The basic decision on the Integrated Action Program on Climate Protection (IHKM) in 2008 led to the creation of an interdepartmental management system to increase the efficiency of measures taken and make better use of the resulting synergies. Every 2 -3 years a package of measures will be adopted as a climate protection program under the Integrated Action Program. The first package of measures was the “Climate Protection Program 2010” for the period 2010-2012. It incorporated measures necessary for achieving an ambitious goal - to produce by 2025 as much eco-power in facilities of the Stadtwerke München as is consumed by the entire city of Munich. This amounts to around 7.5 billion kilowatt hours per annum, and will make Munich the first city of over a million people able of satisfying its energy demand relying exclusively on "clean" sources.
The Integrated Action Program on Climate Protection in Munich (IHKM) gathers together the numerous existing activities, continues to develop and update them through the interdepartmental Steering Committee and project groups in eight fields of action, and adds new measures.
The topics are:
Total investment by the “Climate Protection Program 2010” with its 55 measures came to 25.6 billion EUR. The creation of the IHKM received funding from the Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. At the end of 2012 the Integrated Action Program was updated by the “Climate Protection Program 2013” for a period of two years (2013-2014). A total of 59.2 million EUR was invested in this programme with its 63 measures. New appointments include nine climate protection managers and a manager responsible for promoting the energy-saving model in schools and day-care centres. At the end of 2014 the Integrated Action Program was updated by the next package of measures, the “Climate Protection Program 2015”, which lasts three years (2015-2017).
The IHKM also includes a full reporting system, comprising the CO2 monitoring report published every two years, a climate protection report for the entire city (www.muenchen.de/ihkm), the evaluation of the individual climate protection programmes by an external specialist institute, and reporting to the European Covenant of Mayors.
As a long-standing member of the European Climate Alliance, the City Council has made a commitment to reduce Munich’s CO2 emissions by 50 percent by not later than 2030. Through its Integrated Action Program on Climate Protection in Munich and the associated interdepartmental cooperation, the City aims to achieve and continuously improve a new quality of climate protection.
Since the first package of measures in 2010 there has been a special focus on expanding electricity generation from renewable sources and on improving energy efficiency in housing construction, heating systems and city-owned buildings. These measures include the conversion of street lighting and traffic signals to power-saving technologies, as well as emphasize the need for increased promotion of local public transport and cycling.
Innovative model projects and measures in the field of urban development support the climate-friendly development of Munich and help to increase energy efficiency in industry. These developments are backed up by improvements in public relations work aimed at raising citizens’ interest in climate protection. Important items in this connection are the Climate Protection Report and an interactive climate protection map of the city showing, for example the nearest charging station for electric cars or sites where electricity is generated by hydro power.
Within the context of the climate protection program 2015, a comprehensive study on the further development of climate protection in Munich was adopted. The study, titled "Climate Protection Goal and Strategy Munich 2050", was prepared by the Öko-Insititut and provided an important basis for the further development of the Integrated Action Program on Climate Protection.
The first measures in the “Climate Protection Program 2010” allowed saving of more than 450,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. As of 2015, due to the already finished projects, Stadtwerke München GmbH has had a generating capacity of around 2.3 billion kWh of green power from its own facilities. This is equivalent to nearly 30% of Munich’s power consumption, and is already considerably more than the amount of energy required by all Munich’s 800,000 households, its metro and tram systems. Other projects (especially wind energy) with considerable potential are at the planning stage. The result of full implementation of the “Climate Protection Program 2013” has been estimated at the level of around 590,000 t of an annual CO2 savings. In the meantime, the current "Climate Protection Program 2015", containing 87 measures (59 of which are updates and adjustments), has a calculated capacity for saving approx. 1.4 million t of CO2.
Bundling the urban development measures and activities under an interdepartmental steering and project group was and is the basis for success. The national attention to Munich's ambitious goals and support on the ministerial level also have their role to play. Last but not the least, incorporation of the goal of "Awareness Raising" into Action Agenda has allowed to activate citizen's participation and facilitated communication of Munich's aims in the area of climate protection.
Landeshauptstadt München (ed.): Klimaschutz in München. Klimaschutzbericht 2012. München, 2012
Landeshauptstadt München (ed.): Klimaschutz in München. Serviceteil zum Klimaschutzbericht. München, 2013
Climate protection report (German)
Ausbauoffensive Erneuerbare Energien
Published: 22/03/2016
Stephanie Jacobs
Head of division Health and the Environment
Regional capital of Munich
T +49-(0)89-233 47500
referentenbuero.rgu(at)muenchen.de