Tauw has been involved in providing climate advice for the Euregio Kliker project since 2012. In this project, 6 Dutch and 5 German municipalities in the border region between the cities of Arnhem (NL), Nijmegen (NL) and Duisburg (DE) worked together on dealing with climate change. Completion of the project was recently celebrated in Kleve, Germany.
The completion event was attended by the German Environment Minister, the Environment Minister of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the member of the Provincial Executive for the Dutch province of Gelderland.
The Dutch and German municipalities entered into this partnership to share ideas on how to deal with climate change. The emphasis was on mitigation: the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of the project was for every participating municipality to draw up a roadmap detailing how to reach the mitigation targets. Moreover, consideration was given to ways to shape climate adaptation (adapting to climate change) at the municipal and interregional levels. The project was funded by the European Union.
In cooperation with the municipalities involved, Tauw prepared the municipal climate policy plans, the so-called climate policy roadmaps. This was done for the Dutch municipalities of Rheden, Wijchen, Overbetuwe, Gennep, Renkum and Lingewaard. In addition, Tauw and Atrivé, a subsidiary of Tauw, investigated the potential for energy saving in municipal properties. This includes buildings such as town halls, schools, sports halls and community centres.
Tauw was also involved in various learning programmes between the municipalities in the two countries, including workshops, working conferences and joint pilot projects aimed at finding feasible and inspiring (innovative) solutions. These not only focussed on sustainable technology, but also on social innovations, such as alternative funding structures. How can you achieve climate goals and projects during a financial downturn and which role can the municipality play?
In the coming period, opportunities will be explored for a follow-up, for example in the form of a climate centre in the Euregio.
‘This project has helped participating municipalities to take significant steps on the road to climate neutrality. Policies have been formulated and concrete projects have been initiated, together with amongst others residents, business and schools, to achieve energy savings and facilitate the use of sustainable energy sources. We, Tauw and Atrivé, have been able to make a fine contribution’, concludes Tauw adviser Reinder Siebinga.
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