Ballerup Kommune has set ambitious climate targets with an 85% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and climate neutrality by 2045 at the latest (p. 4). The municipality's climate policy is built on the recognition that climate change requires action across generations and cultures, where solutions must be developed in collaboration between citizens, businesses and the municipality. In 2019, Ballerup Kommune as a geographic area emitted a total of 206,800 tonnes of CO2, with transport accounting for 31% of emissions, businesses for 40%, citizens for 26% and the municipality itself for just 3% (pp. 5-6). This distribution underscores that the municipality can only reach its climate targets through close collaboration with citizens and businesses, as the municipality's own emissions represent a relatively small share of the total climate footprint. Ballerup's climate challenge is shaped by the municipality's particular geographic position at a high point in the terrain, where rainwater flows in multiple directions, and the fact that the municipality is not located near the coast and therefore cannot direct rainwater out to the sea (p. 16). At the same time, Ballerup is a growing municipality with many businesses, which creates significant inbound and outbound commuting and thus transport-related challenges. The municipality is also characterised by many small and medium-sized enterprises, which provides opportunities for local partnerships as well as challenges in terms of coordinated climate action. The most influential planned measures focus on energy transition, transport and circular economy. Within energy, a 100% phase-out of oil and natural gas boilers is planned in favour of district heating and heat pumps powered by green electricity, as well as CO2 capture at I/S Vestforbrænding (pp. 10-11). In transport, the municipal vehicle fleet is to be converted to electric with 125 charging stations by 2025, and all local buses are to run on fossil-free fuel by 2030 (p. 12). A central climate park is to be established by 2030 to manage rain and cloudbursts, combined with planting 20,000 trees (p. 16). The largest uncovered area in the plan is the concrete quantification of how large CO2 reductions the various measures will deliver, and whether they are collectively sufficient to reach the 85% target by 2030. Although the reduction pathway on page 7 shows the contributions of different measures, there is a lack of clarity about the overall accounting and any shortfall. Furthermore, the municipality acknowledges that projections further into the future are subject to uncertainty. Citizens and businesses are engaged through the establishment of a climate ambassador corps in 2024, a committee for green transition with representatives from key stakeholders, and facilitation of action communities where everyone can come together around climate-friendly solutions (p. 9). A dedicated symbiosis network for businesses is to create direct reuse and circular solutions in production by 2025, while partnerships with homeowner associations and housing departments are to promote car-sharing schemes and energy savings among citizens of 15% by 2025 (pp. 11, 15). The municipality recognises that the green transition can only succeed if everyone participates, and that the effort must be both fair and reasonable for all citizens and businesses.

Source: Klimapolitik 2030 (2023)