Mayor Katja Dörner: "The successful 'Bonn4Future' participatory process has made it clear that the people of Bonn want to help shape change on their own doorstep and they are getting involved in climate protection with a great deal of creativity and commitment. The climate districts support the people of Bonn in making the necessary changes. Together, they can create liveable and climate-resilient public spaces and reduce local emissions."
The participatory centers serve as a meeting place, as a contact point for information and advice and as a starting point for a wide range of jointly planned activities. The first projects for the two climate districts Beuel-Mitte and Godesberg-Nord are expected to start in the fall. Further climate districts are being developed in the Hardtberg and Bonn districts.
The climate districts will be linked to existing structures in the respective neighborhoods. Activities can include workshops, lectures, cultural events and networking meetings. Civil society structures such as neighborhood associations, social work providers, church institutions or sustainability initiatives with resources and training opportunities are networked in the climate districts. For example, the training program for citizen solar advisors that has already been launched is an initial measure that can be anchored in the climate districts.
The measures in the districts are to be designed as inclusive and participatory processes in which different groups can participate on an equal footing. Recommendations from the "Bonn4Future - Wir fürs Klima" (Bonn4Future - We for the Climate) participatory process have been incorporated into the design of the climate districts. Among other things, it was recommended that Bonn residents should be able to "get started on their own doorstep". A key format of the planned climate districts - "future forums" in all four districts - has already been tested in a similar form at city-wide level in Bonn4Future.
The city is already in talks with potential cooperation partners. The cooperation can now be concretized following the decision by the Expert Committee for Environment, Climate and Local Agenda (AUKLA). Other interested parties can get actively involved. The administration team can be contacted by email at klimaviertelbonnde
The climate districts are part of the work program of Bonn's Climate Plan 2035, which was adopted by the City Council in March 2023 as a roadmap for a climate-neutral and liveable city of Bonn. As a climate neutrality strategy, the climate plan defines goals and development paths for the period up to 2035 and contains a "climate protection work program" for the city administration that is geared towards this and will be implemented and continuously updated in the coming years. Further information on the Bonn Climate Plan 2035 can be found at www.bonn.de/klima. (opens in a new tab)