“The scope for action is limited”

Downtown Bottrop probably faces mitigation challenges that differ from those existing in east Leipzig. Nevertheless, all the German municipalities must confront the task of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Where do our cities and municipalities stand on climate change mitigation? And how can they be given more effective support? We put these questions to Marianna Roscher, who heads the Building, Housing, Climate Action and Adaptation Unit at the German Association of Towns and Municipalities. She explains why local authorities often have limited scope for action and what kind of changes to funding criteria are required.

Marianna Roscher, where does municipal climate action stand at present?

There’s no easy answer to that because the German local authorities come in all shapes and sizes and have diverse strengths and challenges. So the progress that cities and municipalities have made in the different fields also varies. Some are leading the way on transport, while others are ahead of the game on refurbishment of the building stock or are already working on heat planning. There are some excellent examples that we can learn from. I’m thinking of the village of Feldheim in Brandenburg, which is self-sufficient in energy with its own electricity and heat network and solar power plant, among other things. It must be said, though, that when it comes to climate action, no one has crossed the finishing line yet. That’s why we need a good overview of the areas of action being addressed at the local level.

Could you say a little more about the status quo?

The simple fact is that in many areas, progress is too slow. And it very much depends on the financial and human resources that are available to the local authority. On top of that, many cities and municipalities have been – and still are – preoccupied with other issues, such as mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and providing accommodation for refugees.

Should the federal government make climate action mandatory for local authorities?

Who is responsible for protecting the climate? That’s the fundamental question. What action should national government take? What about the local authorities and private citizens – what should they be doing? There are no clear rules on this at present. What we need is a basic consensus on the division of responsibilities between the federal government, the German states and the local authorities, along with appropriate policy frameworks.

Could you elaborate?

In many areas, the local authorities’ scope for action is very limited by the legal frameworks, for example. If an authority wants to implement a water conservation strategy, it will need some limited access to properties. But facilitating this can be a very complex and lengthy process. Similar problems can arise with municipal heat planning.

What are the most important mechanisms for more municipal climate action?

We should be starting with those that yield the highest emission reductions. Here, we need to look at buildings; that includes real estate owned by the local authorities. Municipal heat planning and refurbishment have a key role to play. Another important question is where the local authorities are actually able to influence climate action to an adequate extent – this is evident from the opportunities for access, which I have just mentioned. And recruiting climate action managers is certainly very important.

What is the most urgent task that they need to address?

Securing funding. The feedback that we often receive is that simply applying for and accessing funding absorbs too much capacity in the cities and municipalities. It ties up staff resources, which are often in short supply already.

How can and should local authorities be supported in their climate action?

First and foremost, the federal and state governments should provide financial resources. The funding criteria need to be simplified at the same time so that interventions can be carried out more swiftly, more efficiently and with a stronger focus on results. For example, the disbursement of funds should not fail simply because an invoice for a double-digit figure can’t be produced. From our perspective, it would also be sensible to remove the time limit on the funding of climate action managers. Climate change mitigation is a long-term task, so it is not particularly helpful to be constantly losing know-how here. And of course, municipal climate action relies on good cooperation with local citizens. We must all learn to push the boundaries of our comfort zones

Many thanks for the interview.

Interview conducted by Christiane Weihe.

---

Talking to eco@work: Marianna Roscher, Head of Unit at the German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB)