Developing a carbon dioxide management system for public authorities

This chapter describes the process of conceptualising a steering tool suitable for reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in Dresden, an average-sized city in Germany. It focuses on the specific strategic processes and project steps that require the special political and administrative structures of the public authorities of Dresden and which might be similar to that of other German and European cities. This can be demonstrated using the latest results of a broad empirical study analysing the ecological awareness of Germans which is conducted by the German Federal Ministry of Environment every two years. Dresden presents characteristics and problems similar to that of many other German cities. The local environmental agency started to search for new ways of reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in Dresden. After identifying the specific project aims, the fields of action and all the relevant actors for the project, the environmental agency as initiating local authority planned the necessary project steps.