Saarbrücken is moving forward: the city's first sustainability report published!

Saarbrücken is moving forward: the city's first sustainability report published!

The city of Saarbrücken presented its first sustainability report today, which was not sent in printed form but by email. This innovative approach is part of the goal to gradually create a paperless city council and paperless district councils. The report was presented by project manager Karsten Rheinstädter, climate office manager Christian Bersin, mayor Uwe Conradt (CDU) and mayor Barbara Meyer (Greens). Mayor Meyer emphasized the need for sustainability, which not only brings advantages in terms of funding from Berlin and Brussels, but can also contribute to a more conscious society in general education.

The sustainability report comprises 111 pages and represents a comprehensive inventory of all previous activities in Saarbrücken. The aim is transparency across administrative levels and comparability with other municipalities. This is supported by the fact that the city is one of around 50 cities in Germany that submits a report in accordance with the nationwide standard “Reporting Framework for Sustainable Municipalities” (BNK). Saarbrücken is also the first municipality in Saarland to publish a standardized report that is based on the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Central themes of the report

The report covers key topics such as climate protection and energy, sustainable mobility, resource conservation and social justice. Unlike many other cities, Saarbrücken pursues a comprehensive strategy:

• Im Handlungsfeld Klimaschutz und Energie werden der Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien, Energieeffizienz in öffentlichen Gebäuden und das kommunale Klimaschutzkonzept hervorgehoben.
• Die nachhaltige Mobilität umfasst die Förderung des Radverkehrs, den Ausbau des ÖPNV-Angebots sowie neue Mobilitätsstationen.
• Im Bereich Ressourcenschonung wird auf Abfallvermeidung und nachhaltige Beschaffung gesetzt.
• Soziale Gerechtigkeit und Teilhabe beinhalten Punkte wie Bildungsgerechtigkeit, Integration und bezahlbaren Wohnraum.
• Die Biodiversität und Lebensqualität werden durch Projekte zur Pflege städtischer Biotope und zur Förderung von Bürgerprojekten zur Artenvielfalt unterstützt.

The city has already had some successes: the number of childcare places increased from 1,255 in 2014 to 1,885 in 2024. The performance of photovoltaic systems has doubled since 2019, which can now supply around 18,000 households with electricity. A total of 4,300 photovoltaic systems are installed in the city.

Outlook and approach

The report uses 54 indicators to assess progress in sustainability and compares these with other municipalities. The report is planned to be updated every four years. Mayor Conradt emphasized the need to make improvements in all areas and to make smart investments in sustainability despite existing financial restrictions.

Overall, the report shows that Saarbrücken is not only a pioneer in Saarland, but also one of eight selected municipalities in Germany that are participating in the “Reporting Framework for Sustainable Municipalities Nationwide 2024” project. This comprehensive approach is intended to help make the city fit for the future and meet the requirements of a sustainable community. The sustainability report will be discussed in the city council next week and represents an important step towards more sustainable urban development.

For detailed information on the measures and results of the report, the publications can be found at Saarbrücker Zeitung and Saarbrücken.de.