Projects, goals and visions: That's what the district's climate protection boss does

Created: 01/18/2022, 13:30

By: Doris Richter

Philipp Schramek is climate protection officer for the district of Munich.

© private

Since March 2021, the physicist and engineer Philipp Schramek has been head of the climate initiative project "29++" in the district office.

But what does a climate protection officer actually do?

Philipp Schramek talks about this in an interview with the Munich newspaper.

Already during his physics studies at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich he specialized in technologies for the use of solar energy.

For more than 20 years he worked or was involved in international start-ups and corporations in the field of sustainable energy supply and mobility.

Schramek is now using his knowledge and experience to support the municipalities and the district of Munich on their way to a greenhouse gas-neutral future.

What can a single district do as long as entire nations do not want to do anything to protect the climate?

Sitting down is not an option – especially not for highly developed countries like Germany. It is essential that all levels - from the municipalities to the states - use their respective scope for action and become active in their sphere of influence for climate protection. For example, states and federal states can create favorable conditions for measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the climate goals at European, federal and state level can only be achieved if the municipalities set appropriate goals, define concrete measures and also approach and implement them ambitiously.Germany will only achieve its climate targets with its local authorities and can only credibly and vigorously campaign internationally for the reduction and avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions and enforce demands with their participation.

Where do you see the greatest potential for climate protection in the district?

Well over 90 percent of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the district are due to the work of local people and companies. The largest part of the emissions can be traced back to heat and electricity requirements as well as traffic. The greatest potential therefore also lies in these three areas. It is therefore important that the district makes its contribution to the generation of electricity from renewable energies and at the same time motivates and supports people and companies to cover their heat requirements from sustainable sources, for example from the geothermal energy that is abundant in the Munich region. Also in traffic avoidance, for example through more intensive use of home office,or shifting traffic to forms of mobility with fewer or no climate-damaging emissions, such as local public transport or electromobility, I see great potential.

 More and more citizens are switching to electric cars.

© Marc Write

In which areas is there still a lot of catching up to do?

In the area of ​​mobility, we must ensure that journeys that are not avoided or are shifted from conventional vehicles to other services such as public transport become "GHG-neutral" in the future.

With electromobility, there is slowly but steadily a positive development to permanently reduce traffic emissions.

This is also reflected in the number of registrations for vehicles with the appropriate drive.

Nevertheless, the number of vehicles powered by alternative drives still has to grow significantly, both in the district of Munich and worldwide, if we want to achieve noticeable results here.

There is also a need to catch up when it comes to the use of renewable energies, both in terms of power generation and thermal use.

Why?

In 2018, electricity generation from renewable energies in the district of Munich corresponded to almost 16 percent of electricity consumption, which is far below the share of renewable energies in the nationwide electricity mix.

There are already some geothermal systems that feed heating networks, but the potential of geothermal energy in the Munich region is far greater.

Are there flagship projects in individual communities?

The most important projects take place on a small scale.

For example, with the installation of solar systems on the roofs of private and commercial buildings or the use of climate-friendly heat sources, be it through heat pumps or the connection to heat networks fed with geothermal energy.

In this context, the geothermal systems in twelve district municipalities can be seen as absolute lighthouse projects.

It even looks as if there is more geothermal energy available in the Munich region than is needed to cover the entire heating requirement, but geothermal energy has not yet been used sufficiently.

And otherwise?

A flagship project in the mobility sector is the gradual conversion of regional buses to electric or hydrogen drives.

The district of Munich is consistently pursuing this goal as part of its local transport planning.

These conversions not only reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in public transport itself, but also serve as a model for those who have not yet converted their vehicles or fleets to alternative drives.

However, electromobility is only as sustainable as the electricity that is used for it.

In this context, the wind energy projects in the district also have lighthouse character.

Not an easy topic...

In Bavaria, due to the 10H rule, among other things, there is currently very little space available for wind energy, which means that its expansion has almost come to a standstill in recent years.

The aim of the three wind energy projects currently announced in the district is to make the scarce areas usable for wind energy and thus make a substantial contribution to the expansion of renewable energies in the district of Munich.

It is important to generate more energy from wind and solar.

© Roland Weihrauch

How do you want to promote the exchange between the communities, mutual learning from each other?

As part of the 29++ network, we have already established numerous formats in recent years, which we are continuously expanding and using intensively. Representatives of municipalities, for example, come together monthly for the so-called climate protection round table - recently also virtually - and exchange views on relevant climate protection topics in the municipalities in order to learn from each other and create synergy effects. Topic-specific rounds of talks and workshops are also organized via the 29++ network. For example, the municipalities and the district decided in a workshop at the beginning of December on a common definition framework for the uniform formulation of greenhouse gas targets. All 29 municipalities can use this to determine their own greenhouse gas targets,which together then result in the goal of the district.

Are there any plans for 2022?

In autumn 2022 there will be a municipal climate conference at which climate protection managers and other experts from the municipalities will exchange views on topics relating to the reduction and avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions.

The greenhouse gas targets of all 29 municipalities and thus of the district as a whole are then also recorded there.

A considerable part of the municipalities in the district is also networked via the so-called "municipal energy efficiency network - KEEN" coordinated by the Ebersberg-Munich energy agency.

The focus here is on municipal energy consumption.

In addition, there are of course formats for other target groups such as companies and private individuals.

New means of public transport – like the Ottobahn here – are in demand.

© Ottobahn GmbH

Does it make sense that every municipality has its own climate protection manager?

In view of the great task and responsibility that the municipalities have in terms of climate protection, I think it is essential to get the appropriate expertise in the administration - especially since the personnel costs for a climate protection manager or a climate protection manager even over two years with up to 75 percent from the state be promoted.

There are also smaller municipalities in the district that share a climate protection manager with a part-time job each.

In addition, the Energy Agency Ebersberg-Munich offers the program "Rent a climate protection manager".

So there are many ways to get the necessary know-how.

How exactly would you describe your role as climate protection officer?

As head of the 29++ climate initiative, it is my job to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions in the district are reduced as quickly as possible.

The aim is to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2040 at the latest in those areas in which the people and companies in the district can influence greenhouse gas emissions.

Local authorities need to lead by example and ensure carbon neutral governance themselves, while providing opportunities and support for people and businesses to reduce or avoid their emissions.

The update of the climate protection initiative 29++, which I developed last year and was approved by the district council in September 2021, offers the framework and the necessary structure for this.

What are you doing to protect the climate?

Wherever possible, I use my bike, train or bus or avoid my journeys entirely by working from home and attending more conferences or appointments online.

The current combustion car is currently still being maintained and "completed".

Then I'll buy an electric car.

We are also planning to renovate my wife's parents' house, including replacing the gas heating with a heat pump or, even better, connecting it to a geothermal heating network, if this is available in the district where I live.