Our climate action network
Joint forces throughout the region
Who are the people behind the Klima.Werk? They are the employees in the region's local authorities and in the network's service organisation at Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband.
Implementing climate change adaptation measures requires cooperation between different offices or departments within a city's administration: Urban planning, civil engineering, drainage or environmental services are all involved in promoting water-sensitive urban development and transforming cities to be climate resilient. Because of its responsibilities for public services in the area of sanitation and flood protection, the water industry also has a role to play. This is why Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband seek to contribute to climate change adaptation. Both associations focus on promoting the sponge city, collaborative approaches to water management and urban planning, and finding supra-municipal solutions within the region to counteract the climate crisis.
Together with the cities, we need to step up our efforts and research to climate proof the Emscher-Lippe region. Let's face this challenge together!
Prof. Dr. Uli PaetzelChairman of the Executive Board of Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband
City coordinators
The blue-green transformation is being implemented together through the Klima.Werk. City coordinators are playing a key role in this process. They are employees from various departments or offices within a city or municipality (civil engineering, drainage, urban planning, etc.) from different hierarchical levels who act as internal and external contacts for climate change adaptation. At least two experts from relevant departments in each municipality are involved in initiating planning processes, research and measures for near-natural stormwater management and heavy rainfall resilience in their cities. The city coordinators also act as advocates for the issue within their city halls. They are bringing other stakeholders and businesses on board to promote climate change adaptation and research.
The city coordinators regularly work together across cities and hierarchies in the Klima.Werk network. This is not a common practice in our region and sets an excellent example for the entire Ruhr area!
Dr Thomas GriebeCity Coordinator for Duisburg
Mirror organisations
To implement climate change adaptation as effectively as possible in the cities, new multidisciplinary project teams, called mirror or core teams, are set up alongside and in cooperation with the city coordinators. These teams should include staff from all relevant offices or departments to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table when a climate change adaptation project is being considered. “At these meetings, the project's current status is presented, new ideas and concerns are introduced, prioritised and discussed, and the next steps are coordinated. If necessary, participants with specific expertise are invited,” says Tobias Unterbäumer, city coordinator in Gelsenkirchen, explaining the work carried out by the core teams or mirror organisations.
Service organisation
An agile partner for regional climate resilience: In 2020, the Emschergenossenschaft established the service organisation (SO), which implements climate adaptation measures for sustainable development together with municipalities, organisations and other partners. All issues related to the topic are bundled in the service organisation. It is also the contact point for funding (KRiS and ZVR).
Contact: hallo@klima-werk.de
Work done by the service organisation
- Providing advice and support for water-sensitive urban development projects from the initial idea through to implementation
- Interlinking Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, municipalities, organisations and other stakeholders
- Providing a forum and hub for the agile and interdisciplinary cooperation network within the Emscher-Lippe region
- Organising workshops and events for networking and project developments
- Promotion and dissemination of the “Klima.Werk” brand
- Advice on funding and support in applying for funding
- Applications for the KRiS funding programme from municipalities, organisations and other bodies responsible for implementing measures as a climate action network
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Images: Zukunftsinitiative Klima.Werk/EGLV