Monitoring: climate protection in Jena is making progress

The first monitoring report on the implementation of the City of Jena's Climate Action Plan is presented to the city council committees, starting with the Jena Climate Protection Advisory Board. It provides an overview of the status of the 73 measures in seven subject areas - from strategic foundations to buildings, mobility and energy supply through to climate-friendly lifestyles. The report template can be viewed online in the town hall system.

The evaluation for the period 2023 to October 2025 shows that the majority of the measures have already been initiated. Six measures have been completed, seven are permanent. 36 measures are being implemented, 16 are in preparation and eight have not yet been started.

There is also a positive trend in the prioritized immediate measures: of 17 measures with a planned start of implementation in 2023, two have already been completed, eleven are being implemented and three are in preparation. Only one measure has not yet been started. This is the establishment of a climate service point for companies at the Jena Economic Development Agency, which has so far failed due to a lack of funding for the necessary staff position.

"The monitoring clearly shows that we are making progress in climate protection step by step. Many measures have been initiated or already implemented. At the same time, the report shows which measures have not yet been started. It is crucial that we keep at it and consistently continue the processes we have started on the path to climate neutrality in Jena," says Kathleen Lützkendorf, Head of the Department for Social Affairs, Health, Immigration and Climate.

Strong structural foundations and visible progress

The establishment of the Climate Protection Agency Jena gGmbH has created central structures for the implementation of the Climate Action Plan. The agency coordinates numerous measures and implements its own projects - such as free energy consultations for citizens, information events on heat planning and environmental education programs at schools. Additional positions for climate protection coordination in the city administration also strengthen the organizational requirements.

Significant progress can also be seen in terms of content: in the area of climate-neutral buildings and districts, several pilot projects are underway for energy-efficient refurbishment and the expansion of photovoltaics. Important instruments for reducing energy consumption and costs have been introduced in the administration with a new energy service directive and the establishment of a municipal energy management system. The electricity supply is gradually being converted to renewable energies and the vehicle fleet is increasingly being electrified.

In the area of mobility, numerous measures have been integrated into ongoing planning. The car-sharing offer in public spaces has been expanded, speed reductions have been implemented and the expansion of the streetcar towards Jena-Nord has been advanced. At the same time, funding programs for the electrification of public transport are being used consistently.

Another milestone is the municipal heat planning that has been adopted. It creates planning and investment security at an early stage and forms the basis for the further conversion of the energy supply.

All measures in the area of climate-friendly lifestyles are also at least in the process of being implemented. Initiatives such as a food-sharing café or a swap house are supported and educational and awareness-raising offers are continuously expanded.
Comprehensive monitoring ensures transparency. In future, the "Climate View" digital platform will provide a publicly accessible tool to track progress.

Evaluating effectiveness

The next step will be to examine how effective the measures that have been initiated are with regard to climate neutrality. An evaluation is currently underway and is expected to be completed by fall 2026. It will show whether the intended results have been achieved or whether individual measures need to be adjusted or tightened up if necessary.