Waldeck-Frankenberg district presents climate protection concept
The Paris Climate Agreement, the European Climate Law, the Federal Climate Protection Act and, last but not least, the Hessian Climate Law: they all make it necessary for the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg to deal with climate protection even more intensively than it already does. Over the past few months, it has therefore developed an integrated climate protection concept. The aim is to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2037.
Reducing the carbon footprint to zero
The average carbon footprint per person in Waldeck-Frankenberg is around 10 tonnes per year. This is around one tonne above the national average. This is mainly due to the very rural structure of the district, which means more living space per person. In addition, there is a relatively old building stock and mostly single households. The aim is to reduce the footprint to zero tonnes by 2037. To achieve this, the district's environmental and climate protection department has developed a comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for all sectors in Waldeck-Frankenberg over the past few months.
To this end, the district's climate management team first analysed all CO2 emissions in Waldeck-Frankenberg and then identified specific opportunities to sustainably reduce or eliminate them. This resulted in a whole package of measures for very different areas - from administration, public authorities, education and politics to business, mobility and energy through to agriculture, forestry and private households. "With the climate protection measures in the concept, we are creating added value for the region - by attaching great importance to making it sustainable and therefore fit for the future," says District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst.
Milestones towards greenhouse gas neutrality
The strategy sets two key milestones: The district administration itself aims to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2035 - in other words, to achieve a balance between emissions and their fixation. Two years later, this is to be achieved for the entire district of Waldeck-Frankenberg. The municipal administration plays a key role in this - as initiator, coordinator and promoter of climate protection activities. However, the realisation of this ambitious project also requires unprecedented cooperation between all social and economic players in the district.
"Climate change is a global crisis that we will tackle with our measures at regional level," emphasises Jürgen van der Horst. In doing so, we are trying to utilise synergy effects. We are focussing on individual and regional solutions and at the same time highlighting opportunities for security of supply and regional value creation." The climate protection concept represents the concrete roadmap. The concept is currently being discussed in the district's committees and will then be presented to the district council for approval.