How much climate protection can and should a city achieve? It is a question that not least divides the student city of Passau. The debate in the city council reached another high point on Monday. After the government majority consisting of the SPD, CSU, Free Voters and FDP voted for a new climate protection concept after a two-hour debate, there was a tumult. About 20 climate activists stood up, rolled out banners and marched through the hall with chants.
The activists from the “Klimacamp Passau” had already announced what they were calling for in several, sometimes spectacular, actions: the administration would be climate-neutral by 2030, a courageous turnaround in mobility, and less sealing. In other words: ambitious climate protection at the local level. “There are thousands of things that a municipality can do,” says Jakob Hagenberg, a political science student at the University of Passau and one of the activists at the climate camp.
The new climate protection concept is 276 pages long
The climate protection concept that the city has now launched does not go far enough for him and his colleagues. The Munich consulting group BAUM Consult has put together suggestions on 276 pages. According to this, the administration is to become climate-neutral by 2045, buildings are to be energetically renovated and heating systems to be converted. To this end, the city plans to invest one million euros initially, with a further 500,000 euros to follow annually – provided that the budget allows it.
Mayor Jürgen Düpper (SPD) is satisfied on Tuesday. The concept is not only “ambitious”, but also dynamic, it should be continuously evaluated and controlled. “That will advance our city,” says the mayor. Hagenberg, on the other hand, speaks of a “certificate of poverty”. The city could do a lot more: rededicate parking spaces, pace public transport more closely, “there are thousands of things”.
“Too slow and too discouraged,” complains the opposition
The day after the vote, the opposition was also dissatisfied. More courage is needed, says the leader of the Greens, Stefanie Auer, the measures are “too slow and too discouraged”. Urban Mangold (ÖDP) found that there was a lot of good in the concept. However, one is in a race against time: “The obvious must not be postponed to the Saint Never Day.”
Occupying a crane, abseiling from the city gallery, camping under the Fünferlsteg – the climate activists have already drawn attention to themselves with several campaigns in the past. But even the mayor saw them relaxed on Tuesday: “Oh, my goodness,” he says, “the Dreiländerhalle has already seen a lot.” However, the arguments do not gain in persuasiveness, says the OB. Auer sees it differently: She can understand that you want to make yourself heard when you don’t feel heard.