Supporting local climate action through mutual exchange: the Climate Dialogue

The German Federal Environment Ministry intends to strategically strengthen local climate action as one of the key pillars of the Germany's "energy transition". adelphi will therefore initiate and facilitate a long-term learning process for exchanging practical experiences: the "climate dialogue".

Climate mitigation has become a complex policy area in Germany, and particularly so for local authorities and municipalities. Numerous stakeholders and initiatives are active at the local, regional and national level. A systematic exchange of lessons learned and experiences among all relevant stakeholders at local level has become pivotal taking into account that climate mitigation at the local level is increasingly gaining in importance. With the launch of a long-term "climate dialogue", the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety is establishing a comprehensive and inclusive system of mutual learning, continuous education and training including all relevant stakeholders at local level and targeting different types of policy networks and coordination levels. Frontrunner municipalities will be enabled to further expand on-going activities, while less or non-active local governments shall be encouraged and motivated to initiate action, both benefitting from an open learning process.

A consortium of partners, including Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Difu), IFEU (Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg), Klima-Bündnis, Pestel Institut and Institut EBUS, and under the overall guidance of adelphi, will assist, manage and implement the "climate dialogue" throughout the next three years. The project focus lies on facilitation of regular exchanges and continuous learning. All learning and reflection processes will be implemented through and complemented by a whole range of activities: conferences, workshops and trainings as well as policy briefings and scientific studies.