Climate protection for Berlin and Brandenburg: The new signpost is here!

Climate protection for Berlin and Brandenburg: The new signpost is here!

On March 27, 2025, the climate guide for Berlin and Brandenburg will be presented in an online event. This event is organized by the Climate Change Center Berlin Brandenburg and starts at 10:30 a.m. Participants must register in advance to receive the link to participate. The climate guide is the result of a cooperation between 45 universities and research institutions from both federal states and focuses on the areas of action of the Brandenburg Climate Plan and the Berlin Energy and Climate Protection Program (BEK 2030). This initiative aims to bring together actors from politics, administration, science and business and discuss cross-national climate issues. TU Berlin reports that some of the central topics of the climate guide include energy and hydrogen, climate-neutral economy, transport, agriculture and citizen participation.

The event will also present contributions from the climate guide, which represent the expertise of the scientists involved. 22 institutions from Brandenburg and 23 from Berlin were involved in developing the climate guide. These research institutions and universities offer extensive information and guidance for climate protection commitment in both federal states. This binding cooperation is of central importance in order to jointly address the challenges of climate change.

Background and objectives

Climate change is considered one of the greatest challenges of today. Brandenburg has already adopted a climate plan in 2024, the goal of which is to achieve climate neutrality by 2045. In this context, the former Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture and Climate Protection commissioned the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) to create the climate guide. Project leader Prof. Sophia Becker emphasizes the importance of cooperation between science, politics, business and civil society for climate protection. Brandenburg.de highlights that the climate guide consists of three parts: subject areas, an alphabetical list of research institutions and a digital map to visualize the expertise in the region.

The climate guide not only serves as a source of information, but is also intended to act as a platform for exchange between science and practice. Dr. Friederike Haase, State Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection, describes it as a central element of the climate plan. It is intended to help bring innovative solutions into practice more quickly and promote networking between the various actors.

Climate policy challenges in Germany

The development of the climate guide is part of a broader trend in German climate policy, which is facing major challenges. The federal government is pursuing ambitious climate goals that were set out in the Climate Protection Act of 2019 and the subsequent adjustments. These changes aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990, with the goal of climate neutrality by 2045. bpb.de emphasizes that climate policy represents a cross-sectional task that requires the integration of various actors.

The 4.5 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 compared to the previous year illustrates how urgent the need for climate protection measures is. The Federal Constitutional Court decided in 2021 that the climate targets must be tightened in order to secure the freedoms of future generations. These developments show that effective climate policy requires a variety of aspects and close collaboration across different sectors.