iDEAL for Mannheim – The Local Green Deal

Local = Creating the European Green Deal, the European Union has set itself ambitious sustainability goals. These can only be achieved through implementation in cities and municipalities. For this reason, European municipalities have started their own Local Green Deals at local level. Mannheim is leading the way as a pilot city, which is also connected to the EU 100 climate-neutral cities mission with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

Green = Deals are called green because they are about sustainable climate, nature and environmental protection in our daily lives and economies.

Deal = Making a deal means making a contribution and implementing very concrete measures. Everyone can do this in their own environment.

iDEAL for Mannheim is when we succeed in creating a liveable (ideal) city for everyone!

Mannheim's Local Green Deal initiates, activates and bundles concrete agreements on sustainability action. In this way, it is above all an offer to the city community to shape a green, clean and healthy Mannheim together with citizens, politics, administration, business and research and thus to implement the Mannheim 2030 Mission Statement.

The Local Green Deal for Mannheim focuses on eight fields of action:

Commited to climate goals – The city of Mannheim has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030.

Release clean energies – iDEAL for Mannheim is when clean, i.e. renewable energies, such as solar energy, are used.

Boost sustainable economy – Industry, commerce, trade and services in Mannheim should also protect nature and the climate, for example by designing reusable products.

Climate-friendly mobility – Mannheim is committed to intelligent mobility for more freedom, health and well-being. All citizens can make a contribution to this.

Building for the future – iDEAL for Mannheim is using as few raw materials and energy as possible in buildings. At the same time, sustainable houses and flats in Mannheim should remain affordable.

Provide healthy freshness, from farm to fork – iDEAL for Mannheim is when fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food from the region becomes available to the whole city population.

Revive natural diversity – iDEAL for Mannheim is when nature is protected and provides a diverse animal and plant life that offers space for recreation within the city and that everyone can enjoy.

Protect a liveable environment – iDEAL for Mannheim is when environmental pollution is avoided or reduced as much as possible. Through this, we jointly create a healthy city environment with clean water in the Rhine, Neckar and the lakes, intact soils and fresh air.

However, the Local Green Deal is only really iDEAL if we consider the following in all points: 1. effective participation of citizens and stakeholders, 2. a socially just transition and 3. knowledge exchange and innovation.

Click here you watch our LGD video, telling you more about the Local Green Deal. You want more? Read about the Local Green Deal in a publication with four other German cities, called "Participation for Transformation" or have a look at learnings from Mannheim, Umea and Espoo.

Mannheim as a pilot city in Europe
As a pilot city for a Local Green Deal after endorsing the Mannheim Message, the City of Mannheim is at the forefront of this European movement. Therefore, knowledge transfer with other municipalities is important. This takes place, for example, within the framework of funded projects such as ALLIANCE.

In April 2022, the Commission of the European Union selected Mannheim for the EU mission "100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030". Mannheim is taking on the task of achieving climate neutrality by 2030 with the Local Green Deal approach. In this context, Mannheim, Aachen and Muenster have successfully applied as pilot cities with the joint CoLAB project.

iDEAL Environmental Award
With the iDEAL Environmental Award, the City of Mannheim honours concrete actions, projects and measures that make a special contribution to the eight action fields of the Local Green Deal and that are therefore iDEAL for Mannheim.