Reaching Climate Neutrality for the Hamburg Economy by 2040
Reaching climate neutrality requires economic transformations of unprecedented scale and speed. Immediate action from the business community can avoid unnecessary costs, create wellbeing co-benefits and prepare local businesses with a better competitive position in the future climate neutral economy. This report shows what reaching climate neutrality by 2040 means for Hamburg businesses and identifies key actions they need to undertake. It provides insights where the Hamburg economy and its businesses stand on the way to climate neutrality and on their needs to advance, drawing on a business survey. The study also shares insights from action plans of selected comparison cities. It points to cross-sector as well as to sector-specific challenges and opportunities for Hamburg businesses. This includes making better use of low-cost renewables, addressing energy efficiency in buildings as well as challenges and opportunities in activities in and around the port and in industry. It highlights Hamburg's potential as a hydrogen hub as well as the need to adopt circular economy practices. It illustrates that a regional and business perspective are necessary to achieve climate neutrality in prosperity, requiring individual and collective business action.
Key cross-sector transformations for the transition to climate neutrality for businesses
This chapter analyses key steps businesses can take and the transformations they need to engage to achieve climate neutrality by 2040, across all sectors of the Hamburg economy. It begins by assessing the current progress of Hamburg businesses in implementing net-zero greenhouse gas emission strategies, drawing insights from a survey of selected companies as well as evidence from major companies in Hamburg. This evidence is then compared with international best-practice recommendations. This chapter also assesses specific challenges for SMEs and on the role networks can play to advance SME efforts to decarbonise. Last, this chapter explores how businesses can harness the benefits of low cost renewable energy by adapting to their intermittent nature, as well as urgent action to decarbonise buildings to avoid unnecessary cost.
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