FAQs

Frequently asked questions

What does Net Zero emissions mean?

A goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and offset the remaining emissions.

An overview of the city's climate protection goals, strategic areas of action, and climate protection measures can be found here.

Which project ideas are supported by the participatory budget and which are not?

We are looking for projects, large or small, that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use resources wisely, and benefit the entire district. Important: Projects that are climate-relevant but primarily serve private purposes—such as energy-efficient renovations to your own home or the purchase of a private e-bike—are not eligible for funding. Submitted ideas should serve the common good, be open and usable by many. Further details can be found in the rules.

Some examples:

✅ Community garden on private land

• Description: Residents maintain an urban garden and organize public planting campaigns to bind CO2, promote biodiversity, and prevent heat.

❌ Renovating one's own home to save energy

• Reason: Although relevant to the climate, this is a purely private measure with no connection to the common good.

✅ Open workshop for repairing bikes and everyday items

• Description: Residents maintain a bike repair shop as a neighborhood meeting place with e-charging stations and a small repair café.

❌ Purchase of a private electric cargo-bike for the family

• Reason: The benefit is only for individuals and the vehicle is not publicly accessible.

How does the preliminary review of ideas work?

Before the ideas are voted on, the pilot district project team conducts a detailed assessment and evaluation of all submitted ideas. The preliminary review includes:

Preliminary review/assessment

• Are the rules for the idea being followed?

• Is technical and legal implementation feasible?

• Is the idea within the budget?

• Is the idea for the common good, i.e., does it not serve purely individual interests or is it not purely profit-oriented?

Qualification

• The extent to which ideas and approaches with similar content can be combined is examined.

• If necessary, open questions are clarified with the idea generators.

• Ideas that have been sent to us by hand or by post are digitally recorded so that they can be voted on.

Decision

• A decision is then made on how to proceed with the ideas submitted. Not all ideas are suitable for the participatory budget. Depending on the idea, a different approach may be more appropriate, e.g., municipal funding.