Senate approves draft of new climate protection law

27 February 2023

Hamburg State Parliament to vote on tougher climate protection targets in Hamburg Climate Protection Act

The senate has approved the draft of a new Hamburg Climate Protection Act and has released the amendment for a hearing of associations, a press release said Tuesday (February 14, 2023). The amendment raises the interim target for CO2 savings from 55 to 70 per cent by 2030 and will be submitted to parliament for a vote before the summer holidays. The amendments will legally establish Hamburg's new climate protection targets, which were adopted in December 2022. CO2 savings of up to three million tons are expected by 2030.

Hamburg to become CO2-neutral by 2045

"Limiting climate change is a formidable political and social responsibility. Climate change is progressing ever more noticeably," said Jens Kerstan, Senator for the Environment. Hamburg must continue to pioneer climate protection and adaptation. The new law will set that course. "CO2 emissions are to be reduced by 70 per cent by 2030 over 1990, so we are still somewhat more ambitious than the federal government. By 2045, the entire city of Hamburg will be living and working CO2-neutrally five years earlier than planned."

Renewable energies in the heating network and solar green roofs

The new law increases the share of renewable energies in heating systems from 15 to 65 per cent beginning in 2027. An appropriate funding scheme is to set up from 2024. Grids in Hamburg should transport half of all heat from renewable energies by 2030 and entirely from those sources by 2045. Several measures will increase the share of renewable energies in the building sector. Mandatory photovoltaic systems will be supplemented by a required minimum occupancy area of 30 per cent of the gross roof area with photovoltaics from 2024. Mandatory photovoltaics for existing buildings will be brought forward to 2024 and introduced to parking spaces in the same year. A combined use of photovoltaic systems and green roofs will become mandatory from 2027.

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