CoLAB - Committed to Local Climate Action Building

© CoLAB

The CoLAB – Committed to Local Climate Action Building project aimed to build a strong coalition for change to pave the way for a sustainable, climate-neutral city by 2030. The focus was on mobilizing the urban community: administration, politics, business, civil society, and citizens were encouraged to take joint responsibility for local action. The focus was on reducing emissions caused by consumer behavior, which can only be controlled indirectly at the municipal level.

Funded with €1.5 million from the European Union, CoLAB was part of the EU mission “100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030” (NetZeroCities). The participating cities of Mannheim, Aachen, and Münster were selected for their ambitious commitment to implementing the goal of climate neutrality as a socially just, cooperative, and sustainable urban development model in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

CoLAB tested innovative, non-technical approaches that cities can use to promote the transition to climate-friendly consumption patterns in key areas of life such as energy, buildings, mobility, food, and consumption. At the heart of the project was the “House of Change” concept, which served as a platform for exchange, participation, and cooperation between all urban stakeholders.

ifeu contributed its scientific expertise to the development of CO₂ calculation tools, climate-conscious action approaches, and the evaluation of CO₂ calculators for citizens. In addition, the institute developed concrete options for action for cities and citizens and assessed their effectiveness in terms of climate neutrality goals.