A new kind of speed dating: Networking event on local climate funds in Munich

More and more municipalities are relying on innovative local climate funds to mobilise finances for effective climate protection. But how do local climate funds work in practice? How can citizens and organisations participate in regional climate protection campaigns? And how can effective local projects be acquired? adelphi research and the administrative district of Munich recently organised a networking event to discuss all of these questions.

Visit to a climate protection project

The day before the meeting, participants took a trip to a climate protection project in the district of Munich funded by the “Aktion Zukunft+” climate fund. The “Aktion Zukunft+” initiative offers the opportunity to support specific climate protection projects with a donation. The focus of the visit was a climate protection project on the humus development in agriculture, which can potentially reduce four to seven tons of CO2 emissions per hectare, a considerable amount.

During the visit, participants also discussed questions about the function and effectiveness of climate funds and project development.

Sharing experiences: from Hamburg to Munich via Constance

At the start of the networking meeting the following day, participants learned about the key features of all climate funds (concepts) during a tour of a climate fund poster gallery.  

The meeting started with the lecture “Regional climate protection in the carbon market” by Denis Machnik, Senior Manager at adelphi research gGmbH. The climate protection expert gave an overview of the future of the voluntary compensation market, the interest in and the possible role of regional climate contributions. Lisa Keusen, an advisor at adelphi research gGmbH, moderated a panel discussion after the lecture. Dirk Vogeley, Managing Director of the Karlsruhe Climate Protection and Energy Agency (KEK), Sebastian Hartmann, Head of Department at the Energy and Environmental Centre Allgäu (eza!), Philip Dafe, Project Manager of Aktion Zukunft+ at the Munich District Office, and Denis Machnik explained how they are already developing practical solutions to these questions in their local climate funds.

Representatives of the Hamburg climate fund “#moinzukunft” (Nora Ruge), the Konstanz climate fund (Birgit Zauner) and Aktion Zukunft+ (Phillip Dafe) shared experiences of project funding through climate funds, fundraising as a new issue for administrations, and approaching companies to co-finance climate funds.

Networking and laying foundations

This was followed by interactive sessions in the “World Café”, in which the participants discussed current issues in small groups and worked out possible solutions. Participants explored key actors for the success of a climate fund, suitable communication formats, effective methods for acquiring effective local climate projects, and evaluating and monitoring the climate effectiveness of funded projects. At the end of the workshop, they collected ideas and requests for further networking.

A total of 21 individuals from 13 municipalities/institutions from all over Germany took part in the event. The networking meeting in Munich laid the foundation for a network of climate fund practitioners and the establishment of additional climate funds.

Contact: Lisa Keusen, Advisor at adelphi research gGmbH