Implementation example:

Supported flat exchange in Düsseldorf:
In Düsseldorf there is a support for flat exchanges in the free market. But instead of a right to exchange flats, the property owner can apply for a bonus of 2,500 Euros if they agree to the exchange. Furthermore, the city Düsseldorf offers extensive support, such as personal consultation for the flat exchange platform, a flat exchange bonus and support for logistics, under certain circumstances financial support for conversions into barrier free dwellings.

Source: Haus & Grund Düsseldorf. (2022). Klein gegen groß – Innenstadt gegen Stadtrand https://www.hausundgrundddf.de/wohnungstausch.html

Right to exchange flats in Austria:
Under the following circumstances the right to exchange flats is part of the Austrian tenancy law (§ 13 MRG (Mietrechtsgesetz), n.d.):
− Both households have a rental contract with the property owner for at least five years
− Both apartments are in the same municipal area
− There is an important social, health or professional reason (e.g., larger apartment for a growing family)
− Both dwellings correspond to the appropriate living needs of the future tenants
− No judicial termination or eviction action is pending
− The exchange can be reasonably expected of the landlords (§ 13 MRG (Mietrechtsgesetz))

The since 2011 available Austrian flat-exchange platform immobilientausch.at is free of charge for private users and is getting more attention also through media reports since 2018. (Immoblilientausch, 2021) A newspaper article 2021 reports that still not many successful exchanges were made, but they are also not monitored by the free flat exchange platform. Barriers that could explain the low number of exchanges are specific whishes form both sides about the future home, and the low awareness of the opportunity of the exchange as well as the high transaction costs . While success factors for the flat exchange are the large and growing pool of offers and exchange partners without time pressure. Also, real estate agents and banks are not experiencing high numbers of exchanges. Even though it would have an advantage for house owners who might need the money of selling their house to buy the new one. This advantage is especially important for older people who less likely obtain a real estate loan. (Markert, 2021) The city of Vienna promotes and offers consultation regarding switches of dwellings in state owned dwellings along with a brought offer of other consultations, but they are not mentioning the right to exchange flats as part of their tenancy law. (Stadt Wien, 2022)

Sources: Immobilientausch. (2022). Immobilientausch.at. Retrieved from Über Immobilientausch: https://www.immobilientausch.at/ueber-immobilientausch

Stadt Wien. (2022). Wiener Wohnen. Retrieved from Wohnungstausch: https://www.wienerwohnen.at/mieterin/tauschwechsel/wohnungstausch.html

Markert, S. (2021). Suche Haus, biete Wohnung – Immobilientauschbörsen entstehen auch am Bodensee. Südkurier. Retrieved from https://www.suedkurier.de/ueberregional/wirtschaft/suche-haus-biete-wohnung-immobilientauschboersen-entstehen-auch-am-bodensee;art416,10861227

https://www.jusline.at/gesetz/mrg/paragraf/13

Implementation Example: The city of Frankfurt am Main already offers a moving bonus when moving out of a social housing flat, provided that the current flat is too large and the new flat is smaller.

Source: German Zero: See info sheet on the flat exchange premium programme: “FRANKFURT.DE – DAS OFFIZIELLE STADTPORTAL, Umzugsprämie. Stadt Frankfurt am Main. (from German Zero 2021, p. 367).

Quantification: Potential DB ID 101, Measure: Smaller living space: Supporting senior homeowners with larger living spaces to “downsize” of 1% or 0,5 % of of eligible households – GHG saving potential: 0,5Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 16; Potential DB ID 102, Measure: Smaller living space: Reduce vacancy rate in granny flats in owner-occupied homes (1.25 or 2.5% of vacant flats) – GHG saving potential: 0,15Mio t CO2/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 16; Potential DB ID 111, Measure: Reduction in per capita demand for living space by 3 % per year by 2030 (focus: older people) – GHG saving potential: 13,8million t CO2 see Gaude et al. (2021) p. 17.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 77, Measure: Municipal Action Agency for Efficient Housing Use, 0.25 % participation rate per year for subletting and 0.10 % per year for relocation of identified eligible households – Energy saving potential: 201GWh/a  and GHG saving potential: 45019t CO2/a see Fischer et al. (2020) p. 30;

Potential DB ID 257, Measure: Optimisation of existing building use through adaptability to changing requirements in the life cycle of a building; reduction potential in districts – Energy saving potential: 50%  see Rehmann et al. (2022) p. 26.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation example: The RAUMTEILER programme supports local authorities and volunteers in finding private housing. The nationwide project was launched in 2017. The results so far: over 1,200 people placed, 390 signed tenancy agreements, more than 22,800 square metres of housing placed and well over 100 fewer vacant flats.

Sources: https://www.staedtetag-bw.de/raumteiler

https://leben-vor-der-stadt.de/alle-artikel/ein-leben-nach-dem-einfamilienhaus-ermoglichen-viele-sind-gefordert

Implementation example: In Göttingen, the Housing Agency serves as a central point of contact, providing advice on issues relating to housing construction and the efficient use of existing properties.

Source: Stadt Göttingen, „Wohnraumagentur“, Stadt Göttingen.
https://www.goettingen.de/portal/seiten/wohnraumagentur-900000208-25480.html

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 6, Measure: Promotion for the division of single-family homes of homeowners of retirement age with subsequent rental of the divided living space – Energy saving potential: 4TWh/a of heating and GHG saving potential: 1,07million t CO2/a see Brischke et al. (2016) p. 90;

Potential DB ID 76, Measure: Instrument set for the structural division of single-family houses, 0.5 – 1% participation rate p.a. of identified eligible households – Energy saving potential: 186,5GWh/a  and GHG saving potential: 44460t CO2/a see Fischer et al. (2020) p. 29;

Potential DB ID 85, Measure: Appropriate dimensioning; target group: young couples starting a family – Energy saving potential: 18,55GWh of electricity see Fischer et al. (2020) p. 38.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation Example: Eco Village Hannover: An attractive, mixed, affordable and sustainable neighbourhood which is currently being built in Hannover/Germany. It integrates many sufficiency aspects (smaller living spaces, much shared use…).

Source: https://www.ecovillage-hannover.de/

Implementation Examples:

Eco village Hanover. A very “attractive”, affordable and sustainable district with smaller living spaces and a lot of shared use.

Source: https://www.ecovillage-hannover.de/

Housing cooperative in Zurich with reduced living space per person and a relatively high “social mix” at the same time

Source: see https://www.kalkbreite.net/ (last access on 22.12.2023); see https://www.mehralswohnen.ch (last acceess on 22.12.2023).

Prohibition of the establishment of shops relevant to the city centre on the outskirts of Ravensburg in order to enable short distances and keep the city centre lively, liveable and dense. (also ID 196)

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. Oekom Verlag, p. 40.

Flensburg (DE): Sufficiency-orientated urban development in a 53-hectare district with reduced living space per person, a higher proportion of green spaces and mixed uses for shorter distances. (also ID 196)

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. Oekom Verlag, p. 62.

Implementation Example: In almost all of Germany’s federal states, laws on the alienation of housing (Zweckentfremdungsgesetz) have been enacted to enable municipalities to prevent vacancies, demolitions, conversion to commercial use, tourism accommodation and structural alterations that prevent the use of housing.

Source: German Zero 2021, p. 369.

Implementation example: FREE RIGA was first a movement, then an NGO working closely with the municpality on temporary use matters: Identifying (mapping) vacancy, getting the recognition of vacancy as a problem and measuring the demand for creative, social and artistic temporary use; Providing a service of intermediary between owners and users of the spaces; Cooperating with municipality and discovering stronger value proposition in form of tax reductions; Developing a cooperative platform, instead of centralized, vertical organization. They also act as intermediate between owners and prospective users.

Source: https://fulfill-sufficiency.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/FULFILL_D4.1_final.pdf http://remakingthecity.urbact.eu/the-free-riga-model-riga-latvia–65.case

Implementation example: Habitat for Humanity UK developped a toolkit to help local community-based organisations and charities across the UK to convert vacant, commercial spaces into good quality social housing.

Source: https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/emptyspacestoolkit/

Implementation example: France has a national policy against vacancy: “plan national de lutte contre les logements vacants”. Really interesting feature is a tool, called LOVAC, launched in 2020, crossing data from different national and local databases (including data collected from taxes), for municipalities to access and get better understanding of how much vacant homes (and what types etc.).

Sources: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/plan-national-lutte-contre-logements-vacants

https://datafoncier.cerema.fr/lovac

Implementation example: ‘The ‘LebensRäume’ team in the district of Steinfurt researched how local authorities can utilise existing living space more efficiently. The approach: through generation-specific adaptation. The ‘LebensRäume’ concept can be used to older people can be provided with suitable living space, while vacant families, vacant property can be made available. The concept for housing mobilisation includes public relations work, orientation advice for older people and a network of advice and support services.’

Quellen: https://kommunen-innovativ.de/lebensraeume
https://leben-vor-der-stadt.de/alle-artikel/ein-leben-nach-dem-einfamilienhaus-ermoglichen-viele-sind-gefordert

Quantification: A ‘Lebensräume’ survey in the Steinfurt district revealed that around 20 per cent of older people could imagine renting out vacant rooms or flats in their own homes. Around half of them would consider moving. Multi-generational living is the most popular option. To meet this demand, the district needs more offers in the medium term – such as small, low-barrier flats with services or multi-generational living in existing neighbourhoods.

Sources: https://kommunen-innovativ.de/lebensraeume
https://leben-vor-der-stadt.de/alle-artikel/ein-leben-nach-dem-einfamilienhaus-ermoglichen-viele-sind-gefordert

Implementation example: Old factory vacant area ought by the municpality of Cologne and transformed into a sustainable living space quarter that interates the old and protected factory buildings

Source: https://www.modernestadt.de/projekte/clouth-quartier/

Implementation example / Quantification:

Initial situation: “Office building that had never been used and was surrounded by a neighbourhood with a need for housing;

Measures: Retention of parts of the old building: such as the staircase, the wide windows, some concrete columns, which were used as design elements). Conversion of 500 square metres of office space into 86 one- or two-room apartments (with an average size of 82 square metres);
Inclusion of a café, a gym, a pharmacy and other shops that were part of the office building but had to be closed for safety reasons and are now being made accessible to residents again.
Further installation of feed pumps, ventilation, etc.
Comparison of life cycle analysis: 62% reduction in WLC rating compared to a new building and 82% reduction in embodied carbon.

Sources: Housing Europe
(https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/housing-planning/2022/11/01/former-dublin-office-complex-to-provide-homes-for-more-than-200-people/)

Reducing carbon footprint without reducing the delivery of social and affordable homes (youtube.com)

Implementation examples: ‘Los Angeles, California: The state acquired hotels to convert them (initially intended as temporary housing options) into permanent long-term housing

Helsinki, Finland: Conversion of emergency shelters into long-term housing: Salvation Army night camp example: race renovation created 81 flats in 2012.

Source: FEANTSA, Urban Challenges, Housing Solutions: Understanding Cities’ Vacant Housing Potential to Provide Adequate Affordable Housing Solutions:: https://www.feantsa.org/en/report/2023/01/31/ , S. 18, 19

Implementation examples: Cluster living in a former monastery now used for a residential project with a coworking area, guest house and seminar business (existing building structure is already designed for communal living and reduced living space consumption) 300 rooms are subdivided in different clusters composed of small rented flats/rooms that each share a kitchen and different living rooms. There are also rented rooms for professionals.

Created at the initiative of WOGENO München that promotes self-organized, social, and ecological living, exists since 2018.

contact: kontakt@cohaus-schlehdorf.de

Source: https://cohaus-schlehdorf.de/hintergrund/

Habitat for Humanity has focused its housing efforts on rehabilitating homes and offering them as affordable rentals to address the great need for decent, affordable shelter in the U.K, then expanded to Poland and Ukraine, and now even beyond, for example in Austria.

Source https://europehousingforum.eu/habitat-converts-and-renovates-underutilized-spaces-into-housing/ ; https://www.wienerberger.com/en/stories/2024/20240527-wienerberger-helps-to-transform-empty-spaces-into-homes.html

Brussels: The Public Administration Act was reformed in 2022. Since then, this procedure has been activated by several Brussels municipalities. If owners do not comply with the regulations, the vacant properties in question are put back on the rental market. At a social tariff.

Source: https://www.lesoir.be/570695/article/2024-02-26/des-immeubles-prives-bientot-requisitionnes-etterbeek-et-saint-gilles

Example Lyon: Municipality contacts owners to offer them solution to put their vacant dwellings back on the market. (subsidies for renovation and support for rental management)

Source: FEANTSA, Urban Challenges, Housing Solutions: Understanding Cities’ Vacant Housing Potential to Provide Adequate Affordable Housing Solutions (p. 15)

Quantification: Potential DB ID 295, Measure: Conversion of current and future vacant office space due to the trend towards more home offices to living space (less new build): Higher space efficiency, inherent energy efficiency; reduction of the commuter traffic required to date traffic – GHG saving potential: 9,2million t CO2/a see Zimmermann et al. (2023) p. 37.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation examples:

– Amsterdam: fines for not reporting vacancy
– Austria: Salzburg and Styria granted municipalities the right to tax empty flats
– Ireland: taxing residential properties which are occupied as a dwelling for less then 30 days in a 12-months period

Sources: FEANTSA, Urban Challenges, Housing Solutions: Understanding Cities’ Vacant Housing Potential to Provide Adequate Affordable Housing Solutions (feantsa.org)

https://klimarat.org/wp-content/uploads/Klimarat-Endbericht-WEB.pdf

Example Leuven (Belgium): Need for more social housing addressed by looking to use empty buildings: incentivize property owners to address vacancies through “empty home takes” also for secondary residences (1500€ per empty home and 108€ per room or studio smaller than 60m2), cities takes ownership through “right to first buy.

Source: FEANTSA, Urban Challenges, Housing Solutions: Understanding Cities’ Vacant Housing Potential to Provide Adequate Affordable Housing Solutions (S. 12): https://www.feantsa.org/en/report/2023/01/31/

Implementation example: France: “Vacancy taxes, which encourage owners to reintroduce empty dwellings to the housing market in areas where there is unmet demand, in order to improve access, especially by low-income households.

In 2013, the vacancy tax in France was substantially strengthened. The duration of tax-free vacancy was reduced to one year, and the tax rate began at 12.5 per cent of potential rent income and increased to 25 per cent in the years following the property being left vacant. The government also made the tax compulsory for local areas with more than 50,000 inhabitants.

Taxes can be selectively applied to discourage undesirable land uses. These are also relevant for the conversion of empty dwellings to livable homes.

Research on the application of the tax has found that it influenced the behavior of owners of vacant units, who converted their dwellings for use as primary residences and reduced the vacancy rate by a substantial 13 per cent over four years, with stronger results in areas of higher vacancy. The tax accounted for a 13 per cent decrease in vacancy rates between 1997 and 2001, especially among long-term vacant dwellings, and most vacant units were turned into primary residences.”

Source: https://www.housing2030.org/project/taxing-vacant-housing-based-on-potential-rental-income-in-france/

Implementation Example: The Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan are promoting a special status for supporting the refurbishment of abandoned buildings. The new regulation allows for an extension of the floor area up to 20% of the actual size, the municipal building taxes are reduced, and in parallel the amount of taxes for new buildings in green fields is increased by 20-50%. The existing buildings are reused as the use of undeveloped land has an additional cost. The land use is reduced for satisfying new needs, the existing structures are reused.

Source: Wuppertal Institut (2022): Mapping of local sufficiency initiatives. D 4.1, p. 16.

Implementation Example: In order to avoid latent vacancies, the letting of a flat as a holiday home should only be allowed if the landlords provide a housing protection number. This makes it easier for the municipalities to enforce the law and is already being implemented unbureaucratically in Hamburg, for example.

Source: Behörde für Stadtentwicklung und Wohnen Hamburg. (from German Zero 2021, p. 369).

Implementation example: In Freiburg, unauthorised misappropriation of living space, such as leaving a flat empty for more than six months, is an administrative offence under the Misappropriation Prohibition Act, which came into force in 2014 and can be punished with fines of up to €50,000 per flat.

Source: https://www.freiburg.de/pb/,Lde/-/205332/;vbid1977/;vbmid3

Multiple benefits: A study by the TU Darmstadt found that the addition of more storeys to residential and non-residential buildings has a potential of 2.3 million flats.

Source: TU Darmstadt/Pestel Institut, Deutschlandstudie 2019. “Wohnraumpotenziale in urbanen Lagen”, p. 67. (from German Zero 2021, p. 380).

Implementation Example: “Anyone who converts existing housing into social housing can collect more than 100,000 euros from the city and state of Thuringia. Prerequisite: Landlords who commit to renting out housing at 33 per cent below the local comparative rent for a certain period of time can collect the one-off premium at the beginning of the tenancy. The longer the future commitment, the higher the premium.”

Sources: https://www.tuebingen.de/verwaltung/verfahren#foerderung_von_sozialem_wohnraum_im_bestand
https://leben-vor-der-stadt.de/alle-artikel/ein-leben-nach-dem-einfamilienhaus-ermoglichen-viele-sind-gefordert

Multiple benefits:

Inner-city green spaces not only act as CO2 sinks, but can also provide protection when cities heat up even more in summer in the future as a result of climate change: 1 m³/m² of additional green volume leads to a reduction of about 0.3 °C.

Source: “Tervooren, Verification of vegetation in regard of greenvolume as potential for climate-adaption -Using the example of the state-capital Potsdam”, p. 74. (from German Zero 2021, p. 386).

Green spaces provide better air quality because they filter fine dust from the air.

Source: “Gith, Saubere Atemluft – Forscher empfehlen Grünflächen auszubauen“. (from German Zero 2021, p. 386).

Planting directly binds CO2, but also reduces the energy required for heating and cooling. In summer, evaporative cooling and shading reduce the need for cooling.

Sources: Technische Universität Darmstadt: Gutachten Fassadenbegrünung, p. 13.

Pfoser, Fassade und Pflanze: “Potenziale einer neuen Fassadengestaltung”, p.74 f. (from German Zero 2021, p. 387).

Another positive effect is the protection of the building fabric from environmental impacts. Building greening dampens noise, improves air quality and lowers the ambient temperature.

Source: Pfoser, Fassade und Pflanze: “Potenziale einer neuen Fassadengestaltung”, 92 ff. (from German Zero 2021, p. 386).

Greening buildings can contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in cities.

Source: Pfoser, Fassade und Pflanze: “Potenziale einer neuen Fassadengestaltung”, p. 97. (from German Zero 2021, p. 387).

Implementation Example: The practice of stipulating green roofs in development plans since the mid-1990s, together with the Open Space Design Statutes of 1996, which stipulate green roofs on garage roofs and gravel press roofs of 100 m2 or more, has led to a situation in Munich where the total area of green roofs is very high compared to other cities.

Source: Deutscher Dachgärtner Verband e.V.: “Fernerkundliche Identifizierung von Vegetationsflächen auf Dächern zur Entwicklung des für die Bereiche des Stadtklimas, der Stadtentwässerung und des Artenschutzes aktivierbaren Flächenpotenzials in den Städten”, p. 35. (from German Zero 2021, p. 387).

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 7, Measure: Residential space moratorium and settlement limit – Energy saving potential: 15TWh/a of heating and GHG saving potential: 3,4million t CO2/a see Brischke et al. (2016) p. 92;

Potential DB ID 192, Measure: Allocation of quotas for land use to reach net zero land use in 2035 – GHG saving potential: 54million t CO2 see Müller-Schulz et al. (2023) p. 51;

Potential DB ID 251, Measure: Reduction of land utilisation (land use change): Land consumption of 20 ha/day in 2030 – GHG saving potential: 2million t CO2 eq see Purr et al. (2021) p. 38.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 141, Measure: Limiting the use of new land for settlement and transport purposes (MMS) (direct net reduction) – GHG saving potential: 0,3Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 238, 239;

Potential DB ID 142, Measure: Limiting the use of new land for settlement and transport purposes (MMS) (direct net reduction) – GHG saving potential: 0,3Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 238, 239;

Potential DB ID 143, Measure: Limiting the use of new land for settlement and transport purposes (MMS) (direct net reduction) – GHG saving potential: 0,3Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 238, 239.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation Example: The Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan are promoting a special status for supporting the refurbishment of abandoned buildings. The new regulation allows for an extension of the floor area up to 20% of the actual size, the municipal building taxes are reduced, and in parallel the amount of taxes for new buildings in green fields is increased by 20-50%. The existing buildings are reused as the use of undeveloped land has an additional cost. The land use is reduced for satisfying new needs, the existing structures are reused.

Source: Wuppertal Institut (2022): Mapping of local sufficiency initiatives. D 4.1, p.16.

Quantification: Potential DB ID 296, Measure: No underground parking garage – GHG saving potential: 20% of the building’s GHG emissions see Zimmermann et al. (2023) p. 38.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 59, Measure: One-Stop-Shop to facilitate pensioner households to move to smaller flats or share the flat – Energy saving potential: 7TWh  and GHG saving potential: 1,81million t CO2/a see Fischer et al. (2016) p. 438; Potential DB ID 260, Measure: Create transparency for consumers regarding consumption and costs and thus encourage more energy-saving behaviour. – Energy saving potential: 15%  see Rehmann et al. (2022) p. 24.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: 1°C decrease of room heating temperature = 6-8% energy reduction.

Source: Öko-Institut & Fraunhofer ISI 2015 (p. 118); BMWK 2022.

Quantification: Potential DB ID 82, Measure: Convergence through technology counselling; target group: young couples starting a family – Energy saving potential: 6,6GWh of electricity see Fischer et al. (2020) p. 38.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: “Energy audits and consultation, when individuals are informed about their own energy use and given advice on how to lower their consumption, were the most effective. Under this strategy, consumers reduced their energy use by 13.5 % on average.”

Source: Bertoldi, P. (2017): Are current policies promoting a change in behaviour, conservation and sufficiency?.

Quantification: Providing individuals with comparisons with their peers’ energy use can reduce the energy use by 11,5% on average.

Source: Bertoldi, P. (2017): Are current policies promoting a change in behaviour, conservation and sufficiency?.

Quantification: Potential DB ID 260, Measure: Create transparency for consumers regarding consumption and costs and thus encourage more energy-saving behaviour. – Energy saving potential: 15%  see Rehmann et al. (2022) p. 24.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 92, Measure: Closure of a VHS building between the years – Energy saving potential: 13000kWh/a of electricity see Fischer et al. (2020) p. 12.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 19, Measure: extend products lifetime by implementing a satutory warranty of 5 years ans setting the defects liability to 10 years and regulating a mandatory availability of components for at least 20 years to ensure prospective repairability – Energy saving potential: 11,3322TWh/a of process heat (electricity, synthetic gas) see Eerma et al. (2022) p. 3; Data Table 1.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Other additional information: Washing machines would have to be used for at least 17-23 years and tumble dryers 11-18 years, even taking into account the efficiency improvements of newer appliances, in order to compensate for the GHG emissions of production, distribution and recycling. Smartphones would even have to be used for up to 232 years, as not only are additional resources consumed, but newer devices also consume more energy.

Source: Zuloaga et al: “Cool products don´t cost the earth”. (from German Zero 2021, p. 144).

Quantification: If the lifespan of all washing machines, notebooks, hoovers and smartphones within the EU were extended by one year, around 4 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved.

Source: Calculations by German Zero based on: Zuloaga et al: “Cool products don´t cost the earth”, p. 5. (from German Zero 2021, p. 140).

Implementation Example: Luxembourg plans to consider applying the heavily reduced 3% VAT rate to eligible repair work under European law.

Source: https://environnement.public.lu/dam-assets/actualites/2020/05/Integrierter-nationaler-Energie-und-Klimaplan-Luxemburgs-2021-2030-endgultige-Fassung.pdf , p. 86.

Implementation Example: In Sweden, the VAT on repairs is reduced from 25% to 12%.

Source: https://knowledge-hub.circle-economy.com/article/3624?n=Government-tax-break-program-for-repair

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 211, Measure: Lifetime extension and re-use of components – GHG saving potential: 3,9Mio t CO2e/a see Pauliuk & Heeren (2021) p. 487 (fig.4) or Supporting Information SI2 (tab fig.4 or https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2Fjiec.13091&file=jiec13091-sup-0002-SuppMat2.xlsx);

Potential DB ID 263, Measure: Extension of the useful life of the washing machine (from 12 to 17 years) – GHG saving potential: 0,1Mio t CO2/a see Rüdenauer & Prakash (2020) p. 39; Potential DB ID 264, Measure: Extension of the useful life of the notebook (from 5 to 10 years) – GHG saving potential: 0,9Mio t CO2/a see Rüdenauer & Prakash (2020) p. 42;

Potential DB ID 265, Measure: Extension of the useful life of the smartphone (from 2,5 to 7 years) – GHG saving potential: 0,9Mio t CO2/a see Rüdenauer & Prakash (2020) p. 45;

Potential DB ID 266, Measure: Extension of the useful life of televisions (6 to 13 years) – GHG saving potential: 2,3Mio t CO2/a see Rüdenauer & Prakash (2020) p. 48.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 223, Measure: Produce less and smaller cars through a reduction of vehicle size (no new SUVs in 2045) and a prolongation of car usage (17,5 instead of 10 years in 2045) + more acceptance of remanufactured cars (spare parts) – GHG saving potential: 1,6Mt CO2-eq. see Prakash et al. (2023) p. 82 (237 for measure description);

Potential DB ID 185, Measure: Remanufacturing (=restoring the functional capability of a used product, which at least meets the customer’s requirements at the initial operation) of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 1,65PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110;

Potential DB ID 186, Measure: Remanufacturing (=restoring the functional capability of a used product, which at least meets the customer’s requirements at the initial operation) of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 2,99PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110;

Potential DB ID 187, Measure: Direct reuse of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 1,7PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110;

Potential DB ID 188, Measure: Direct reuse of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 3,07PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 223, Measure: Produce less and smaller cars through a reduction of vehicle size (no new SUVs in 2045) and a prolongation of car usage (17,5 instead of 10 years in 2045) + more acceptance of remanufactured cars (spare parts) – GHG saving potential: 1,6Mt CO2-eq. see Prakash et al. (2023) p. 82 (237 for measure description);

Potential DB ID 185, Measure: Remanufacturing (=restoring the functional capability of a used product, which at least meets the customer’s requirements at the initial operation) of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 1,65PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110;

Potential DB ID 186, Measure: Remanufacturing (=restoring the functional capability of a used product, which at least meets the customer’s requirements at the initial operation) of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 2,99PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110;

Potential DB ID 187, Measure: Direct reuse of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 1,7PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110;

Potential DB ID 188, Measure: Direct reuse of passenger car spare parts – Energy saving potential: 3,07PJ of primary energy see McKenna et al. (2013) p. 110.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: One repair saves an average of 24 kilograms of CO2 equivalents. If the lifespan of all washing machines, notebooks, vacuum cleaners and smartphones in the EU area were extended by just 1 single year, around 4 million tons of CO2 could be saved.

Source: https://mein.wien.gv.at/wienerreparaturbon/#/ (as at 20.12.2023) and https://www.verbraucherzentrale-bayern.de/sites/default/files/2022-08/22-04-25_vzbv-positionspapier_recht-auf-reparatur.pdf (p.4).

Implementation Example: With the “Vienna repair voucher”, 50% of the costs for a repair are covered up to an amount of EUR 100. The amount is deducted directly from the bill for the repair. Within the first campaign period from 21 September to 14 December 2020, around 8000 items were repaired with a repair voucher. This saved around 190 tonnes of CO2.

Source: Calculations by German Zero based on: Stadt Wien, Förderprogramm: “Wien repariert´s – Der Wiener Reparatur-bon”. https://www.wien.gv.at/umweltschutz/wienerreparaturbon.html. (from German Zero 2021, p. 143).

Implementation Example: A repair bonus is existing in the German federal state of Thuringia and in Austria.

Sources: https://www.reparaturbonus-thueringen.de / https://www.reparaturbonus.at/.

Implementation Example: In France, repair shops with the so-called “QualiRépar” seal of approval repair many damaged electronic devices that are no longer covered by the warranty. The repair of covered devices is guaranteed and a flat-rate discount on the repair price is deducted directly from the invoice amount.

Source: https://epargnonsnosressources.gouv.fr/actualites/bonus-reparation/

Implementation Example: In Spain, added microplastics in cosmetics and detergents will be banned from July 2021.

Source: Wandler: Spanien geht gegen Plastikmüll vor. https://taz.de/Spanien-geht-gegen-Plastikmuell-vor/!5690428. (from German Zero 2021, p. 150).

Implementation Example: In Sweden, microplastics have been banned in “rinse-off” cosmetic products since 2018. In France, microplastics in exfoliating and cleaning products have also been banned since 2018.

Source: Fraunhofer Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik: “Mikroplastik und synthetische Polymere in Kosmetikprodukten sowie Wasch-, Putz und Reinigungsmitteln”, p. 62 ff. (aus German Zero 2021, p. 150).

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 17, Measure: Promoting a modal shift in the construction industry from steel and cement to wooden structures. Demand reduction of 4.6% in high-temperature process heat demand due to reduced steel production – Energy saving potential: 9,06174TWh/a of synthetic gas and electricity ( p.2) see Eerma et al. (2022) p. 3; Data from Fig. 1. and Table 1.;

Potential DB ID 21, Measure: modal shift in the construction industry from steel and cement to wooden structrues by 3% and a reduction of average floor space per capita in residential and commercial heating (high and medium process heat) – Energy saving potential: 11,64248TWh/a of process heat (electricity, synthetic gas) see Eerma et al. (2022) p. 3; Data Table 1.;

Potential DB ID 212, Measure: Material substitution: wood buildings and alu cars – GHG saving potential: 1,7Mio t CO2e/a see Pauliuk & Heeren (2021) p. 487 (fig.4) or Supporting Information SI2 (tab fig.4 or https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2Fjiec.13091&file=jiec13091-sup-0002-SuppMat2.xlsx)

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Multiple benefits: If animal products would be taxed with the regular (instead of reduced) VAT rate of 19% (instead of 7%) in Germany, this would generate 5 billion € additional tax revenue.

Source: UBA 2016.

Quantification: Potential DB ID 96, Measure: 50% decrease in meat dishes served in public catering facilities – GHG saving potential: 0,55Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 96, Measure: 50% decrease in meat dishes served in public catering facilities – GHG saving potential: 0,55Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: A 50% reduction of meat dishes in public mass catering saves 0,43 million tonnes of GHG / year (range: 0,2-0,92 Mt GHG).

Source: UBA 2022.

Implementation example: The Berlin Student Union operates a purely plant-based canteen and has a total animal-based food content of less than 16 percent.

Quelle: E. Buchheim, „Planetary-Health-Mensa 2023: 5 wegweisende Konzepte für den Außer-Haus-Markt“, ProVeg Deutschland.
https://proveg.com/de/blog/planetary-health-mensa-2023/

Quantification: Potential DB ID 96, Measure: 50% decrease in meat dishes served in public catering facilities – GHG saving potential: 0,55Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 233, Measure: transition to a more plant-based diet according to EAT-Lancet study (planetary health diet, PHD) – GHG saving potential: 28,7Mt CO2-eq. see Prakash et al. (2023) p. 106 f. (261-269 for measure infos).

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 217, Measure: Increase VAT on animal products (variant: simultaneous reduction of VAT on plant products) – GHG saving potential: 4,05Mt CO2-eq. see Postpischil et al. (2022a) p. 60.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 38, Measure: Cook on an induction stove and bake in a well-planned manner, if necessary cook larger quantities (in stock or together with friends/neighbours), use a pressure cooker and avoid a few dishes with particularly long cooking or baking times – Energy saving potential: 80kWh of electricity see Fischer et al. (2013) p. 17;

Potential DB ID 96, Measure: 50% decrease in meat dishes served in public catering facilities – GHG saving potential: 0,55Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Emissions trading for the production of animal products and the application of mineral fertilisers and the spreading of mineral fertilisers, the emissions trading system sets incentives to reduce approx. 80 % of the emissions (emissions attributable to agriculture in the EU according to the IPCC).

Source: Calculations by German Zero based on: EU (2020): “2020 National Inventory Report (NIR)”, p. 562. (from German Zero 2021, p. 408).

Quantification: Potential DB ID 155, Measure: Foodsharing: collecting food that can no longer be sold and redistributing it to interested parties (2 case studies evaluated) – GHG saving potential: 1,6t CO2 eq/a see Jessing et al. (2021) p. 20-22.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 155, Measure: Foodsharing: collecting food that can no longer be sold and redistributing it to interested parties (2 case studies evaluated) – GHG saving potential: 1,6t CO2 eq/a see Jessing et al. (2021) p. 20-22.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

When 50% of Europeans eat meat only once per week and have a roughly 70% lower dairy consumption this would reduce GHG emissions in 2050 by 73 Mt which equals 16% of emissions from agriculture.

Source: McKinsey 2020.

A vegan / vegetarian diet reduces the GHG emissions of the European footprint by 13.9% / 9% (compared to 2007) and reduces the land footprint by 4.7% / 0.6%.

Source: Vita et al. 2019.

A switch to animal-free protein sources such as soy, lentils, other pulses and meat substitute products reduces global GHG emissions by 18-87% (central value 40%).

Source: Creutzig et al. 2022.

Implementation example: UK: A complete online advertising restriction for products with a high fat, sugar and salt content.

Source: UK Government.

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 134, Measure: Implementation of the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme (ANK): field copses, rewetting of peat soils (MMS) -> direct net reduction – GHG saving potential: 0,8Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 224,225,239;

Potential DB ID 135, Measure: Implementation of the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme (ANK): field copses, rewetting of peat soils (MMS) -> direct net reduction – GHG saving potential: 1,5Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 224,225,239;

Potential DB ID 136, Measure: Implementation of the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme (ANK): field copses, rewetting of peat soils (MWMS) -> direct net reduction – GHG saving potential: 1,7Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 226, 227, 241;

Potential DB ID 137, Measure: Implementation of the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme (ANK): field copses, rewetting of peat soils (MWMS) -> direct net reduction – GHG saving potential: 4,3Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 226, 227, 241.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 131, Measure: Rewetting of peat soils (MMS) – GHG saving potential: 0,2Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 225, 238, 239;

Potential DB ID 132, Measure: Rewetting of peat soils (MMS) – GHG saving potential: 0,8Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 225, 238, 239;

Potential DB ID 133, Measure: Rewetting of peat soils (MMS) – GHG saving potential: 1,5Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 225, 238, 239;

Potential DB ID 243, Measure: Annual rewetting of 5.3% of agricultural land on drained peat soils – GHG saving potential: 22million t CO2 eq see Purr et al. (2021) p. 38;

Potential DB ID 250, Measure: Rewetting of moors + Active forest conversion and near-natural forest management + No peat extraction from 2040 (elimination of more than 2 million tonnes of CO2eq) + Preservation of permanent grassland (counteract conversion of permanent grassland to arable land, but possibility of rewetting permanent grassland on peat soils) + Reduce new land use to less than 30 ha/day by 2030 – GHG saving potential: 13million t CO2 eq see Purr et al. (2021) p. 36 ff.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 261, Measure: Reduction in timber extraction, especially of hardwood, by 25 % compared to BAU, proportion of areas without forestry utilisation at 16 %. – GHG saving potential: 40Mio t. CO2 see Reise et al. (2024) p. 25;

Potential DB ID 262, Measure: Reduction in timber extraction, especially of hardwood, by 25 % compared to BAU, proportion of areas without forestry utilisation at 16 %. – GHG saving potential: 68Mio t. CO2 see Reise et al. (2024) p. 25.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications: “Arbeiten nach Corona – Warum Homeoffice gut fürs Klima ist”, p. 7, estimates the CO2 savings potential in a conservative scenario of 25% teleworking share with two additional home office days per week at 3.2 million t CO2 per year; in the case of an increase to 40% even to 5.4 million t CO2 per year (p. 14).

Borderstep Institut (2021): “Klimaschutzpotenziale der Nutzung von Videokonferenzen und Homeoffice – Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Befragung von Geschäftsreisenden”, p. 6, estimate the savings potential through videoconferencing at 3 million t CO2/year and the reduction potential through home office at 1.5 t CO2/year.

The Wuppertal Institute assumes a saving of 5% of transport expenditure if 30% of employees worked in a home office every second working day.

Source: cf. Wuppertal Institute (2020): “CO2-neutral by 2035: Key points of a German contribution to compliance with the 1.5°C limit”, p. 79.

Source: Calculations by German Zero based on: IZT (2020). (from German Zero 2021, p. 209).

Quantification: Potential DB ID 99, Measure: Mandatory mobility management in all supreme federal authorities and their business units as well as in (private and municipal) companies with 250 or more employees – GHG saving potential: 1,45Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation Example: Following the example of Italy and Brussels, larger companies (Brussels: from 200 employees, Italy from 300 employees in cities with more than 150,000 inhabitants) should be legally obliged to establish mobility management. This would require both an inventory of current mobility data and the derivation of an action plan with the definition of goals and responsible persons. This obligation would contribute to institutionalising mobility management nationwide.

Source: For international comparison: ILS NRW (2007): “Weiterentwicklung von Produkten, Prozessen und Rahmenbedingungen des betrieblichen Mobilitätsmanagements durch eine stärkere Systematisierung, Differenzierung und Standardisierung”, p. 47ff. (from German Zero 2021, p. 215).

Quantification: Potential DB ID 53, Measure: Telemeetings (substitution of 30% of the business trips in 2030) – Energy saving potential: 21,5TWh/a of final energy consumption and GHG saving potential: 5,6Mio t CO2/a see Fischer et al. (2016) p. 86 + 120.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 72, Measure: Telework, 50% of population works 4 of 5 days from home – Energy saving potential: 143PJ  see Fischer et al. (2016) p. 495;

Potential DB ID 73, Measure: Telemeetings, 40% of work trips can be replaced by virtual meetings – Energy saving potential: 148PJ  see Fischer et al. (2016) p. 495;

Potential DB ID 157, Measure: Remote work: Reduction potential of 5 additional days in remote work (compared to pre-corona), progressive scenario (35% remote work quota), theoretical potential – GHG saving potential: 9,6Mio t. CO2e see Kreye et al. (2022) p. 24;

Potential DB ID 158, Measure: Remote work: Reduction potential for 50% of working time in remote work, progressive scenario (35% remote work quota), potential categorised as realistic – GHG saving potential: 3,7Mio t. CO2e see Kreye et al. (2022) p. 25.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation Examples:

Prohibition of the establishment of shops relevant to the city centre on the outskirts of Ravensburg in order to enable short distances and keep the city centre lively, liveable and dense. (also ID 74

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. Oekom Verlag, p. 40.

Flensburg (DE): Sufficiency-orientated urban development in a 53-hectare district with reduced living space per person, a higher proportion of green spaces and mixed uses for shorter distances. (also ID 74)

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. Oekom Verlag,

Implementation Example: In Siegen, parking spaces and traffic-calmed streets were removed to create recreational areas in the city centre along the River Sieg.

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. Oekom Verlag, p. 51.

Implementation Example: Following the example of Switzerland, the federal states could re-define common use, increased common use and special use and exclude parking in public spaces from common use (possibly with exceptions for short-term parking for charging electric vehicles). This could lead to parking only being allowed in separately designated areas instead of having to define no-parking zones.

Source: see SRU (2020): Umweltgutachten 2020. – from: GermanZero (2022): 1,5-Grad-Gesetzespaket, p. 700.

Implementation Example: Berlin was the first and for almost two decades the only federal state to abolish the general parking space requirement back in the mid-1990s. Exception: Disabled parking spaces for buildings in public use, § 50 BauO Bln, s. EZBK/Stock, 136. EL Oktober 2019, BauNVO § 12 Rn. 115.

Source: see GermanZero (2022): 1,5-Grad-Gesetzespaket, p. 701.

Implementation Example: In Munich’s city centre, the daily fee in two parking licence areas is therefore being raised from € 6 to € 10 on a trial basis to see if this can effectively reduce the number of long-term parkers.

Source: see Hutter, Dominik (2017): Parken in Wohngebieten könnte bis zu 100 Prozent teurer werden. In: SZ.de (18.09.2017). last access on 17.01.2019. – from Agora Verkehrswende (2019) , p.28).

Implementation Example: Until this year, there was a nationwide regulation that a resident parking permit in Germany may not cost more than 30.70 EUR per year. By comparison, such a permit would cost 827 EUR in Stockholm, 535 EUR in Amsterdam and 258 francs [approx. 240 EUR] in Basel.

Source: Ferber: “Parkausweise für Anwohner werden deutlich teurer”. (Stand. 12.09.2020). (from German Zero 2021, p.232).

Implementation Example: The city of Tübingen increased the resident parking fees times 4-6. SUVs now need to pay more than smaller / lighter cars.

Source: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/tuebingen/gemeinderat-tuebingen-parkgebuehren-anwohner-100.html.

Multiple benefits: Increase of resident parking fees times 4-6 in Tübingen (SUVs to pay more) will lead to additional revenues of 576.000 Euro (6.400 allowanes).

Source: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/tuebingen/gemeinderat-tuebingen-parkgebuehren-anwohner-100.html.

Quantification: Potential DB ID 196, Measure: Intelligent car park solutions that prevent parking search traffic – GHG saving potential: 0,5million t CO2 see NPM (2019) p. 45, 47.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: About 30 % of the traffic in the city comes from driving around searching a parking space.

Source: see Schubert, A (13.05.2019): Kampf gegen die Parkplatzsuche (last access on 30.05.2021). – from: GermanZero (2022): 1,5-Grad-Gesetzespaket, S. 702.

Implementation Example: In this context, it would also be important to improve public participation in demand planning, following the French example: a model for good participation is the “Commission Nationale du débat public” (CNDP) in France. Road projects with a length of more than 40 km or costs of more than 300 million euros must be subjected to mandatory public debate.

For further information see: BUND (2018:”Grünbuch nachhaltige Planung der Verkehrsinfrastruktur”, p. 25. (from German Zero 2021, p. 230).

Other additional information: A registration tax (“malus system”) is preferable to a frequently demanded bonus-malus system because of its better overall ecological balance. In France, such a system not only cost the state 300 million EUR in the first three years due to the difficulty of estimating the economic balance; the bonus also led to increased demand, which in turn increased the overall fleet size.

Sources: Bundesumweltministerin S. Schulze, Der Tagesspiegel: Käufer von spritfressenden Autos sollen mehr zahlen (Stand: 02.02.2020).

SPD (2020): “Beschlussbuch des ordentlichen Bundesparteitags vom 06. bis 08. Dezember 2019”, p. 90

SRU (2017): “Für ein Bonus-Malus-System als Übergangsinstrument: Umsteuern erforderlich: Klimaschutz im Verkehrssektor”, p. 139.

UBA: “Mehr Förderung für Pkw mit niedrigen CO2-Emissionen”. (Stand: 09.08.2019).

Agora Energiewende / Agora Verkehrswende (2019): “15 Eckpunkte für das Klimaschutzgesetz”, p. 2.

Klima-Allianz Deutschland: “Klimaschutzplan 2050 der deutschen Zivilgesellschaft”, p. 21.

Wuppertal Institut (2020: “CO2-neutral bis 2035: Eckpunkte eines deutschen Beitrags zur Einhaltung der 1,5-°C-Grenze”,p. 89.

Adelphi/Ecofys (2018): “Bonus-Malus Vehicle Incentive System in France”.

Vgl. D’Haultfoeuille et al. (2014): “The Environmental Effect of Green Taxation: The Case of the French Bonus/Malus.” (from German Zero 2021, p. 219).

Implementation Example: Incentivo rottamazione is a regional regulation promoted by the Piemonte Region in 2021. It promotes an incentive scheme for dismissing a car without buying a new one. People who don’t need a new car can profit from incentives, reducing needs and land use for parked cars and abandoned cars. A number of incentive schemes are available at regional and national level for improving the car stock in terms of emissions (electric or low emission cars, slow mobility etc.), this is the only one promoting avoidance. The financing scheme was discontinued in 2021.

Source: Wuppertal Institut (2022): Mapping of local sufficiency initiatives. D 4.1, S. 16.

Quantification: In Stockholm, inbound MIT traffic was reduced by 19% following the introduction of an experimental city toll. In a follow-up votation, 53% of inhabitants agreed to the continuation of the instrument.

Source: SRU 2020 p. 357ff.

Implementation Example / Multiple benefits: “The three largest European urban road pricing systems started during a decade (first London in 2003, then Stockholm in 2006, finally Milan in 2008)…The schemes have been able to reduce negative externalities generated by traffic, such as accidents, congestion and emissions, up to different levels and to generate modal shift towards public transport.”

Source: Croci, E. (2016): Urban road pricing: a comparative study on the experiences of Lodon, Stockholm and Milan. Transportation Research Procedia, 14. 253-262. doi: 10.1016/j.trpro.2016.05.062 (p.260).

Implementation Example / Quantification: In Ghent, the city centre is completely car-free. The six districts around the city centre are closed to through traffic; the only way to get from one district to another by car is via a circular bypass. This has halved car traffic between 2012 and 2019.

Source: see Watteuw, Fillip (2020): Mobility and public space development. Ghent, 2020 – from: Blanck, Jakob (2021): Städte für Menschen, nicht für Autos (p.3).

Implementation Examples: Nevertheless, every city is different and therefore has to find individual solutions. Pontevedra in Spain, for example, was able to make the entire city centre a car-free zone because the medieval city centre is only about two kilometres in diameter and everything is accessible within walking distance. For larger cities, a concept with several car-reduced neighbourhoods spread across the city, such as the “superblocks”, is more likely to be considered.

Source: see Jiao, Jiacheng; He, Sheng; Zeng, Xiaochen (2019): An investigation into European car-free development models as an opportunity to improve the environmental sustainability in cities: The case of Pontevedra. – from: Blanck, Jakob (2021): Städte für Menschen, nicht für Autos, p.3.

Madrid city centre with few cars – Introduced by a left-wing mayor, abolished by her right-wing conservative successor and reintroduced by court order after complaints from the population.

Source: Wandler, R. (08.07.2019): Madrids Zentrum nun fast autofrei. taz (last access on 22.12.2023).

Quantification: Potential DB ID 32, Measure: Every second week car-free Sunday; 0.5 car-free day per week – Energy saving potential: 3% of of the annual fuel consumption of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles see Fee et al. (2022) p. 12.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation Examples:

The concept of Superblocks has now been integrated into the mobility plans of other cities. For example, in the Spanish city of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Here, the urban area has been divided into a total of 77 superblocks, which are to be implemented one after the other.

Source: see Civitas Prosperity o.J. (last access on 21.12.2023) – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.9.

Between 1993 and 2018, a total of six superblocks were realised in Barcelona. They differ in size and number of inhabitants. The smallest superblock, Poblanou, measures a total of 16 hectares and has 1,486 inhabitants. San Antoni, on the other hand, is 48.81 hectares in size. Almost 38,000 people live there In total, the Urban Ecology Agency (BCNEcologia) envisages 503 superblocks for the entire urban area. Since 2015, the concept of superblocks has been an integral part of Barcelona’s mobility plan, which focuses not only on pedestrians but also on cycling and public transport.

Source: see López, Iván; Jordi Ortega; Pardo, Mercedes (2020): Mobility Infrastructures in Cities and Climate Change: An Analysis Through the Superblocks in Barcelona. Atmosphere 11 (4): 410.; Mueller, Natalie; Rojas-Rueda, David; Khreis, Haneen; Cirach, Marta; Andrés, David; Ballester, Joan; Bartoll, Xavier, et al. (2020): Changing the Urban Design of Cities for Health: The Superblock Model. Environment International 134 (January): 105132. – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.8.

Quantifications:

In Barcelona’s Urban Mobility Plan (2019-2024), published by the city council, it is assumed that greenhouse gas emissions will have decreased by 21 percent when all the planned 503 superblocks are built. Once completed, it is also assumed that private motorised transport will have decreased by 19.2 percent, as well as NO2 concentrations from 47.2 μg/m3 to 35.7 μg/m3, a decrease of 24.3 percent.

Source: see López, Iván; Jordi Ortega; Pardo, Mercedes (2020): Mobility Infrastructures in Cities and Climate Change: An Analysis Through the Superblocks in Barcelona. Atmosphere 11 (4): 410.; Mueller, Natalie; Rojas-Rueda, David; Khreis, Haneen; Cirach, Marta; Andrés, David; Ballester, Joan; Bartoll, Xavier, et al. (2020): Changing the Urban Design of Cities for Health: The Superblock Model. Environment International 134 (January): 105132. – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.9.

In 2010, the Grácia superblock was recognised as a sustainable “best practice” by UN-Habitat, the United Nations Housing and Human Settlements Programme. There, pedestrian traffic has increased by 10 percent and bicycle traffic by 30 percent. At the same time, car traffic has decreased by 26 percent.

Source: see López, Iván; Jordi Ortega; Pardo, Mercedes (2020): Mobility Infrastructures in Cities and Climate Change: An Analysis Through the Superblocks in Barcelona. Atmosphere 11 (4): 410. ; Roberts, David (2019a): Die Superblocks von Barcelona (last access on 21.12.2023) – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.10.

Multiple benefits:

An increase in the proportion of green space in the Eixample district from 6.5 percent to 19.6 percent should contribute to improved air quality.

Source: see Mueller, Natalie; Rojas-Rueda, David; Khreis, Haneen; Cirach, Marta; Andrés, David; Ballester, Joan; Bartoll, Xavier, et al. (2020): Changing the Urban Design of Cities for Health: The Superblock Model. Environment International 134 (January): 105132. López, Iván; Jordi Ortega; Pardo, Mercedes (2020): Mobility Infrastructures in Cities and Climate Change: An Analysis Through the Superblocks in Barcelona. Atmosphere 11 (4): 410. – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.9.

Overall, positive effects on the quality of life of the residents in the neighbourhoods with superblocks are reported. Various parameters influencing human health such as physical activity, noise levels, nitrogen concentration, green spaces, heat have improved. As a result, positive health effects are reported.

Source: see Mueller, Natalie; Rojas-Rueda, David; Khreis, Haneen; Cirach, Marta; Andrés, David; Ballester, Joan; Bartoll, Xavier, et al. (2020): Changing the Urban Design of Cities for Health: The Superblock Model. Environment International 134 (January): 105132. – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.10.

Multiple benefits / Quantification: Studies assume an increase in life expectancy of 198 days for all people over 20 years of age. This is mainly due to the fact that nitrogen concentrations (NO2) have decreased and road noise and heat days have become significantly less. At the same time, green spaces have increased. There have also been fewer traffic accidents: According to the report “Balanç accidentalitat 2017” by the Barcelona City Council, the number of road traffic fatalities has decreased from 88 victims in 1990 to only 12 deaths in 2017.

Source: see Mueller, Natalie; Rojas-Rueda, David; Khreis, Haneen; Cirach, Marta; Andrés, David; Ballester, Joan; Bartoll, Xavier, et al. (2020): Changing the Urban Design of Cities for Health: The Superblock Model. Environment International 134 (January): 105132.; Cervero, Robert; Guerra, Erick; Al, Stefan (2017): Beyond Mobility: Planning Cities for People and Places, 298.; Ajuntament de Barcelona (2018) „Balanç accidentalitat 2017“ – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.10.

Implementation Example: At the company level, employees [in Luxembourg] who choose a means of transport other than the car should not be further disadvantaged. A tax benefit “mobility budget” equivalent to that for company cars will be introduced, thus offering an alternative to the company car.

Source: NECP, Luxemburg, p. 69.

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 30, Measure: 100 km/h (motorway) and 80km/h (extra-urban) – Energy saving potential: 2000Mio. L of liquid fuels and GHG saving potential: 5,3Mio t CO2/a see Fee et al. (2022) p. 12;

Potential DB ID 31, Measure: 120km/h – Energy saving potential: 800Mio. L of liquid fuels and GHG saving potential: 2Mio t CO2/a see Fee et al. (2022) p. 12;

Potential DB ID 98, Measure: Maximum speed of 80 km/h on rural roads and 30 km/h in built-up areas – GHG saving potential: 0,6Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15; Potential DB ID 108, Measure: Speed limit 120 on motorways – GHG saving potential: 2,6million t CO2 /a see Gaude et al. (2021) p. 10;

Potential DB ID 109, Measure: Speed limit 100 on motorways – GHG saving potential: 5,4million t CO2 /a see Gaude et al. (2021) p. 10;

Potential DB ID 112, Measure: Speed limits of 100 km/h on motorways (passenger car traffic) – Energy saving potential: 2million tonnes /a of car fuel and GHG saving potential: 6,2Mio t CO2 see Gehrs et al. (2022) p. 8; Gehrs et al. (2022) p. 8; Hendzlik et al. (2019) p. 22; UBA (2022) p. 2; UBA (2022) p. 2; UBA (2022) p. 2.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 74, Measure: Reduction of vacation and short trips with aircraft by half – Energy saving potential: 89PJ  see Fischer et al. (2016) p. 497; Potential DB ID 107, Measure: Immediate transfer of many short-haul flights to other European countries to the railways – GHG saving potential: 600kt CO2/a see Gaude et al. (2021) p. 8.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Other additional information: According to the EIB’s 2019-2020 Climate Change Survey, 67% of Germans and 62% of Europeans support a ban on short-haul flights.

Source: EIB: “Umfrage der EIB zum Klimawandel 2019–2020”. (from German Zero 2021, p. 269).

Quantification: Potential DB ID 106, Measure: Immediate halving of domestic German flights – GHG saving potential: 1million t CO2 /a see Gaude et al. (2021) p. 8.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 97, Measure: Retainment of air traffic tax and additional energy tax of 65 ct/l for domestic flights – GHG saving potential: 0,45Mt CO2 eq/a see Fischer et al. (2022) p. 15.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: CE Delft calculated that there will be a 21% reduction in aviation’s carbon emissions reduction by introducing the FFL (Frequent Flyer Levy) in the example year 2028.”

Source: https://stay-grounded.org/frequent-flying-levy/

Quantification: Potential DB ID 55, Measure: Halving private air travel – Energy saving potential: 34,7TWh/a of final energy consumption and GHG saving potential: 9,2Mio t CO2/a see Fischer et al. (2016) p. 86 + 123.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 124, Measure: Cheap public transport ticket throughout Germany (Deutschlandticket) (MWMS) – GHG saving potential: 0,52Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 214;

Potential DB ID 125, Measure: Cheap public transport ticket throughout Germany (Deutschlandticket) (MWMS) – GHG saving potential: 0,6Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 214.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation example: The district of Lüchow-Dannenberg introduced a 365-euro annual ticket in September 2022.

Source: https://www.luechow-dannenberg.de/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-161/173_read-12079/

Implementation example: Since 1 March 2020, public transport on national territory in Luxembourg is free of charge for all means of transport, be it bus, train or tram. The measure applies to residents, cross-border commuters and tourists alike.

Source: Luxembourg – Free public transport.

Implementation Example: The spa card allows you to travel free of charge throughout the entire city of Templin (16,000 inhabitants) and the incorporated districts. The prerequisite for this is the purchase of the annual spa card or the Templin citizen card for € 44 at the tourist information centre in the historic town hall.

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. p. 44.

Implementation Example: Against this background, municipalities in France are entitled to levy an earmarked employer contribution for the financing of public transport. In the capital region around Paris, the levy was able to cover 42% of the required financial resources in 2017 (operating costs and investment costs). A similar model exists in Vienna with the so-called employer levy, which brought the city of Vienna approximately EUR 67 million in 2018.

Sources: Sog. Versement Transport bzw. Versement Mobilité, s. Légifranc:” Décret n° 2020-801 du 29 juin 2020 relatif au versement destiné au financement des services de mobilité, aux plans de mobilité et au comité des partenaires”.

European Platform on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (2019): “Funding and Financing of Sustainable Urban Mobility Measures”, p. 18.

Gesetz vom 11. Juli 1969 und vom 12. September 1969 über die Einhebung einer Dienstgeberabgabe, LGBl. für Wien Nr. 17/1970.

Vgl. Wien (2019): Rechnungsabschluss der Bundeshauptstadt Wien für das Jahr 2018, p. 169.

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 105, Measure: Ambitious transport transition in German cities by 2030, Forseen measures: significant increase in funding for public transport, the modernisation of urban bus fleets, the expansion of cycling and new transport planning in cities that prioritises pedestrians and cyclists. – GHG saving potential: 6million t CO2 /a see Gaude et al. (2021) p. 5;

Potential DB ID 152, Measure: Promoting cycling with an additional 500 million euros per year and a 10% increase in public transport services through a more performance- and efficiency-based distribution of financial resources for public transport. – GHG saving potential: 0,5Mio t CO2 see Hendzlik et al. (2019) p. 22.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

In rural areas, regular public transport connections with
sufficiently high frequencies are often not profitable because they are underutilised. On-demand services that are available at any time from door to door or door to station at attractive prices can be a real alternative to private (second) cars, reducing or eliminating dependence on private cars and making them increasingly unattractive. Implementation examples have already been realised in more than 100 German cities/regions.

Source: VDV, „Hochlauf der On-Demand-Verkehre im ÖPNV | VDV – Die Verkehrsunternehmen“. https://www.vdv.de/ondemandumfrage22.aspx

Other additional information: In this way, the CO2 emissions of a transport chain can be reduced by an average of 55% compared to direct road transport, and the use of primary energy can be reduced by a third.

Source: Calculations by German Zero based on: Nestear (2003): “CO2-Reduzierung durch kombinierten Verkehr”. (from German Zero 2021, p. 248).

Multiple benefits: The transport of goods from the port of destination to the shops is carried out by trucks that comply with the Euro-5 emission standard. Between 2010 and 2016, a general decreasing trend in NO2 concentration was observed for Paris, which, according to the study, is due to the introduction of the Euro-5 standard for trucks.

Source: see Font, Anna; Guiseppin, Lionel; Blangiardo, Marta; Ghersi, Véronique ; Fuller, Gary W. (2019): A Tale of Two Cities: Is Air Pollution Improving in Paris and London?“ Environmental Pollution 249 (June): 1–12.; franprix, Groupe Casino (2012): Franprix en Seine. – from: WWF (2020): Gute Beispiele für nachhaltiges, sozial-ökologisches wirtschaften in planetaren Grenzen, p.14.

Implementation Example / Multiple benefits: Temporary pop-up bike lanes were set up in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (Berlin) in March 2020. They were used by 290,000 residents and cycle traffic was reported to have increased by 15% in the period under review.

Source: Böcker et al. (2021): Wie wird weniger genug. Oekom Verlag , p. 46.

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 197, Measure: 1000 bike parking facility with bike hire and bike repair shop in cologne – GHG saving potential: 7290t CO2 eq see Paar et al. (2023) p. 28f; Potential DB ID 198, Measure: Bad Keuznach mobile and information point with bicycle garage for 230 bicycle parking spaces – GHG saving potential: 3630t CO2 eq see Paar et al. (2023) p. 29;

Potential DB ID 199, Measure: Bike + Ride 2.0 with covered bicycle parking spaces – GHG saving potential: 2260t CO2 eq see Paar et al. (2023) p. 29;

Potential DB ID 200, Measure: Construction of a structurally separate cycle highway and implementation of a cycle path concept for the town of Buttstädt; integration into the supra-regional cycle path network – GHG saving potential: 8800t CO2 eq see Paar et al. (2023) p. 32;

Potential DB ID 201, Measure: Hanover region: construction of 18 km of cycle path, 24 centre islands, 4 lane junctions – GHG saving potential: 10930t CO2 eq see Paar et al. (2023) p. 32;

Potential DB ID 205, Measure: Hanseatic City of Hamburg, construction of a ramp to connect to the cycle route, installation of hire bikes with e-cargo bikes and several service stations – GHG saving potential: 6840t CO2 eq see Paar et al. (2023) p. 36; Paar et al. (2023) p. 36; Paar et al. (2023) p. 36; Jacob & Taillard (2024) p. 37.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 95, Measure: Reduction of working hours, no or only partial wage compensation – GHG saving potential: 10,45Mio t CO2 see Fischer et al. (2020) p. 45.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 182, Measure: Decrease in the production of energy-intensive basic materials – Energy saving potential: 24TWh of gas as fuel and feedstock see Luderer et al. (2022) p. 20.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification:

Potential DB ID 246, Measure: Price transport in line with the polluter-pays principle (including a CO2 price significantly above the current BEHG price path and reduction of environmentally harmful subsidies in air traffic, company cars, diesel and distance allowance) + Strengthen public transport by expanding infrastructure and securing funding + Adapt planning and (road) laws to the requirements of the mobility transition + Phase out the combustion engine in new cars 2032 to 2035 + Phase out the pure combustion engine in new lorries 2035 to 2038 + Use e-fuels in air and sea transport – GHG saving potential: 61million t CO2 eq see Purr et al. (2021) p. 28 ff.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation example: Electricity prices in California

Source: L. Thiele, „Soziale und klimagerechte Energietarife“. https://konzeptwerk-neue-oekonomie.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/
Soziale_und_klimagerechte_Energietarife_KNOE_2022_Hintergrundpapier.pdf

Quantification: Potential DB ID 24, Measure: electricity reduction in the industrial sector through behavioural changes via energy audits, energy information system + social marketing – feedback, four-day week/shorter working time/ less prodution – Energy saving potential: 17,6TWh/a of electricity see Eerma et al. (2022) p. 2; Data Table 4.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation example: In Germany, all companies with an energy consumption of ≥10 GW/year are legally obliged to implement all identified and economically assessed measures to immediately improve the energy efficiency of their company. These measures must be implemented within 18 months at the latest.

Source: German Federal Law: EnSimiMaVO §4 from the 23.09.2022

Quantification: Forecast consumption reduction of 2 TWh per year in France (Consumption by approx. 750000 families)

Source: https://www.heise.de/tp/news/Nachts-in-Frankreich-Licht-aus-203

Implementation Example: ADEME in France (The Ecological Transition Agency) published sufficiency scenarios in 2021 / Motiva Oy in Finland offers expertise and services regarding energy sufficiency for a wide range of stakeholders / UBA, the German Environmental Agency, awarded multiple third-party research projects on sufficiency and conducts inhouse research regarding sufficiency.

Source: ADEME / Motiva Oy.

Implementation Example: In order to counteract a permanent devaluation of taxes, tax rates should in future be automatically linked to the development of a consumer price index every year, as in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Sources: FÖS: “Steuervergünstigung für Dieselkraftstoff”, p. 5.

SRU (2017): “Umsteuern erforderlich: Klimaschutz im Verkehrssektor”, p. 123.

Klima-Allianz Deutschland (2016): “Klimaschutzplan 2050 der deutschen Zivilgesellschaft”, p. 20. (aus German Zero 2021, p. 223).

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 115, Measure: EU-Emissions Trading System, effect on industrial sector (with-measures scenario, MMS) – Energy saving potential: 0,3TWh of Final energy demand and GHG saving potential: 4,4Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 165 – 169 (tables 69, 71, 72). Base year value: table 64, p.146.;

Potential DB ID 116, Measure: EU-Emissions Trading System, effect on industrial sector (with-measures scenario, MMS) – Energy saving potential: 5,7TWh of Final energy demand and GHG saving potential: 17Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 165 – 169 (tables 69, 71, 72). Base year value: table 64, p.146.;

Potential DB ID 117, Measure: EU-Emissions Trading System, effect on industrial sector (with-measures scenario, MMS) – Energy saving potential: 8,4TWh of Final energy demand and GHG saving potential: 28,3Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 165 – 169 (tables 69, 71, 72). Base year value: table 64, p.146.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantifications:

Potential DB ID 118, Measure: CO2 pricing for the transport and heating sectors (BEHG), effect on small fraction of emissions of the industrial sector – Energy saving potential: 0TWh of Final energy demand and GHG saving potential: 0,3Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 165 – 169 (tables 69, 71, 72). Base year value: table 64, p.146.;

Potential DB ID 119, Measure: CO2 pricing for the transport and heating sectors (BEHG), effect on small fraction of emissions of the industrial sector – Energy saving potential: 0,2TWh of Final energy demand and GHG saving potential: 1,7Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 165 – 169 (tables 69, 71, 72). Base year value: table 64, p.146.;

Potential DB ID 120, Measure: CO2 pricing for the transport and heating sectors (BEHG), effect on small fraction of emissions of the industrial sector – Energy saving potential: 1,2TWh of Final energy demand and GHG saving potential: 7,6Mio t CO2 eq see Harthan et al. (2023) p. 165 – 169 (tables 69, 71, 72). Base year value: table 64, p.146.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Quantification: Potential DB ID 219, Measure: Coffee tax exemption for sustainable and fair coffee – GHG saving potential: 1803t CO2/a see Postpischil et al. (2022b) p. 99.

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/14779100

Implementation Example: Introduction of Well-Being Budgets in New Zealand, Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Wales, Canada.

Sources: UBA 2021, p.49 / https://www.ecogood.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GWP-PolicyPaper_DE_2023-01.pdf