A new climate protection concept for Landkreis Ostallgäu
Working in close cooperation with the district administration, bifa headed the process to produce the new concept
The Landkreis Ostallgäu district would like to further strengthen its engagement in climate protection. It considers implementing climate protection within its own area of authority as well as getting the whole district to work towards the implementation as an essential and top priority task. This required a fundamental reformulation of the climate protection concept of 2012, which was no longer apposite.
The concept developed with bifa is an important step and at the same time it is the starting point for successful implementations within the district. Working in close cooperation with the district administration, in 2021/2022, the bifa Umweltinstitut headed a moderated process to produce the new climate protection concept. The experts of the Landratsamt, the members of the climate advisory board as well as committed persons from organisations, associations, businesses and institutions contributed their proposals, views and expertise in workshops and focus groups. A positive vision for climate friendly living was developed and formulated, the climate protection targets were updated and a detailed action plan was produced.
Positive vision of climate friendly living in Landkreis Ostallgäu
The positive vision for climate friendly living addresses work, mobility, housing, consumption and food, agriculture and forestry, the landscape/environment/nature, leisure and tourism as well as society. The texts are intended to initiate talks and discussions. Yes, they should also invite people to dream. What is the best future for our society? What could and should the future of our homeland look like? Unlike gloomy visions of the future, the positive vision can provide a boost, stimulate ideas and motivate people to act.
Climate protection goals
Climate protection goals enable us to focus on activities and measure successes. The targets differ between those for which the district administration is responsible for achieving the target and those in which its task is to work towards the targets being achieved within the district. The adopted targets included climate-neutral administration of the district within its whole area of influence by 2030, reduction of the energy-related per capita greenhouse gas emissions, expansion of renewable energy in the power and heat sector and reducing the non-energy-related greenhouse gas emissions with the goal of achieving climate neutrality.
Production of an action plan
Measures for achieving the climate protection goals in Ostallgäu should be effective for climate protection, practical and able to be implemented effectively, and should lie within the decision-making sphere or area of influence of the district. In an intensive coordination process, a package of 32 individual measures was developed. The areas of action covered by these measures are organisation, PR and education, buildings and housing, energy generation, mobility and travel, commerce and industry, public utilities, consumption, nature and the environment as well as agriculture and forestry.
The new climate protection concept was adopted by the district assembly in its submitted form. It is published on the district’s website. It will provide clear guidelines for the districts climate protection activities in the coming years.