The Hague Climate Agreement is one year old. More than 200 participants are committed to a greener and healthier city. The number of climate deals has grown from 38 to 44, with new deals in the areas of energy, mobility and food.
“ The new climate deals cover a wide range of important topics ,” says alderman Arjen Kapteijns (Energy Transition, Mobility and Raw Materials). “ From making roofs within homeowners’ associations more sustainable to bundling waste flows in the Denneweg and greening The Hague’s inner gardens. There are also plans to use HTM’s power network for electrically charging construction vehicles. We are all responsible for keeping The Hague liveable, healthy and green. ”
Alderman Robert Barker (Outdoor Space, Animal Welfare and Environment) emphasizes the importance of the food deals with which parties make sustainable and plant-based food fun and accessible and prevent food waste: “ What you eat has a major impact on the liveability of the planet. By adding local, sustainable and plant-based food to our Climate Agreement, we not only want to reduce the ecological footprint of our city, but also improve the health of our residents. Sustainable and healthy food must be accessible to everyone. This is a step in the right direction. ”
Furthermore, the greening of The Hague helps to make the city more resistant to extreme weather conditions such as heat waves and heavy rainfall. In the Binckhorst, 20,000 square meters are being tested to see how nature and housing development can go hand in hand. The Christus Triumfatorkerk is taking the lead with a green roof that offers water storage and possibly also solar panels. In addition, six school boards are investigating the possibilities for green roofs.
We also see positive developments in transport. The use of bicycles and public transport is increasing. This year, the number of resident groups with a shared car has doubled to twelve. Initiatives such as Bezuidenhout DEELt! now share seven cars among 100 neighbours, which means that residents consciously choose to own less cars.
The municipality wants to ensure that we retain the energy of the past year in the coming period.
Text (in Dutch): Gemeente Den Haag. Translation to English: The Hague Online
photographer: Henriette Guest