When it comes to climate protection, cities and municipalities don’t have it easy. Many are making an effort, want to become climate neutral as soon as possible – but they simply cannot do what they would like to. Municipalities are “tied up drivers when it comes to climate protection,” said the Vice President of the German Association of Cities, the Mayor of Münster, Markus Lewe. What that means in practice can currently be seen in Munich.
On Tuesday, the city council will for the first time bend over the plans for the city’s next step on its path to climate neutrality, the second major decision of principle. Big is to be understood literally here: The resolution is 228 pages thick and is flanked by 30 annexes, including studies that are similarly long or even longer – for the sake of the climate, nobody should really print out this climate document. But the decision is also big in the figurative sense (SZ Plus). Munich wants to invest hundreds of millions of euros in the coming years to renovate buildings, install solar systems and get more electric vehicles on the road. The city also wants to commission advertising campaigns to motivate Munich residents to take part, but it is unlikely that the city will be able to become climate-neutral by 2035 as planned.
This failure is partly homemade, as the city council has set itself this ambitious goal. In 2019, he did not commission studies and then wait. Instead, he immediately set a goal that seemed necessary. That is of course risky. Now the city has to pull out all the stops to at least come close to it, because it will probably not achieve it. Her hands are tied in too many areas. There is not enough money to convert power plants and build subways. There are not even enough craftsmen to renovate all buildings in a timely manner. What to do? Munich must hope that the federal government will help. And, it says right at the beginning in the fundamental decision: It takes “courage and determination”. Whether that is enough is questionable. At least it can’t do any harm.
THE DAY IN MUNICH
Suspect caught after a knife attack at the main train station. In a dispute, a 22-year-old was seriously injured on a train on Sunday evening. Because the perpetrator fled initially, the police blocked the main station. The suspect will though only taken on Monday.
Maxvorstadt: Climate activists let air out of SUV tires. “The Krampus has temporarily inactivated your car”: On Monday morning, some drivers experienced an unpleasant Santa Claus surprise.
Demo at Königsplatz: cold bus for the protest camp. People from Sierra Leone have been protesting in Munich for ten weeks, but the cold and poor health are increasingly bothering them. Now comes help.
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