A supporting pillar of the German Climate Initiative: local authorities.

Those who invest in climate protection invest in the future. Environmental interests and social interests go hand in hand. The Federal Environment Ministry's National Climate Initiative strengthens the country for the challenges ahead in a number of ways.

Lower CO₂ emissions mean lower costs
The Climate Initiative focuses on energy efficiency, and thus helps to reduce regular energy costs. This presents a twofold opportunity for local authorities. Firstly, this sector has a particularly high saving potential in terms of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Local authorities which invest in climate protection cut their energy costs in the long-term - whether in schools, swimming pool or town halls - and ease the burden on the municipal budget.

Promoting climate protection.
And industry Moreover, the support provided by the National Climate Initiative enables local authorities to boost the economy, triggering the modernisation of infrastructure and the development of innovative technologies. This directly benefits local industry, supporting firms in the area, creating long-term employment and raising the export opportunities for industry as a whole. In this way the local authorities can inject important impetus at a time of economic weakness.

A long list of funded projects.
The climate protection support programme for local authorities comprises a broad catalogue of measures. Funding is available, for instance, for both long-term climate protection concepts covering the whole of the local authority area, and individual projects such as the installation of high-efficiency  lighting systems in public buildings, or the CO₂-neutral modernisation of an entire school. In this way the Climate Initiative provides diverse incentives for lowering CO₂ emissions and costs, thus making the local authorities viable for the future.