Now

NetZeroDéifferdeng 2030

A- A+

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.

netzero2030.lu

Participatory Workshop on 13 December 2025 – The 15-Minute City

Come and help us imagine the city of tomorrow — a closer, greener and more liveable city for everyone.

📅 Date: Saturday, 13 December 2025
🕔 Time: 9:00 – 12:00
📍 Venue: Buvette at Niederkorn sports hall


The City of Differdange continues its cycle of participatory workshops within the framework of the European Net Zero Cities mission and dedicates this new session to the theme of the 15-Minute City — a concept developed by Professor Carlos Moreno (University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne).

This urban model invites us to rethink planning and mobility habits so that everyone can access essential services — work, school, shops, leisure, and nature — within 15 minutes on foot or by bike.

The workshop on 13 December will be a chance to co-create concrete solutions for a safer, smoother and more sustainable mobility in Differdange.

The goal is to engage residents, shop owners, associations and municipal services in building a local mobility system that improves quality of life while reducing emissions from daily travel.

Through interactive discussions and visual tools, participants will be invited to identify everyday obstacles, share their experiences, and develop proposals to promote walking, cycling, public transport, and car-sharing.

Interactive maps will allow participants to visualise journeys reachable within 15 minutes and discuss practical solutions concerning traffic, parking, urban logistics, mobility hubs, and innovations such as gamification or the digitalisation of transport data.

The workshop is open to everyone. Children are welcome. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

The workshop will be held in French. Simultaneous translations into English and Portuguese will be available on request.


Registration: netzero2030@differdange.lu

(please indicate first and last name, number of accompanying persons, and any translation needs).

Workshop “Our Waste – Our Future” on 15 November 2025

The first citizen workshop of the autumn, dedicated to the topic of waste, brought together many residents around a shared goal: developing local, concrete and realistic solutions to reduce waste and improve recycling practices in Differdange.

As an officially recognised Mission City within the European Net Zero Cities programme, Differdange continues to advance towards climate neutrality. In this context, the workshop focused on two key objectives:

  • reducing total waste volumes by 40%,
  • achieving a recycling rate of 65%.

Participants worked in rotation across four thematic tables:

  • Foodsharing Point (strengthening, partnerships, visibility),
  • Local Deposit-Return System (reusable containers, logistics, return points),
  • Communication (better information, citizen engagement, school-based actions),
  • Recycling Centre (signage, reuse, visitor experience, educational pathways).

The workshop generated many actionable ideas, including:

  • expanding and better supporting the existing Foodsharing Point,
  • developing a harmonised local deposit-return system accessible city-wide,
  • improving signage and the overall citizen experience at the recycling centre,
  • strengthening multilingual communication and highlighting good recycling practices.

The contributions collected will inform the next steps of the Waste Action Plan within the city’s climate mission.

The full workshop report can be downloaded her:

Full workshop report

Workshop “Energy? No Clue? No Problem!” on 26 April 2025

On Saturday, 26 April 2025, the City of Differdange organised a citizens’ workshop on the theme of energy at Creative Hub 1535°, entitled ‘Energy? No clue? No problem!’.

This event is part of the NetZeroDéifferdeng2030 initiative, which has the ambitious goal of making our city climate neutral by 2030.

Several dozen citizens gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition. After a welcome speech by Alderman Tom Ulveling, participants learned about the city’s energy objectives, presented by Mr. Beni from the energy department. The morning continued with an interactive survey to better understand the public’s expectations and concerns.

Participants then attended several thematic presentations:

  • Paul Kauthen from the Energy Revolt cooperative shared his experience on energy communities.
  • Martina di Gallo from R2M Solutions presented the European DECAFF project, which aims to raise awareness among citizens about the benefits of collective energy production.
  • Lars Linster from Schroeder & Associés explained in detail the subsidies available for energy renovation.

Following these presentations, participants split into practical sub-workshops focusing on four themes: creating energy communities, energy renovation, sustainable heating solutions, and eco-friendly actions to reduce energy consumption.

The discussions were rich and dynamic, highlighting both citizens’ interest in concrete solutions and their willingness to get involved in the energy transition. Initial feedback indicates a high level of satisfaction with both the quality of the information provided and the interactive approach.

The City of Differdange would like to warmly thank all participants and speakers for their commitment. This fifth workshop in the series marks an important step in the collective construction of a more sustainable and resilient city. “Even if achieving climate neutrality by 2030 may seem utopian, it is by daring to dream that we are building the future we want for Differdange,” concluded Alderwoman Zenia Charlé.

For upcoming workshops, visit www.netzero2030.lu!

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.


 

 

 

Contact

NetZeroDéifferdeng 2030
T. 58 77 1-1492
netzero2030@differdange.lu
netzero2030.lu

 

Audio playback of the page content is active.

Stop playback