Our vision

Confronting climate change

The problem is clear: climate change is here and we are increasingly feeling the effects. Whether it's the heatwaves in summer that dry out our urban green spaces or the heavy rains that overflow drains and flood cellars - or cause damage at an even larger scale. Fortunately, there are solutions for our cities.

Protection for cities and citizens

If we are to continue to enjoy life in the Ruhr area and our urban homes in the future, we need to do something about the consequences of climate change. That is why it is our mission to drive forward climate-friendly change and make cities in the Emscher-Lippe region ready for the future. Our vision: blue-green sponge cities that absorb rainwater to use and store it or discharge it into the groundwater.

Water is the key to healthy urban green spaces, a pleasant urban climate and a happy urban population.

The increasingly frequent occurrence of extreme weather events highlight the challenges faced by urban planning.

Marcus BeckCity Coordinator of the Klima.Werk in Dinslaken

Climate protection looks good

The Ruhr area is becoming a better place to live

By planning cities with water conservation and climate change adaptation in mind, we create liveable, sustainable cities where people want to be. Creating a sponge city through urban planning not only ensures that we protect our immediate environment from the effects of climate change. It also creates attractive living spaces and recreational green spaces for its inhabitants.

Green spaces in urban areas provide better air quality and cool shade, absorb fine dust and provide a habitat for insects and animals
Water from the city enters the natural water cycle and nourishes plants and replenishes groundwater
Urban spaces are being transformed into liveable neighbourhoods, with plenty of space for everyone and natural environments that promote a sense of well-being

See for instance our visualisation for the town centre of Herten, which confirms that the Ruhr area looks even better in blue and green. The Ruhr area looks even better in blue and green. Numerous eco-friendly climate adaptation measures will turn the grey city centre into a “green living room” for the city's residents.

Zwei Menschen umarmen sich und laufen glücklich durch eine begünte Straße.

In a metropolis like the Ruhr area, where neither heat nor heavy rainfall stops at the city limits, climate adaptation can only really succeed if everyone works together.

Henrike AbromeitCity Coordinator of the Klima.Werk in Bottrop

Our focus

The Ruhr Metropolis presents a particular challenge to cities and municipalities: where one city ends, another begins. And all of them have a similarly high proportion of sealed surfaces. That is why we are working across all the cities that are part of the Klima.Werk to create the environmentally friendly and climate-proof region of tomorrow. We focus on three areas: urban water, urban green and urban change.

Some examples of our projects:

Zu sehen ist das Areal des Hausacker aus der Vogelperspektive.

Bochum: A gravel pitch turns blue-green

A multifunctional sports and leisure area for recreational use for young and old has been created on a former ash field in Bochum-Riemke. It represents the identity of the neighbourhood, is open to all citizens and protected from heat waves and heavy rainfall by an innovative system of infiltration trenches.

Zu sehen ist eine grüne Überflutungsfläche am Straßenrand in Dinslaken.

Retention pond in Dinslaken

Together, the city of Dinslaken and the Klima.Werk have created a heavy rainfall retention area with a retention volume of around 265 cubic metres at the Hünxer Straße/Gerhard-Malina-Straße junction. The flood protection basin in Dinslaken is designed to effectively mitigate the consequences of excess water due to heavy rainfall.

Green buildings in Oberhausen

Turning grey into green: The GMVA waste incineration plant in Oberhausen is setting a good example for adapting to climate change in the region. The vegetation on the roof and façade of the building absorbs stormwater, reducing the load on the sewer system and providing evaporative cooling, which the surrounding area benefits from in the summer.

Vier Menschen stehen in einem Veranstaltungssaal und unterhalten sich.

Copenhagen: AI for stormwater management

When it comes to climate change adaptation, the Klima.Werk thrives on exchanging ideas with partners and is extending its reach to other cities and regions - including Copenhagen. Together with the city of Bochum, the Danish capital is working on artificial intelligence to provide information on the impact of construction projects or other changes on the sewer system and facilitate proper stormwater management.

Images: Klima.Werk/EGLV