We are currently experiencing multiple crises, such as the global health crisis and related social and economic crises. In addition, climate change and its consequences represent one of the greatest global challenges of our time. Rising temperatures, storms, dwindling biodiversity and other consequences of climate change do not stop at regional or national borders. Climate change is a cross-border phenomenon with locally diverse manifestations, which are also felt in the Greater Region. But how do we counter this long-term crisis?
The tactics of national isolation and demarcation, which we are experiencing in the Corona crisis, seem completely unsuitable for dealing with climate change. Sustainable climate change adaptation must be strategically thought and negotiated across borders. While we repeatedly experience disagreement and stalemate in international climate negotiations, in recent years the local and regional levels of action in particular have emerged as central spatial units for coping with climate change impacts. In the Greater Region, too, it is becoming apparent that local authorities in particular are often developing their own strategies to meet the ecological, social and economic challenges that climate change poses.
- What climate protection measures are available at the municipal level?
- What hurdles and obstacles do the municipalities in the Greater Region face in this respect?
- Moreover, shouldn't a successful long-term strategy be based on holistic, transformative climate change adaptation rather than on individual protective measures?
Although the Greater Region is already closely interlinked in many areas, cross-border cooperation and governance with regard to climate change seems to be still in its infancy. In this forum, we wanted therefore like to encourage a productive cross-border dialogue by looking at the municipal level.
- How do our neighboring municipalities deal with climate change and what can we learn from them?
- How can we contribute to the implementation of the Paris Climate Convention?
- Can the Greater Region at the heart of Europe become a climate pioneer?
These are the questions we addressed together with our panel guests in the 5th Greater Region Forum.
The 5th Forum Greater Region on "Climate change and sustainability in the Greater Region" was held online on 10. September 2020 from 3pm to 4.30pm.
Discussants
- Manuel Mavel (Direction régionale de l’Environnement, de l’Aménagement et du Logement Grand Est)
- Rainer van den Bosch (Vorstand Energiewende Hunsrück-Mosel eG)
- Claudia Mohr (Klima-Bündnis Lëtzebuerg)
- Antje Bruns (Trier University)
- Peter Dörrenbächer (Saarland University, chair)
Poster available in German and French
Brief report (German and French)
- German - Rebekka Kanesu, Leonie Heim: Klimawandel und Nachhaltigkeit in der Großregion. Kurzbericht zum 5. Forum Großregion. UniGR-Center for Border Studies. Download
- French - Rebekka Kanesu, Leonie Heim : Changement climatique et durabilité dans la Grande Région. Rapport Synthétique du 5ème Forum Grande Région. UniGR-Center for Border Studies. Télécharger
Contact
Rebekka Kanesu (kanesu@uni-trier.de)
Organisation
This panel discussion was organised by Trier University (Rebekka Kanesu).