Climate change in Bonn
Climate change and rising warming are increasingly entering the everyday lives of the population. Extreme weather affects and endangers society in the form of heavy rain, storms or prolonged heat. Already today, the average annual temperature in Bonn is 1.2 degrees Celsius above the values of 1895, the beginning of temperature records.
Climate plan of the city of Bonn
The city of Bonn aims to become climate neutral by 2035 and meet the 1.5 degree CO2 budget of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Climate Plan, which was adopted by the city council in March 2023, is the city's roadmap for a climate-neutral and livable city. As a strategy, it defines clear goals and development paths in seven fields of action for the next 13 years.
In the "Economy" field of action, the focus is on the transformation of the economy and climate neutrality as an economic policy objective. Companies in particular have opportunities for action here. The business development department will implement various business-relevant measures from the climate plan, including advice and information on sustainable business, a climate partnership with trade and industry, and a training offensive for climate-relevant trades.
Activities of the Bonn Economic Development Agency
The Bonn Economic Development Agency has initiated various activities, some of which are presented here as examples and some of which are described in more detail in individual chapters of the report.
Sustainability Hub Bonn Region
An important focus in the work of the Economic Development Department last year was the establishment of the Bonn Region Sustainability Hub. This initiative is based on a resolution passed by the Bonn City Council in June 2021.
The objective of the "Sustainability Hub Bonn Region" is to inspire, support and accompany start-ups and existing companies in the implementation of sustainable business models and products. Synergy opportunities with other institutions from business, science, universities and other sustainability initiatives in the city and region are to be initiated and promoted. In the long term, sustainability is not to become just another entrepreneurial aspect, but the basis of all economic activity.
After an intensive phase of conceptualization with 20 actors inside and outside the city administration and the creation of a communication and event concept by a commissioned agency, the kick-off event for the Bonn Region Sustainability Hub took place on November 16, 2022 in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany. Here, the expectations and wishes from the business community regarding the information and service offerings of the Bonn Region Sustainability Hub were once again compared with the previously developed objectives. The Internet presence, the presence in social media, and the event program were launched in spring 2023.
Climate-friendly industrial park Beuel-Ost
In May 2021, the administration, together with the engineering firm GERTEC from Essen and the Wissenschaftsladen (WILA) Bonn, started the model project "Klimagerechtes Gewerbegebiet Beuel-Ost" (climate-friendly commercial area Beuel East) in one of the largest and oldest commercial areas in the Federal City of Bonn. Together with interested local companies, work has since been underway to ensure that the area can continue to develop in a climate-friendly manner. Key elements are potential checks and the initiation of measures for a higher location quality, a better open space structure, climatic building optimization as well as optimized energy consumption and better utilization of energy generation.
Climate-oriented business park management will gradually be extended to all 18 business parks.
Inner development of industrial estates
The city of Bonn is under strong development pressure in terms of demand for commercial space. It has hardly any land available for new construction. The goal of the Office of Economic Development is to be able to meet the demand in terms of quality and quantity in the future as well, within the framework of actively securing the existing stock. Taking the Bad Godesberg-Nord commercial area as an example, the City Planning Office and the Office for Economic Development are working with commissioned planning offices to develop strategies aimed at increasing building density while at the same time safeguarding and developing green volumes and implementing sustainable forms of mobility. This principle of "multiple inner development" is intended to reconcile the guiding principles of climate protection and climate adaptation. The objective is to transfer the findings, experiences and recommendations to the other commercial areas in Bonn and thus achieve added value beyond the planning area.
Tourism becomes more sustainable
The local tourist information office "Bonn-Information", which is certified with the nationwide "Travel for All" label, supports sustainable tourism, for example, by offering sustainable products in souvenir sales. Since 2020, a low-emission, barrier-free hybrid bus has been used for city tours in Bonn. Furthermore, the development of a tourism state database is supported, which promotes the digitalization of tourist information. Furthermore, the Economic Development Department, together with the Stadtwerke Bonn, the municipal departments and the shipping companies involved, coordinates the shore power supply for the mooring points for the river cruise ships on the banks of the Rhine in order to reduce the noise and pollutant emissions of the diesel generators to a minimum during the mooring time.
Bonn Science Night
Every two years since 2000, the Bonn Science Night has offered exciting hands-on science in the heart of the city. In 2022, the motto of the 13th Bonn Science Night was "sustainable research". Numerous exhibitors from the University of Bonn and the universities, research institutes and scientific institutions in the region presented current projects on the topic of sustainability. With exciting hands-on stations, exhibits to try out, as well as lectures and discussion rounds, they showed how diverse the topic of sustainability and related research is and invited people to exchange ideas and engage in dialog.
Alliance for skilled workers
Economic development is closely networked with all regional labor market players in the Alliance for Skilled Workers. The focus is on the sustainable transformation of the labor society with topics such as strengthening labor mobility or the distribution of adequate work in society.
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