Lüneburg's specialist conference: Climate protection and digitalization in focus!

Lüneburg's specialist conference: Climate protection and digitalization in focus!

On this day, the conference “Shaping the Future: Municipal + Digital = Climate Neutral” took place in Lüneburg, which is dedicated to the connection between climate protection and digitalization. Organized by the Hanseatic City of Lüneburg in collaboration with the Lower Saxony Association of Cities, the State of Lower Saxony, the Lower Saxony Climate Protection and Energy Agency (KEAN) and Leuphana University, the conference aims to exchange best practice models and strengthen cooperation between municipalities, science and administration. Uelzen press reports that this exchange is of utmost importance given Lüneburg's ambitious climate goals.

Lüneburg has set itself the goal of becoming greenhouse gas neutral by 2030, while Lower Saxony's climate law aims for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2040. These developments are important not only for the city itself, but also for the Lüneburg district, which pursues similar goals. The city adopted its climate protection plan in June 2021 and joined the “Climate Decision” citizens’ initiative in December of the same year. The exchange at the conference included, among other things, workshops on municipal energy management as well as the sustainable procurement and use of digital data to advance climate protection.

Climate protection needs digital solutions

The importance of digitalization in climate protection is undisputed. At the conference it became clear that around 11,000 cities, municipalities and districts in Germany play a crucial role in achieving national climate protection goals. Difu has summarized in its practical guide “Climate Protection in Municipalities” that there are numerous approaches that support municipalities in implementing their climate protection measures. The guide, which is suitable for both beginners and advanced users, offers comprehensive know-how and inspiration to initiate climate-friendly measures locally.

A central aspect that became clear at the conference is the need to improve legal and political framework conditions so that municipalities can carry out climate protection efficiently. According to that Federal Environment Agency Many municipalities have ambitious climate goals, but often have to weigh up competing interests in areas such as the economy, housing and mobility in order to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality. This makes the exchange of experiences and ideas even more important.

Important areas of action for the future

The conference also highlighted the most important areas of action for climate protection measures. These include the heating transition, the climate-friendly renovation of urban buildings, areas for renewable energies and the mobility transition. Mayor Claudia Kalisch emphasized how important it is to learn from other people's experiences and develop innovative solutions. This is crucial not only for Lüneburg, but for every municipality that wants to live up to its responsibility for climate protection.

Overall, the conference was a big step in the right direction. It shows that exchange and cooperation between all those involved are essential to mastering the challenges of climate change and successfully implementing municipal climate goals.