Climate Neutrality
Climate Neutrality
The University of Oldenburg is legally obliged to achieve climate neutrality by 2045. However, the university has set itself the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030. In setting a more ambitious target, the university is joining the majority of German universities.
Country level
In 2021, the German government passed the Federal Climate Protection Act (Bundes-Klimaschutzgesetz, KSG) with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court in April 2021, this law was revised once again so that Germany is to achieve climate neutrality in 2045. The KSG sets an interim target of a GHG reduction of 65% by 2030 and provides for a reduction of 88% of GHG emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2040. The requirements of the municipal guideline for this project are also based on these targets.
National level
The state of Lower Saxony also passed a Climate Protection Act (NKlimaG). In 2021, the state parliament decided that Lower Saxony should become climate-neutral by 2050. In June 2022, this law was revised in line with the amendment at federal level. Most recently, in December 2023, the state parliament again passed an amendment to the NKlimaG. As a result, the state of Lower Saxony has since been pursuing the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2040 (Section 3 I No. 1 NKlimaG). A climate neutrality target has been set for the state administration and the associated authorities for the year 2035 (Section 3 I No. 2). Total emissions are to be reduced by 80% by 2030. As the University of Oldenburg is part of the state administration, these climate protection targets apply accordingly to the University of Oldenburg. There is a corresponding strategy paper from the state of Lower Saxony from 2021, which is to be revised by the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment.
Municipal level (Oldenburg and Wilhemshaven)
Initiated by a strong climate protection movement in Oldenburg and in Germany in general, the so-called "FFF process" was started in 2020, in which the city administration developed a catalogue of measures together with the parliamentary groups and the climate activists invited to participate. The year 2035 was set as the target year for climate neutrality. Since most of the university is located on Oldenburg's municipal territory, the target year of 2035 is actually also transferable for the university.
The city of Wilhelmshaven has not yet adopted a climate neutrality target. However, the city has been working on the development of an integrated climate adaptation concept since July 2023. Interim results such as a climate report and a climate risk analysis are also to be drawn up and published.