Paths to a climate-neutral university

On Wednesday, 7 May 2025, the Sustainability Office at Fulda University of Applied Sciences organised a university-wide event to mark the update of the 2021 climate protection concept. The course, which took place as part of the Future Climate Weeks, attracted over 50 members of the university.

After a welcome from Dr Anke Günther, Chancellor of the university, whose department is responsible for sustainability, the event began with a keynote speech on the state of climate policy in Germany. Dr Niklas Reinfandt, Head of the Energy Policy Business Unit at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe and member of the academic staff of the Expert Council for Climate Issues, gave special insights into climate change developments and Germany's path to achieving the climate targets set by the UN and the EU. Germany is well positioned in many areas to achieve the sub-targets by 2030. However, there are clearly too few developments that would also guarantee the achievement of the more far-reaching climate targets and thus the goal of climate neutrality by 2045. Reinfandt took a special look at the role of the various sectors in Germany - the developments in the energy industry are particularly positive, whereas far too little is still being done to reduce GHG emissions, especially in the areas of transport, buildings and industry. He also addressed the role of the federal states and public institutions. Universities have a special role to play because, on the one hand, they act as role models and can show that change is possible. On the other hand, they can train the grade of specialists needed to implement and further develop measures.

Following the presentation, Clarissa Plendl, Sustainability Officer and Head of the Sustainability Office at the university, presented the climate protection concept that has been passed and the fields of action and measures contained therein, which aim to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 in accordance with the Hessian balance sheet limits. The university has set itself the goal of achieving its climate targets primarily by reducing emissions. However, substitution, i.e. replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, also plays a subordinate role. Ultimately, it is still impossible to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, the target set by the state of Hesse, without offsetting. The Sustainability Office is currently working with Facilities Management and in close collaboration with other experts within the university on an updated version of the concept, which should be adopted by the end of 2025. After Plendl updated the participants on the current status of the concept, the second, participatory part of the course began after a short break.

Three central areas from the climate protection concept's fields of action were each presented in more detail in a themed corner, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and contribute their own concerns and ideas. Clarissa Plendl, together with Alexander Wiegel from the university's General Student Committee (AStA), supervised the topic of mobility, while Gosbert Orschel, Energy Officer, and his colleague from Facilities Management, Ann-Christin Helm, provided insights into the complex areas of the university's own properties and energy. The third focus was on adapting to climate change, represented by Lena Fockers from the Sustainability Office and Julia Halbig from the Public Health Research Centre Fulda (PHZF) at the university. There were lively exchanges and exciting discussions in all three areas. The results of the individual workshops were recorded and will now be analysed and incorporated into the further revision of the climate protection concept.

Finally, Plendl, Orschel and Fockers gave a brief insight into the results of the discussions. Chancellor Dr Günther thanked everyone involved for their commitment and ideas.

The university will continue to report on further climate protection efforts and the updated concept.