Marburg's path to climate neutrality: progress and challenges by 2030

Marburg's path to climate neutrality: progress and challenges by 2030

On Saturday, March 29, 2025, the Marburg Climate Alliance on the market square reminded of the upcoming challenge of climate neutrality with a symbolic action. At that time, half of the time to the goal, which was determined by the city council on June 28, 2019, had already passed. Marburg strives to become climate neutral by 2030. The activists presented banners with inscriptions such as "You can do it!" To encourage the local political core. The pressure to reduce CO2 emissions to zero until the desired date grows.

Michael Plappert from the Parents for Future emphasized the need to reduce the already high emissions that were around 640,000 tons in Marburg in 2019. About 50 percent of emissions come from the heating, 30 percent from electricity consumption and 20 percent from traffic. Therefore, a reduction in the traffic sector is of crucial importance to counter the climate crisis.

transparency about progress

The climate alliance has asked the city of Marburg to regularly report progress in relation to climate neutrality. Angelika Becker from Attac pointed out that the citizens: inside expect more information about climate and environmental measures. A climate action plan that was decided in August 2020 is of central importance in this context. The plan includes over 100 measures that focus on four fields of action: local energy generation, climate -neutral building, climate -neutral mobility and support of the city society.

Walter Gruber from the Citizens' Initiative Transport Wende added that a strategy was necessary to overcome the limits of growth and also to use empty living space. The climate action plan is a comprehensive document that is to be further developed with citizen participation.

challenges and measures

Last year's climate emergency and the proclamation commit the city to concrete measures. Traffic plays a crucial role in the reduction of CO2 emissions. As part of the union and SPD coalition agreement from February 2018, the Federal Government is committed to the Paris climate protection agreement, which also includes sector -specific goals for the traffic sector. Here the greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 40 to 42 percent by 2030.

The need for timely decisions is essential to achieve these goals. Studies, such as those of Agora Traffic turn, show that no single or simple step is sufficient to meet the requirements. Rather, it requires a comprehensive bundle of measures to achieve the desired reduction.

The city of Marburg not only sees itself as an actuator at the local level, but also as part of a larger climate protection plan. The citizens: inside are called to actively participate in the necessary changes. This could be done through new funding programs for climate -friendly living and mobility that pursue the same goals that are also formulated in the present climate action plan.

The dialogue between the city administration and the citizens: inside remains crucial to support the efforts collected to achieve climate neutrality and to secure the quality of life in the city.