Effective climate action begins locally, with the people and in local communities. The Klimaschutz nebenan (“Climate Action Next Door”) contest awards prizes to recipients throughout Germany for the best ideas for shaping climate action in their own neighborhood. Places of encounter are created where neighbors of all generations actively deal with environmental issues and implement concrete climate measures. The Allianz Foundation supports this project.

“In order to effectively tackle climate change, politicians must initiate rapid, comprehensive measures in the coming years. It is important to motivate people to contribute their own ideas. The contest wants to show that we are not helplessly at the mercy of climate change, but that everyone can contribute to the solution.“
nebenan.de, Foundation

Since the competition Klimaschutz nebenan ("Climate Action Next Doors") was started in March 2022, around 600 ideas have been submitted from all over Germany. The proposals covered a wide range of subjects. From saving energy by using shared solar energy, to innovative concepts for CO2-saving through community gardens to new approaches that use sharing or carpooling.

The best 100 ideas were nominated by the nebenan.de foundation in July 2022 and published on their website for voting. More than 15,000 people have cast their votes for their favorite projects. The ten first projects and three others selected by the nebenan.de foundation each received 1,000 euros in September 2022. In December 2022, these projects had the chance to win an additional 2,000 euros. The expert jury selected the final five winners from the 13 winning ideas. You will find the winners here.

Selection from the short list of the contest

Brandenburg

Citizen Energy

Neighbors in the Brandenburg town of Steinhöfel are pooling their finances in order to invest in the installation of photovoltaic systems on public buildings. As citizen energy cooperative Oder-Spree, they are supporting municipalities that are financially weak, and reinvesting the revenue that the systems generate. The initiative promotes the local community and makes a sustainable contribution to protecting the climate.

Neubrandenburg

Terra Preta for a residential neigborhood

A neighborhood initiative in Neubrandenburg is making its own Terra Preta. With this fertile black earth, stretches of land in residential neighborhoods are being improved to become areas for growing vegetables. Fallow land consisting of dusty sand is turned into humus-rich soil. The project also organizes intensive educational activities.

Königswinter

The fight against insect decline

The project for Siebengebirge Nature Conservancy’s citizens’ initiative is dedicated to the fight against insect decline. In Königswinter, meadow orchards and fallow vineyards are being maintained and recultivated. For many species of birds and insects, meadow orchards are the last refuge.

Berlin

Greeen lungs for the neighborhood

The BiodiverCity initiative is planting a fallow stretch of public land in Berlin’s Friedrichshain district with diverse flora. In doing so, they are creating a mini-forest in the middle of the city. The air is becoming cooler and cleaner, and the water is kept in the ground. The project is establishing a meeting place in the neighborhood, one where neighbors actively implement follow-up measures relating to climate change.