City of Munich

The City of Munich is Germany’s third-largest city and the capital of the Free State of Bavaria. Munich has committed to becoming climate neutral by 2035 and is one of the European Commission’s 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. Through its Climate Action Plan, the city is accelerating the transition towards a climate-neutral, resilient and liveable future by combining ambitious climate action with innovation, social inclusion and strong partnerships at the local, national and European levels.

Cooperation, innovation and ambition for a climate-neutral future

Munich combines a strong economic base with world-class research institutions, universities and an innovative business ecosystem. This provides excellent conditions for developing and testing solutions for climate neutrality, the circular economy, sustainable mobility and digital transformation.

The Department of Climate and Environmental Protection (Referat für Klima- und Umweltschutz), established in 2021, coordinates the city’s climate policy across all sectors. Munich’s Climate Action Plan guides the implementation of measures aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2035 while strengthening resilience to climate change impacts.

The city actively participates in numerous European initiatives and projects, exchanging knowledge with other municipalities and developing innovative approaches in areas such as renewable energy, climate adaptation, energy efficiency, sustainable mobility and citizen engagement.

Public participation remains a central element of Munich’s climate governance. Citizens, businesses, academia and civil society organisations contribute to shaping and implementing the city’s climate policies through dialogue processes and collaborative initiatives.

Munich’s energy transition

Decarbonising the heating sector is one of Munich’s key climate priorities. The city is expanding renewable district heating, making extensive use of deep geothermal energy and gradually phasing out fossil fuels in heat supply. Municipal utility company Stadtwerke München (SWM) aims to supply district heating entirely from renewable sources by 2040.

At the same time, Munich is accelerating the energy-efficient renovation of buildings, recognising that reducing energy demand is essential for integrating renewable heating technologies. Financial incentives, advisory services and targeted support programmes help homeowners, housing companies and businesses improve building performance and switch to climate-friendly heating systems.

Beyond heating, Munich is expanding renewable electricity generation, promoting rooftop solar installations, supporting sustainable mobility and strengthening climate adaptation measures to make the city more resilient to increasing heat, heavy rainfall and other climate risks.

Together, these measures contribute to creating climate-neutral, resilient neighbourhoods while ensuring that the transition remains socially inclusive and economically viable.