"With the concept for a climate-neutral administration and the associated register of measures, we are setting out to consistently implement climate protection within the administration and to be climate-neutral by 2035," said District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier and continued: "In doing so, we are not only taking our exemplary role as a public authority seriously, but also pursuing opportunities to reduce costs and redesign our work processes in the direction of a modern and sustainable administration with target-oriented approaches."
A total of 29 measures for the path to climate-neutral administration
The representatives for climate-neutral administration then described the successes of the past process. By looking at their own organization, responsibilities and communication channels were established and the mission statement with goals and the definition for climate-neutral administration was defined. The initial balance sheet on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions defines the starting point for the path to climate neutrality. Of the 29 measures developed, the anchoring of climate protection at the top of the administration as well as the approaches for energy-efficient building renovations and energy supply with renewables are considered particularly central.
The vision of a liveable and sustainable district
The concept for climate-neutral administration forms the first pillar of the district-wide climate protection concept to be updated. The target year 2040 has been set for climate neutrality in the district as a whole - so that the district remains liveable and becomes sustainable. To this end, the administration will develop two further pillars in a participatory process: on the one hand, measures within the defined responsibilities with an impact on the district as a whole - such as local transport planning (Pillar II) and, on the other hand, voluntary offers to promote climate protection, for example through networks and environmental education offers (Pillar III). In future, the climate protection concept will focus more strongly on the district's direct fields of action, which does not mean that the district municipalities are left to their own devices. The district administration would like to significantly expand cooperation for climate protection - both with its own district municipalities and with international partner municipalities - and is inviting people to the "Partnerships for climate action" climate forum in March 2024.
Concepts become agile working tools
The district's climate protection concept will not only be given a new structure as part of the update, but will also be seen as an agile working tool.
As part of the presentation on the path to climate-neutral administration, Tina Prietz from the Climate Protection department explains: "We're not waiting until 2035 to see if the plans are working, but instead check every year to see if we're on the right track." Registers of measures thus become "living documents" that are further developed each year in line with changing framework conditions and the status of target achievement.
A climate and energy report is being developed as a central communication tool for developments within the administration. In a further step, the district administration is aiming to present all climate protection developments in a digital dashboard. This should bring transparency, simplify processes and promote faster progress towards climate neutrality.
Leading by example in climate protection
To reaffirm the new, more ambitious climate protection targets, the committee decided to renew the signing of the climate protection pact with the state of Baden-Württemberg. With the introduction of the climate checks, the commitment as a model municipality for the climate mobility plan and the updating of the climate protection concept, including the concept for climate-neutral administration, the district of Ludwigsburg would like to continue working towards fulfilling its role model function.
