Integrated climate protection concept of Esslingen
The city of Esslingen is also committed through its membership in the Climate Alliance to reduce its CO2 emissions by 25% by 2020. The Municipal Council and Administration commissioned an integrated climate protection concept for energy and transport in order to achieve this ambitious goal.
After various rounds of discussion, external experts from the Heidelberg IFEU-Institut have presented the final report on the areas of energy and transport with 33 and 10 specific proposals, respectively. Subject to the respective budgets and according to the Municipal Council’s policy decision from June 28th, personnel and financial resources are to be made available by the Administration for the implementation, coordination, and control of these plans in the years leading up to 2020.
Annual reports should provide a detailed look at project progress, as well as the consequences for the necessary budget and personnel. The first Climate Balance Report was published in 2012 with encouraging results.
CO2 scenarios
The IFEU-Institut drew up two CO2 scenarios while creating the concept for the target year 2020.
- TREND-Szenario - Everything as Before
What will CO2 development look like by 2020 if everything continues on as before, a.k.a. the local concerned parties don’t make any efforts beyond those required by law?
- KLIMA-Szenario - What can be done?
What can CO2 development look like if Esslingen works together with stakeholders to intensify the city and citizens’ climate protection efforts by unleashing all technical and economic potential for efficiency and implementing a climate-friendly energy supply?
The savings calculated in the KLIMA-Szenario can only be achieved through intensive cooperation between all of the city’s players. Specific measures were also recommended. A total of 43 individual building blocks can be spread across several target groups: Households, businesses, commerce, service providers, city management, multipliers likes colleges, trade, and churches.
The concept
"By appointing a new Climate Protection Manager and with the successful start of the Energiezentrum Esslingen we have shown that we want to act decisively”, said Mayor Wilfried Wallbrecht.
Energy
In a catalog of over 30 points for the area of energy, the IFEU-Institut recommends model projects like a new, climate-friendly Weststadt and climate protection campaigns such as the implementation of a climate protection plan and climate protection controlling in addition to the expansion of the Energiezentrum Esslingen. Pre-existing incentives such as Ökoprofit or the Fifty-Fifty-Projekt should also be expanded upon or the Esslingen Heat Seal should be modified.
More companies should be won over for climate protection efforts such as solar panels on company roofs. Renewable energy and innovative power-heat cogeneration projects should be increasingly used. The energy efficiency of municipal buildings should also be further improved. With the goal "Climate Protection for All", the cooperation between the city and colleges, trade, clubs, and associations are to be expanded.
Traffic
Climate protection measures in the transport sector focus on preventing a future increase in individual transport and forwarding this traffic to environmentally friendly alternatives (walking, biking, public transport). In addition to domestic traffic, the measures must also focus on the source-target traffic in the surrounding area, as this accounts for a large share of the city’s traffic-related emissions. The concrete projects range from marketing and quality campaigns in public transport and a concept for bike and pedestrian traffic in Esslingen to company mobility management and the "Sustainable Mobility for the new Neckar Meadows” initiative, as well as new parking space management.