Net Zero Déifferdeng 2030

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Differdange stands at the forefront of an extraordinary movement. With over 70% of global CO2 emissions originating from urban areas, and cities being the living space of most EU citizens, the role of cities like ours in tackling climate change is undeniable. Differdange is more than just a city; it’s a hub of economic activity, knowledge, and innovation. Historically, cities have been the birthplace of significant changes and advancements. In this tradition, Differdange is ready to lead the charge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fostering equitable decarbonisation, and enhancing the well-being of our community.

EU policies in action: Differdange’s path to climate neutrality

The European Union, recognizing the crucial role of cities in climate action, has set ambitious targets through initiatives like the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe research programs, as well as the European Green Deal. These initiatives aim for a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Differdange’s mission: becoming a climate-neutral and smart city

In alignment with the EU’s Horizon Europe program, Differdange joins the ambitious ‘100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030’ mission. This initiative positions Differdange as a leader and innovator, with the goal of not only achieving climate neutrality by 2030 but also serving as a model for other European cities to emulate by 2050. Differdange is committed to this path, leveraging innovation and smart solutions to build a vibrant, sustainable future for all its residents.

Join us in shaping a sustainable Differdange

This mission is more than just a policy; it’s an opportunity to reimagine our way of life. It’s about creating new jobs, evolving business models, and fostering a community that values sustainability, cooperation, and innovation. Join us in this transformative journey as Differdange paves the way towards a greener, smarter, and more inclusive future.

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Citizen participation in 2025 – save the dates!

Differdange continues its momentum as part of the European Net Zero Cities mission with a new series of citizen participation workshops in 2025. These sessions are dedicated to building a climate-neutral city by 2030.

Last year, our citizens actively participated in themed workshops covering various aspects of urban sustainability, from waste management to mobility, energy and sustainable living together. These encounters brought to light new ideas and strengthened existing strategies for tackling environmental challenges.

To continue this positive dynamic, the City of Differdange is pleased to announce the workshop dates for 2025:

Workshop on “Energy”: Saturday, 26 April 2025 at 9 a.m.
Thematic workshops during the Festival of Cultures: 17 and 18 May 2025.
Workshop on “Mobility”: Saturday, 28 June 2025 at 9 a.m.
Workshop on “Waste”: Saturday, 15 November 2025 at 9 a.m.

We invite all citizens to join us in shaping the future of Differdange. Your participation is essential to help us define and achieve our environmental goals. With your commitment and creativity, we can turn challenges into opportunities and make Differdange a model of sustainability.

Workshop “On the way to net-zero waste management!” on 16 November 2024

Differdange has committed itself to the European Net Zero Cities mission, with the aim of becoming a climate-neutral city by 2030.

First Alderman Tom Ulveling said in his opening speech: “This objective is not just a challenge, but an urgent necessity to respond to the climate change that is affecting our planet and our daily lives. We can see the harmful effects all around us: the floods in Differdange alone, the fatal floods of the Ahrtal in Germany, some 200 km from our doorstep, or the recent disaster in Valencia, Spain, to name but a few.”

It is absolutely necessary to adapt our approach to the current changes, and the city of Differdange is taking the lead. With this in mind, the city welcomed some thirty citizenson 16 November to discuss waste management, and how to approach this issue in order to meet the objectives of reducing the mass of waste by 40% and increasing the recycling rate to 65% by 2030.

The city is pleased and proud that it was able to bring together key players in waste management for this occasion: participants learned about smart consumption by Mr Müller of the Oekozenter, responsible for the Oeko Top-Ten. Next, we heard from Mr Notermanns and Mr Erpelding about the opportunities and challenges for SIACH in their wastewater treatment. Ms Stracks from SuperDrecksKëscht then talked about municipal waste and littering, take-away and consumer waste. And to close off the round of presentations, Mr Schroeder from Positive Impakt’s talk focused on the logic of circular economy.

Following the presentations, participants worked in small groups on specific topics. Zenia Charlé, alderwoman in charge of ecology for the City of Differdange, thanked the participants for their work and availability and expressed her delight at the results of this productive morning.

Read the full workshop report

Workshop “Together for net-zero mobility!” on 8 June 2024

Differdange moves towards sustainable mobility as part of the 100 Net Zero Cities mission

The 8th of June 2024 marked a significant milestone for Differdange in its journey towards sustainable mobility and a greener city. The “Together for net-zero mobility” workshop, held in the heart of our city, brought together citizens, experts and decision-makers for an active exploration of the challenges and opportunities in urban mobility.

This event, the third in a series of four, is an integral part of our commitment to Europe’s 100 Net Zero Cities mission. This ambitious initiative of the European Commission aims to accelerate the transition of European cities to carbon neutrality by 2030, in preparation for the European goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Through the streets of Differdange, from Place du Marché to Opkorn crossroads, from Rue Woiwer to Rue de Longwy, participants were able to identify key areas requiring interventions to enhance mobility and shared their ideas on possible improvements. Every comment and proposal gathered that day will be evaluated and where appropriate incorporated into our action plan for the Climate City Contract, a detailed document to be presented to the European Union in September 2024.

Investing in sustainable mobility is not just a response to global climate challenges, but an opportunity to enhance the quality of life within our community. The costs of proactive action are significant, but they are far outweighed by the costs of inaction, which could leave our citizens vulnerable to extreme climate change in the future.

We are proud of our role as a pilot city in this European mission, and we invite all our citizens to join us in this effort. Your commitment is essential to shaping a Differdange that not only meets, but exceeds sustainability criteria, ensuring a viable future for all.

Join us in this vital effort. Get involved and make your voice heard. Together, we’re building not just a city, but a future where sustainability is not an ideal, but a reality.

Read the full workshop report

Workshop “Together for a net zero energy!” on 20 April 2024

An impulse for the future

On 20 April 2024, the City of Differdange took an important step in its sustainability efforts by organizing the workshop “Together for a Net Zero Energy!” at the 1535° Creative Hub.
This event, the second of a total of four, is part of the preparation of Differdange’s action plan to become a pilot city in the European mission of 100 Net Zero Cities.

In the presence of First Alderman Tom Ulveling and Alderman Fred Bertinelli, the workshop brought together citizens, experts and key players in the energy transition. The morning was very informative, with presentations on decarbonization by SudEnergie, the development of a smart grid by Creos, and the Zesumme renovéieren project by Klima-Agence in collaboration with the city.

In addition to the technical discussions, the event provided a platform for citizens to share their expectations, ideas and wishes regarding energy production and saving. They were also able to express their opinions on municipal and state subsidies and thus contribute to improving the city’s action plan.
In order to make the workshop accessible to all, the city provided childcare for the participants’ children, who built a working wind turbine with the Anima team and explored books on energy topics.

Alderman Ulveling was visibly pleased and emphasized the importance of this initiative: “The active participation of our citizens and the quality of their contributions show that our municipality is strongly committed to a sustainable future. CO2 neutrality by 2030 may sound utopian, but it is these utopias that make a future worth living possible.

Workshop “Sustainable living in Differdange” on 9 December 2023

A successful first step towards CO2 neutrality

In December 2023, the city of Differdange took an important step towards the realization of its ambitious project “Net Zero Déifferdeng 2030”. The first workshop in the ‘Sustainable living in Differdange’ series at the Aalt Stadhaus was a resounding success and a decisive turning point on our joint journey towards sustainability.

The event took place on 9 December. Around 30 engaged citizens from all parts of the city actively participated to discuss, learn and contribute to the vision of sustainable development. The atmosphere was one of collaboration and innovation and was a testament to our community’s passion and commitment to environmental issues.

One particularly noteworthy aspect of the workshop was the participation of families. A dozen children accompanied their parents and participated in a series of educational activities on sustainability led by a dedicated team. This inclusive approach not only allowed parents to participate fully, but also involved the younger generation in the discussion about the future of our city.

The group discussions covered key topics such as energy, waste management, infrastructure, nature, nutrition and education for sustainable development. Aldermen Tom Ulveling, Fred Bertinelli and Jerry Hartung enhanced the event with their presence and emphasized the importance of the city’s commitment to these initiatives.

The ideas and perspectives shared during the workshop will guide the city’s future actions in its pursuit of carbon neutrality. This first workshop not only demonstrated the municipality’s commitment to sustainable development, but also laid the foundation for the next workshops in 2024.

We would like to thank all participants for their enthusiasm and valuable contributions. Your active participation is the engine of change towards a more sustainable Differdange and we look forward to continuing on this path together.

Read the full workshop report

Differdange signs Climate City Contract on 23 March 2023

The Municipal Council of Differdange signs the Climate City Contract (CCC) and will be the only city in Luxembourg to join the European Union’s 100 Net-Zero Cities.

The city of Differdange is committed to achieving the EU mission of “100 smart and climate-neutral cities by 2030” to combat climate change, promote a sustainable future and increase the attractiveness of the region with regard to circular economy. The city will engage in technical and scientific exchange with other cities by sharing knowledge and developing innovative solutions. The NetZeroCities label gives Differdange access to globally recognized experts in the field as well as funding opportunities. Differdange aims to achieve a net-zero target by 2030 by increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, supporting renewable energy, promoting sustainable mobility and reducing waste. The city has demonstrated its commitment to climate action through initiatives such as the Climate Pact, Climaborough, Climate Alliance and FUSILLI, to name a few.

The Climate City Contract (CCC), signed by the Municipal Council on 29 March 2023, outlines the city’s commitments to climate action and builds a partnership with citizens to work towards a carbon-neutral and climate-resilient future.

The city has identified five systemic, strategic priorities necessary to achieve its goal, including increasing the efficiency of stationary energy supply through renovations, self-sufficiency in energy generation, reducing individual mileage, waste reduction and offsetting the tons of CO2 generated by the municipality largely within the city limits.

The city recognizes the need for a just transition and the project implementation process is based on principles such as co-creation, innovation and multi-stakeholder and citizen engagement. This approach ensures that the city’s efforts towards carbon neutrality are systemic, demand-driven and take into account the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders.

Policy makers are aware that it is much cheaper to invest in solutions now than to wait and have to pay for what has been missed. The responsibility to be the last generation to make the right decisions lies with them. Although all members of society are equal when it comes to climate change, the responsibility of current decision-makers towards future generations is enormous.