Latest industrial report indicates drop in CO2 emissions

26 May 2022

Hamburg on course for climate protection, digitalisation and removal of investment barriers

CO2 emissions in the industrial sector fell by 10.5 per cent from 2018 to 2019, according to the "Industrial Metropolis Hamburg" report presented Wednesday (May 18, 2022) by Andreas Rieckhoff, co-ordinator of Hamburg's industry. The report is part of the "Alliance for the Industry of the Future", which was launched in 2019 to improve the framework conditions for industry, to boost co-operation with research and to achieve more climate-friendly production. Industry now relies more on new energy sources, uses more energy-saving measures and enters into collaborations within the framework of sector coupling.

Climate protection and investment barriers

Hydrogen is crucial to Hamburg's goal of climate neutral industry. Last year, the German Ministry of Economics and Technology and the German Ministry of Transport presented 62 large-scale hydrogen projects earmarked for government funding under the so-called Hydrogen IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) - eight of which are based in Hamburg. The Ministry of Economics and Innovation (BWI) has set up the Hydrogen Economy Staff Office, which gives companies an important interface with the senate.

Decisive progress was made towards reducing barriers to investment. A new procedure with an electronic file and online service will be introduced at the building supervisory authorities by late 2022. Then all workflows in the building application process will be entirely digital which should increase transparency for businesses. An action plan for revitalising and modernising the Billbrook/Rothenburgsort industrial estate marked a milestone in securing land for industry.

Hamburg among Europe's key industrial centres

Digitisation is key to technological progress and remains the focus of the senate. To this end, the Quantum Innovation Capital (QUIC) is the latest drive to establish Hamburg as one of the world's leading quantum computing regions. Previously, the Artificial Intelligence Center (ARIC), an interdisciplinary, application-oriented know-how and R&D centre for artificial intelligence (AI), was established in the Hanseatic city.

Around 87,000 people are employed in various industries across Hamburg and generated a total turnover of EUR 96.7 billion in 2021. In terms of gross value added, Hamburg is the largest industrial city in Germany and one of Europe's most important industrial centres.
ys/pb