Last week, Antwerp presented its ambitions to make the Left Bank a climate-neutral city district by 2030 with a climate contract comprising 50 actions. This pilot project helps the city to realize its broader climate ambitions and serves as a source of inspiration for cities at home and abroad.
In 2022, Antwerp and Leuven were the only two Flemish cities selected by the European Commission to be part of the European mission ‘100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030’. Europe aims to make one hundred cities climate neutral by 2030 and develop smart solutions for urban climate challenges.
The Climate Contract includes an action plan, an investment plan and the commitments of both the city and a range of stakeholders to realize that ambition on the Left Bank. The action plan has 50 actions divided into 5 thematic ‘action areas’: buildings, mobility and transport, renewable energy, materials and green infrastructure.
Some important actions include the construction of a heating network to sustainably heat the district with industrial residual heat, the renovation of the Europark social housing towers, the maximum generation and use of solar energy, the development of the Katwilgweg business park as a climate-positive district, the systematically making logistics and public transport emission-free, and expanding cycling and walking infrastructure. The planned green infrastructure in Europark, on the Scheldt banks and in Ringpark West are also part of the action plan.
The Climate Contract also contains various experimental actions. For example, it is examined whether an apartment building can be renovated in an energy-positive manner. Partners are being sought for a logistics hub on the edge of the district for suppliers of traders and entrepreneurs. The Combori business park next to the Regatta district will become a creative hotspot to live and work. There will also be a pilot project to lease heat pumps, which will relieve customers of financial and technical concerns.
Knowing more? On Climate Day, Antwerp and Leuven will present their Climate Contract and you can debate with the authors of both action plans. You can also read more about the Antwerp climate contract at www.linkeroever Climate Neutral.be.
