13 pioneering cities on the “climate-neutral city” mission take stock
13 pioneering small towns (10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants) met in Judenburg in mid-March to take stock of their climate neutrality roadmaps. On the one hand, experiences and best practice examples were exchanged, and on the other hand, the focal points for the coming months were defined. The meeting was opened by the Mayor of Judenburg, Elke Florian.
Finding innovative solutions together
The mid-term meeting in Judenburg had several key objectives. On the one hand, it was intended to enable the participants from the 13 pioneering cities to reflect on their experiences to date and receive concrete assistance for the coming months. It was particularly important to support the pioneering cities in developing their climate neutrality roadmaps, especially in formulating measures to lead the cities towards a climate-neutral future model.
Another key objective was the exchange of best practices. In small group discussions, successful measures and innovative solutions from other pioneering cities and cities in Germany were discussed. This exchange of experience helped the cities to learn from the successes of others and gain inspiration for their own work.
Status updates and review of progress to date
To support mutual learning, each pioneering city gave a status update and a review of the activities implemented to date at the meeting. Not only were the milestones achieved celebrated, but challenges that need to be overcome in the coming months were also identified.
In recent months, the cities have already formulated a clear vision for their climate-neutral future, set targets and defined the key fields of action such as energy and buildings, mobility and waste management. The coming months will now be used to develop concrete measures to put these areas of action into practice.
The participants were able to learn from the experiences of their colleagues. It was particularly exciting to discuss what measures are planned in the various cities and how these can be transferred to other cities.
Findings on the climate neutrality roadmaps
The meeting in Judenburg produced important findings that will help the cities to make their climate neutrality roadmaps even more targeted and successful. Three central aspects are particularly noteworthy:
- Data collection: A precise data basis is crucial for the development of climate neutrality roadmaps. The cities emphasized the importance of collecting reliable and detailed data in order to make well-founded decisions.
- Involvement of politics in the process: Another important point was the involvement of politics in the development process of the climate neutrality roadmap. In recent months, there have already been political changes in some federal states, such as Styria, Lower Austria and Vorarlberg, which have led to new political players in the projects. The meeting provided an opportunity for cities to discuss how they can integrate the new political actors into the process and ensure that the climate neutrality targets continue to gain political support.
- Financing implementation: How can cities secure the necessary financial resources to implement their climate measures? Financing turned out to be one of the biggest challenges. During the discussions, it became clear that cities need to develop innovative financing models in order to secure the necessary resources to implement their climate neutrality roadmaps. This also includes the use of subsidies and investment funds that are available at various levels – from national to European funding programs.
Key topics for the accompanying process in the coming months
The meeting also focused on the priorities for the next six months until the end of the project in November. Intensive discussions led to the identification of five key topics that will determine the further course of the project:
- Monitoring the implementation of the climate neutrality roadmaps
- Adapting administrative structures to achieve climate neutrality efficiently
- The definition of climate neutrality in every city
- The legal framework
- The use of dashboards and certificates
These topics will now be explored in greater depth in the digital formats of the accompanying process.
Consultation corners with the federal organizations
Another highlight of the meeting was the opportunity to talk directly to the representatives of KLIEN and the FFG. The consultation corners, where participants were able to obtain individual advice on funding opportunities and calls for tenders from the federal government, were particularly popular. The consultation corners were well attended and offered the cities valuable insights and practical assistance.
Next steps until November 2025
The interim assessment in Judenburg has given the pioneering cities important impetus for further refining their climate neutrality roadmaps and effectively driving forward the formulation and establishment of measures.
In the coming months, the focus will be on developing the measures in detail and ensuring that they are linked to a concrete implementation plan. It will be crucial to further strengthen the administrative structures and actively involve political decision-makers, citizens and stakeholders in the process in order to promote commitment and acceptance within the administration and among the population.
About the mission: “Climate-neutral city”
With the “Climate Neutral City” mission, the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and the Climate and Energy Fund are helping Austrian cities to become climate neutral as quickly as possible.
As part of the mission, large, medium-sized and small pioneering cities throughout Austria are developing practical, climate-effective solutions for the energy and mobility transition as well as the circular economy, which are to be implemented and disseminated quickly. They are examples of how strategies and measures need to be aligned in order to implement climate-friendly development.
The mid-term meeting was organized by SIR with the support of Austria Tech, which is jointly supporting the pioneering cities in a comprehensive monitoring process.