Climate check

The climate check is an instrument that accompanies the process. The climate check must already be taken into account during the preparation of the project for which a resolution is required and not only when the draft resolution is prepared. Completing the climate check form is therefore only the final step in documenting the results.

For urban land-use planning procedures, the project is assessed when a qualified draft plan is submitted.

Every year, around 200 resolutions are passed by the Jena City Council alone. Many more are passed in committees. Due to this large volume and the simultaneous objective of evaluating all city council resolutions, the simplest possible procedure was chosen.

This includes ensuring that every person submitting a proposal is able to complete the climate check during the preparation of the proposal. The assessment criteria are so general that all BVs can be assessed and yet there is always a link to climate compatibility. Using qualitative criteria, an assessment can be carried out quickly and effectively.

The climate check consists of a two-stage process, the preliminary assessment (stage 1) and the actual assessment (stage 2).

In the first stage, a preliminary assessment is carried out. The aim of this preliminary assessment is to sort out non-climate-relevant BAs and assign climate-relevant BAs to different assessment processes. A BV is climate-relevant if it is expected to have a negative or positive impact on the climate, e.g. in the form of fossil energy consumption and thus greenhouse gas emissions or energy savings and thus a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Proposed resolutions without climate relevance

Certain draft resolutions, such as the appointment of committee members or the dedication of roads, have no impact on the climate and therefore do not need to be examined further. In these cases, it is not necessary to evaluate the decision using a list of criteria.

The following list provides an exemplary overview of non-climate-relevant BVs and is intended to help in deciding whether a BV is climate-relevant or not:

• Formation and composition of committees
• Formation and composition of advisory boards
• Formation and appointment of supervisory boards
• Election of members to the planning assembly
• Dedication of roads
• Annual financial statements
• Consolidated financial statements
• Amendment of the rules of procedure

These and comparable BV are not climate-relevant. This list is not exhaustive. During the work with the Climate Check, further BVs will prove not to be climate-relevant and the list will be supplemented.

Draft resolutions with climate relevance

If a draft resolution is classified as climate-relevant, it is divided into two groups in the first stage: general draft resolutions and draft resolutions on municipal building construction measures.

In the second stage, the actual review takes place. A distinction is made between general draft resolutions and draft resolutions on municipal building construction measures.

Examination of general draft resolutions

The general draft resolutions are evaluated according to various climate protection criteria with the help of the criteria catalog. Using key questions based on the sustainability goals of the city of Jena, qualitative statements are made on the impact of the project on the climate. By answering a total of 12 key questions from the areas of

• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Renewable energies
• Energy consumption
• mobility
• Vegetation and
• land use

an assessment is made of the impact of the BV on the climate. Three possible answers (positive, negative or irrelevant impact on the climate) are available for each key question.

Review of draft resolutions on municipal building construction measures

In the second stage, the catalog of criteria is not to be used for BV on municipal building construction measures, but instead a quantification of greenhouse gas emissions is to be carried out.

The central criterion for assessing the climate impact of municipal building construction measures is the primary energy demand of the buildings to be constructed. As part of the assessment, the expected greenhouse gas emissions are quantified on the basis of the primary energy demand. This procedure allows an assessment of the impact of the BV on the climate.

The average greenhouse gas emissions of 5 households of 2 people each (100 t CO2-eq / year) are used as a reference value for assessing the impact on the climate. The German Institute of Urban Affairs (difu) has developed an orientation guide for climate checks in which this value is proposed. In addition to the negative effects of building construction measures, positive effects should also be explicitly presented. This results in the following assessment parameters as a guide, which can be adjusted depending on the type of building construction:

• Minor increase in greenhouse gas emissions: 100 t CO2-eq / year
• Significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions: > 100 t CO2-eq / year
• Minor reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: 100 t CO2-eq / year
• Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: >100 t CO2-eq / year

The calculation of the primary energy demand and the expected greenhouse gas emissions is informal. In addition to the calculation, a written assessment of the impact of the project on the climate must be carried out. The entire documentation of the assessment process must be attached to the BV. The result is not recorded on the cover sheet of the BV.

The climate check form is available as a fillable PDF form under Downloads. Alternatively, the form can be filled out by the author of a BV directly in the Council Information System Session under "Documents". In the first section, the title and number of the BV and the submitter must be stated. The following 12 key questions are answered using the following selection options:

• positive effects on the climate
• negative impacts on the climate
• irrelevant effects on the climate

A text field for voluntary explanations is available for each individual key question. There is space here for notes, comments or explanations. After the assessment by the key questions, the results are added together so that a final overall assessment can be made. As a result, the impact of the project on the climate should be rated as

• predominantly positive,
• predominantly negative or
• without relevance

be classified. The overall result can also be commented on using a text field. If there is no clear result, it is helpful if the author provides a brief written explanation.

The completed form is attached to the draft resolution and thus forms part of it.

The cover sheets of the draft resolutions are extended to include the item "Impact on the climate". The result of the climate check is recorded under this item. The author has various options to choose from on the cover sheet of the draft resolution.

Impact on the climate:

• Not relevant to the climate: The BV was classified as not climate-relevant in stage 1. Level 2, the list of criteria, therefore did not need to be completed.
• predominantly negative: The BV was classified as climate-relevant in stage 1. The assessment in stage 2 came to the conclusion that the project has a predominantly negative impact on the climate.
• largely climate-neutral: The BV was classified as climate-relevant in stage 1. The Stage 2 assessment came to the conclusion that the project has no relevant impact on the climate.
• predominantly positive: The BV was classified as climate-relevant in stage 1. The Stage 2 assessment came to the conclusion that the project has a predominantly positive impact on the climate.
• Assessment will take place at a later date*: The project is not assessed at the time of the preparation of the PP, but at a later date as part of another draft resolution. Example: BV "Sale of land" is not examined if it is known that a corresponding development plan will be adopted at a later date, which is then to be examined.
• Examination has already taken place in the context of BV no. ...*: The project has already been examined at an earlier date. Example: BV "Sale of land" is not examined if a corresponding development plan has already been examined at an earlier date.
• Examination is no longer possible*: The project is so far advanced in the planning process that an examination is no longer expedient. This option will only be available during a transitional phase. Example: A building construction project is currently in the planning stage and planning phase 3 has been completed. Planning changes are therefore no longer possible.

* Brief explanation in the justification of the BV as to why no assessment is possible within the scope of the current BV.