Roadmap to the 2000-watt society
The city of Zurich continues to work towards the 2000-watt society. It calls the targets achievable in principle - but calls for efforts to be intensified and further measures to be taken
The "Roadmap 2000-Watt Society"provides a general overview and shows the current status on the way to a 2000-watt society. It also identifies the greatest potentials and gives recommendations for action for the 2000-watt policy in the city of Zurich.
Well on the way, but more far-reaching measures are needed
The city of Zurich has already achieved a great deal on the way to the 2000-watt society. Since 1990, consumption of primary energy has been reduced by 1,000 watts to the current level of 4,200 watts of continuous power per person. Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by 1.5 tons to around 4.7 tons per person per year. The roadmap confirms this positive development and shows that the goals of the 2000-watt society are basically achievable. However, much more far-reaching measures and political decisions are needed: With the current measures, we would end up with 3500 watts instead of 2500 watts by 2050.
The city of Zurich cannot achieve the 2000-watt society on its own. All players are needed: the city, the canton and the federal government, but also the economy and the population.
Greatest potential in energy supply, buildings and mobility
To identify the greatest potential, the city of Zurich has analyzed various scenarios in the five areas of consumption, settlement, buildings, energy supply and mobility. Furthermore, the greatest leverage lies in the replacement of fossil heating systems with renewable energy systems and in the energetic improvement of building envelopes. The roadmap also identifies major influence in the areas of mobility and settlement development. For the first time, consumption and thus nutrition were also included in the analysis. Although the impact of the measures in this area can be quantified less precisely, the roadmap shows that this direction has great potential. Possible actions of the city in the area of nutrition are clarified in a nutrition position.
In the competence of the city of Zurich, many of the most effective measures have already been implemented, are in the process of implementation or are in the planning stage. Here, it is now important to continue successful concepts, to expand the scope of impact and application where possible, and to react flexibly to technological developments.
