Ishøj Kommune has set the ambitious goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050 at the latest, with an intermediate reduction of 66 percent as early as 2030. This is not only a climate necessity, but also an opportunity to strengthen the municipality's attractiveness and create new green jobs for the 23,225 inhabitants. The climate plan from 2023 recognises that the green transition should create added value through better finances, enhanced well-being, and improved health for all citizens. In 2019, Ishøj Kommune emitted a total of 129,000 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 5.6 tonnes per inhabitant (p. 9). The greatest challenge lies in the mobility sector, which alone accounts for 62 percent of emissions, while the energy sector contributes 32 percent (p. 9). What is particularly problematic is that a full 77 percent of transport emissions come from through-traffic on Motorring 4 and E20, which wind through the municipality - traffic over which Ishøj has limited direct control (p. 14). Ishøj's geographic location on Køge Bugt creates both opportunities and challenges. The municipality is designated as a flood risk area, and the near-surface groundwater lies only approximately one metre below ground level, making climate adaptation a pressing task (p. 29). At the same time, the coastal location provides opportunities for innovative projects such as planting eelgrass in Køge Bugt, which both absorbs CO2 and improves biodiversity (p. 21). The most transformative measures focus on the energy sector, where the municipality expects to achieve 100 percent reduction as early as 2030 (p. 10). This is to be achieved through rollout of district heating, phase-out of all oil and gas boilers, and an exciting geothermal development project in collaboration with VEKS, which has the potential to deliver between 120 and 240 MW of clean energy (p. 35). In transport, the municipality is investing in the upcoming light rail, which opens in 2026 with two stops in the municipality, as well as promoting micromobility through the existing path system, which already places Ishøj at the top of the national cycling survey (p. 15). The greatest challenge lies in managing the lack of control over motorway traffic and the fact that even with all planned measures, there will in 2050 still be a residual emission of approximately 12,800 tonnes of CO2, primarily from the transport sector (p. 11). The municipality honestly acknowledges that technological development in heavy transport and electric-powered freight transport is necessary to close this gap. The plan will therefore be evaluated and revised every four years to integrate new solutions. Citizen engagement takes place through the established Grønt Råd with approximately 20 representatives from local associations and housing organisations, as well as the new Ishøj Klimaforum, which will bring together citizens, businesses, and institutions around concrete climate actions (p. 8). The municipality also aims to create local, green communities through initiatives such as communal cooking with a focus on vegetarian food in Brohuset and climate challenges between school classes. The goal is to make the green transition a natural part of community life, where climate action is anchored where it makes sense for the individual citizen.

Source: Klimaplan 2050 (2023)