Hamburg – European Green Capital 2011 Final Report Published by: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg Behörde für Stadtentwicklung und Umwelt Stadthausbrücke 8 20355 Hamburg www.hamburg.de/bsu Titel-Umweltprogramm-A3_eng.indd 1 05.03.13 11:10 Preface ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT As holder of the title of European Green Capital 2011, This document outlines the development of the Euro- Hamburg set itself the goals of developing sustaina- pean Green Capital 2011, and describes the approaches Dear citizens, ble environmental protection locally and also to raise taken to design the programme for the year. The orien- dear friends of the Green Capital! its profi le throughout Europe as a green metropolis in tation of the programme and the vast array of activities the vanguard of enlightened environmental practice. undertaken are illustrated using numerous examples. The European Commission awarded Hamburg the title continue to develop sustainably as a green waterfront In short, Hamburg achieved these goals. It is also to In addition to describing individual supporting projects, European Green Capital 2011, making it the second metropolis, particularly in times of population growth Hamburg’s credit that expenditure for achieving them their outcomes and impact are also recorded and, where ever city after Stockholm offi cially allowed to call itself and committed housing construction. The objective is was even under budget. Furthermore, the city is now possible, these are accompanied by statistical informa- European Green Capital. Not only is the title recognition a clear one: achieving a greener, fairer and stronger considered to be a showcase for the European Green tion. of Hamburg’s achievements in environmental protection, Hamburg. Capital project. The European Commission also gave a following decades of outstanding dedication. It is also positive assessment of the European Green Capital year recognition of what the city has set out to accomplish in As European Green Capital 2011, Hamburg also made and the activities undertaken by Hamburg. Commercial the future. a name for itself on the international arena. Being able sponsors were similarly impressed. to take a broader perspective has shown that, although Environmental protection can only succeed if the many Hamburg can learn from other metropolises in certain partners involve interact: citizens, environmental asso- areas, when it comes to quality of life and the envi- ciations, the private sector and individual companies, ronment, the city is one of the international elite. The universities and other research institutions, local gov- citizens of Hamburg can be proud of this achievement. ernment and the political sector. The title of “European Green Capital” therefore truly belongs to each and every citizen of Hamburg. And yet Hamburg does not intend to rest on its laurels. After all, many challenges lie ahead. First and foremost, the energy turnaround has to be accomplished and climate protection driven forward. The high quality of life for which Hamburg is known across the globe must be Jutta Blankau maintained and further enhanced. And Hamburg must Senator of Urban Development and Environment Titel-Umweltprogramm-A3_eng.indd 2 05.03.13 11:10 Table of contents 1. The path to becoming Green Capital . 2 7. Sponsorship . .39 . 2. The programme in detail . 3. 8. Budget . 39 . 2 .1 . The Info Pavilion . 3 9. Environmental policy initiatives and 2 .2 . Information points . 4 tangible successes during Hamburg’s year 2 .3 . Environmental tours . 7 as European Green Capital . 40. 2 .4 . The Train of Ideas . 10 9 .1 . Hamburg manages the energy turnaround 40 2 .5 . Events and trade fairs . 15 9 .2 . Alliance for Living in Hamburg . 40 2 .6 . “Get involved” campaigns . 21 9 .3 . Strengthening Hamburg as a base for environ- 3. Communication . 24 mental technology . 41 3 .1 . Programmatic guidelines . 24 9 .4 . Expanding nature reserves . 41 3 .2 . Sharpening the communication concept . 24 9 .5 . Tree-planting campaign . 41 3 .3 . Logo . 25 9 .6 . Improving local public transport . 41 3 .4 . Publications . 26 9 .7 . Emissions-based port fees . 42 3 .5 . Visibility within the city . 27 9 .8 . Georgswerder Energy Hill . 42 3 .6 . Websites, social media . 29 9 .9 . Eco-Partnership with the private sector / 3 .7 . Public and media relations . 29 Companies for Resource Protection . 42 3 .8 . Target group communication . 31 9 .10 . Recycling campaign . 43 9 .11 . Bützberg biogas plant . 43 4. Campaigns run by public enterprises . 35 9 .12 . The Dradenau energy self-sufficient sewage treatment plant . 43 5. Campaigns run by Hamburg’s higher 9 .13 . More green electricity and the solar atlas . 44 education and scientific institutions . 36. 9 .14 . Improving water protection . 44 6. Collaboration at a national 9 .15 .Mobility . 44 and international level . 37 10. Assessment . 45 6 .1 . Collaboration 10 .1 . The positioning of Hamburg . 45 with the European Commission . 37 10 .2 . Costs and benefits . 45 6 .2 . Collaboration with other cities . 37 10 .3 . Raising awareness of environmental 6 .3 . City networks . 38 protection . 46 6 .4 . Collaboration with the metropolitan region 10 .4 . Setting the course for environmental and at a federal level . 38 protection development . 46 10 .5 . Conclusion . 46 11. Appendix . 47 1 The path to becoming Green Capital 1. THE PATH TO BECOMING GREEN CAPITAL Hamburg had already participated successfully in a and Climate number of national and international environmental com- Protection Initia- petitions . In the year 2000, for example, the city was tive” ensure that presented with the Energy Globe Award for its achieve- industry invests ments in the areas of energy effi ciency and climate pro- in energy-effi cient tection . When the European Commission launched the redevelopment European Green Capital competition in 2008, Hamburg and modernisa- had a genuine chance of winning the title, if not at the tion measures, fi rst attempt, then on a later occasion . which ultimately safeguard jobs . The initial motivation for applying for the title was to These examples position Hamburg internationally as a green metropolis alone demon- that offers a high quality of life . The competition also strate that Ham- gave Hamburg the opportunity to share environmental burg can act as protection best practices with other European metropo- a role model for lises, and to learn from them in turn . many European cities . In February 2009, Hamburg was designated “Europe- an Green Capital 2011” by the European Commission . A key part of the application process was to devise an Stockholm was declared European Green Capital 2010 action plan as well as a communication strategy for at the same time . Hamburg scored the highest number Hamburg’s year as European Green Capital . Since the of points of all 35 participating European cities . This out- award had only recently been launched, the European come was primarily due to the consistently high scores Commission invited the cities to show how they inten- Hamburg gained in all environmental indicators . Conse- ded to publicise the title throughout Europe . To meet quently, Hamburg emerged on top against such prestig- this challenge, Hamburg developed a touring exhibition ious green cities as Copenhagen and Amsterdam . called the “Train of Ideas” with exhibits on the topic of “Cities of the Future” that would visit a large number of As part of its bid, Hamburg had particularly emphasised European cities . Hamburg was awarded by far the high- two projects that demonstrate the city’s ecological est score of all the participating cities for its proposals . standing . Firstly, inner city development, exemplifi ed by The EU jury gave special mention to the Train of Ideas . the HafenCity project and the “Leap across the Elbe,” enables residents to live and work in the city centre, By accepting the title, Hamburg agreed to implement thereby reducing commuting levels and environmental the programme presented in the bid and to develop a problems caused by traffi c or urban sprawl . communication strategy in accordance with EU regu- lations . An account of how this programme and other Secondly, it highlighted the special relationship be- activities were implemented during Hamburg’s year as tween the environment and industry . With outstanding European Green Capital is given below, with a focus on projects such as “Eco-Partnership” and “Companies for how the funds were spent . Whilst this report is compre- Resource Protection,” Hamburg has a record of encour- hensive, given the substantial number of activities that aging businesses to boost their voluntary efforts to pro- took place, it is not an exhaustive record of the entire tect the environment that extend far beyond statutory programme . standards . In addition, programmes such as the “Work 2 2. THE PROGRAMME IN DETAIL Having been awarded the title of European Green Capital, Hamburg set itself the goals of advancing its own environmental protection in a sus- tainable fashion and of conceptually developing its environmental policy in exchange with like-minded members of the European public . Additional ob- jectives were to raise environmental awareness in Hamburg and the other European cities; to publicise Hamburg as European Green Capital 2011 both Info Pavilion at the Central Station locally and nationally and also in Europe as a whole; and to develop new ideas and to give fresh impetus for the years to come and for future Green Capitals . These objectives were to be achieved through a number of different aspects of the programme, which are set out in detail below . Green Capital target groups were the general public, i .e . all citizens, and special groups such as schoolchildren . These groups were kept informed using a variety of different techniques . Elsewhere, partners in the initiative and multipliers of special interest groups were able to become involved by sitting on committees and organis- ing special events . 2.1. The Info Pavilion The central meeting point during Hamburg’s year as European Green Capital was the Info Pavilion, loca- ted between the Central Station and the Kunsthalle at Glocken gießer Wall .