"WirkRaum K" presented at the "Climate protection in large cities" exchange of experience

On March 12, 2026, more than 20 representatives of the 30 major cities in North Rhine-Westphalia came together at the German Football Museum in Dortmund for the "Climate Protection in Major Cities" experience exchange organized by the NRW Municipal Agency. The research project "Organizational models for the implementation of municipal climate neutrality strategies", represented by Andreas Hübner, Bernd Tenberg and Janine Grimm, was also present.

The research project of the Department of Resource and Energy Systems of the Department of Spatial Planning is investigating how the ability of municipalities to act and implement climate neutrality strategies can be systematically strengthened. It is being actively supported by the six North Rhine-Westphalian municipalities of Aachen, Arnsberg, Dortmund, Essen, Münster and Wuppertal.

The starting point of the project is the observation that many municipalities already have well-founded strategies and concepts for climate neutrality. However, there are often structural challenges when it comes to implementation: It is not so much a lack of knowledge or commitment, but rather inadequately designed decision-making and action spaces that limit the effectiveness of municipal action.

So how can the administration make an effective contribution to achieving climate neutrality? Answering this question requires a change of perspective: municipal climate protection must be understood as a systemic task that cannot be controlled linearly by the municipalities, but can only be influenced in a targeted manner. A key result is the so-called "WirkRaum K", a practical work process that supports local authorities in reflecting on their role in the transformation process and making strategic use of their options for action.

The developed WirkRaum K offers a structured, protected framework within the administration in which innovative solutions can be tested, conflicts can be moderated and measures can be bundled in an impact-oriented manner. Precisely because structures alone are not enough, the WirkRaum enables the interplay of technical expertise, procedural competence and organizational learning.

The key findings of the ongoing research project were presented in a keynote speech and were repeatedly discussed in the subsequent work phases. It became clear that many local authorities face similar challenges - for example in the areas of management, communication or resources. Accordingly, there was great interest in both the underlying change of perspective and the WirkRaum K approach. The research project thus makes a practical contribution to the further development of municipal climate action and provides important impetus for the efficient and effective transition to climate neutrality.

Many thanks to the Kommunal Agentur NRW for organizing the exchange of experience and the opportunity to present the project results to date in a keynote speech.