energy and Climate Protection Programme (BEK) (pdf; 5 MB)
  • Klimaneutrales Berlin 2050. Empfehlungen für ein Berliner Energie- und Klimaschutzprogramm (BEK) (pdf; 5 MB)