Lubeck against climate change

by Thorsten Geissler

For years, it appeared Lubeck was immune to problems associated with climate change. However, recently the city has experienced increases in temperature, storms, heavy rainfalls, and even heat waves. Lubeck knows that as a city it cannot stop global warming. Therefore, city administrators have focused on mitigating the consequences of climate change e.g. by energy-saving measures. Furthermore, Lubeck has become a member of several organizations promoting a permanent dialogue and exchange of concepts between local, regional, and national governments, as well as the European Union.

In 1992, Lubeck joined the Climate Alliance, a network of more than 1300 European municipalities. Its goal is to protect the worlds climate. Lubeck has benefited immensely from the expertise of the Climate Alliance in developing projects for local climate protection. The Lubeck City Council passed a bylaw in 2007 which obliges all departments of the city administration to consider and mitigate the consequences of climate change in local planning.

One of the public relations projects initiated by the Climate Alliance was the Ice Block Bet, aimed at educating the public about the benefits of thermal insulation. Five ice blocks were put in an insulated house in the heart of the city. After ten weeks 72.3 % of the ice still existed.

Lubeck has combated climate change also in other ways. The city gives homeowners, landlords and tenants the opportunity to evaluate heat consumption. Everybody can receive recommendations from local experts on how to save energy, reduce costs, and CO₂ emissions. Lubeck has also given subsidies to promote environmentally-friendly living. It has been involved in combating climate change on a multinational level. The INTERREG Project "e-Tream" is one example of this involvement.

Lubeck has identified precautionary climate protection as a primary goal. By 2010, half of the electric power produced in the land of Schleswig-Holstein will be derived from wind.

In accordance with the objectives of Climate Alliance, Lubeck hopes to see 50% less greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In addition to that, the township aims at seeing a significant further reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, through the use of effective traffic management plans, solar panels on public buildings, energy-management policies and flood control methods.