Aachen

Germany

Missiestad Pilotstad
Nationaal missie-ecosysteem Germany
Aachen Mission City Label
Bevolking 264k
Stadsgebied 160.8 km²
Stad actief sinds June 2022

The City of Aachen can look back on more than 30 years of experience in ambitious climate protection, which began with the establishment of an office for energy and climate protection (1991) and joining the European Climate Alliance in 1992.

 

In 1993, the so-called Aachen model of cost-covering remuneration for solar and wind power was adopted by the Council and introduced as binding in 1994. In the following years, valuable potential studies for wind, solar energy and biomass were carried out with the support of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to better understand the future opportunities for an energy supply based on renewable energies. In 1998, the first CO2 reduction concept was drawn up for the period up to 2010.

 

In the years up to 2003, Aachen's first wind farm with 9 large wind turbines (Butterweiden), a solar housing estate with 43 energy-saving houses (passive houses) and 2 innovative office buildings were completed. In 2009, the City of Aachen's Climate Protection / Energy Coordination Centre was set up and the altbau plus e. V. was founded. In addition, the City of Aachen has been a member of the EU Commission's "Covenant of Mayors" since 2009 and has been part of "Mayors Adapt" since 2014. The City of Aachen has also been involved in the "European Energy Award" certification programme since 2009 and was awarded gold in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. Since 2010, the City of Aachen has drawn up an annual energy and carbon footprint.

 

In 2019, the City Council of Aachen declared a climate emergency. The Integrated Climate Protection Concept, short IKSK 2020 drawn up in 2020 describes how potential for greenhouse gas reduction can be leveraged in Aachen with the 2025 action programme. The measures described therein are already being implemented, meaning that a wide range of activities can be built on and existing structures can be utilised. 

Belangrijkste leerpunten

Green Responsible Innovative Procurement - Oslo, Aachen, Kosice ECT activity

Cities across Europe are eager to use procurement as a strategic climate tool, but face barriers including legal complexity, limited resources, and low institutional capacity—especially in smaller cities. Although green procurement has proven climate benefits, it remains underused due to overly technically complex and lengthy tools and insufficient political prioritization. GRIP responds by uniting Oslo, Aachen, and Košice to co- develop a practical, accessible toolkit. GRIP also seeks to scale commitment across the NZC network, positioning procurement not just as an administrative task, but as a high-impact lever for accelerating climate neutrality. Objectives Build capacity for cities to embed green procurement into climate strategies Develop a toolkit based on the GRIP pilot experience Pilot green procurement models in Košice and Aachen Promote a shared political declaration on green procurement across EU cities Strengthen cross-city learning and collaboration Share evidence on the climate impact and co-benefits of procurement strategies ECT = Enabling City Transformation

Committed to Local Climate Action Building - German cities pilot activity

How do you change the daily habits of an entire city? Three German cities formed a coalition to answer this question, recognising that consumption-based emissions —from food choices to mobility patterns to heating decisions—require far more than technical fixes. CoLAB created a shared framework called the "House of Change", combining physical transformation spaces, digital engagement tools, and new governance structures to make climate action visible, accessible, and social. Led by Mannheim, the project tested whether cities can shift behavioural norms at scale. The pilot involved Mannheim, Aachen and Münster. 

City Mission Governance, Coordination and Integration

This report examines how mission governance supports city-level climate neutrality transitions across four European Mission Cities: Umeå, Oslo, Turku and Aachen. It focuses on the internal governance arrangements, coordination mechanisms, roles, mandates and institutional practices through which municipalities organise themselves to deliver ambitious climate-neutrality commitments. Across the four cases, mission governance is understood not as a single organisational model, but as a set of structures, routines and ways of working that connect long-term political commitments with everyday administrative practice, departmental implementation and wider city partnerships.

Governance Innovation and Implementation in the Cities Mission - Multi-Level Integration

This report examines multi-level governance integration within the EU Cities Mission, highlighting how cities utilize collaborative frameworks across governance tiers to support their climate neutrality goals. Analyzing the cities of Aachen, Kozani, and Turku, the report illustrates diverse governance approaches influenced by distinct national contexts. Aachen leverages regional frameworks and municipal networks within Germany’s federal structure, Kozani navigates centralized Greek governance primarily through European funding, Turku employs Finland’s decentralized governance and substantial fiscal autonomy, actively engaging in international city networks. Common challenges identified include fragmented funding, limited administrative and technical capacities, regulatory barriers, complex stakeholder engagement, and difficulties accessing competitive financing. Cities have responded with hybrid financing strategies, enhanced cross-sectoral collaboration, and integrated governance platforms. The report concludes that strengthened multi-level governance alignment, sustained funding, robust technical support, clear regulatory frameworks, and dynamic stakeholder engagement are essential. Recommendations focus on structured intergovernmental dialogue, municipal capacity building, and the expansion of integrated financial instruments to effectively achieve urban climate neutrality objectives.

Aachen Climate City Contract

This Climate City Contract and Action Plan were submitted in 2023 by Aachen and endorsed by the European Commission resulting in the city being awarded the Mission Label.
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Proefprojecten
Bezoek de website van Aachen Klimaatstadcontract Profiel van Jyväskylä (Zustertstad) Profiel van Strasbourg (Zustertstad) Profiel van Vilnius (Zustertstad)

Externe projecten

Betrokkenheid van de stad bij gerelateerde Europese initiatieven