Skip main navigation

Clean energy in local communities

How have local communities embraced clean energy?
© Adam Smith Center, Singapore

Energy production through the burning of fossil fuels was the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions, comprising 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010. Switching to renewable sources of energy will drastically reduce carbon emissions.

The town of Wolfhagen, Germany, has successfully transitioned to 100 percent green energy, sourcing all of its power from wind and solar power. This was achieved through unprecedented cooperation between the town’s citizens and the local government, with a citizen-led cooperative owning 20% of a public energy company providing the energy supply.

Such influence allowed the citizens to not only express their desire to transition to clean energy but actually push for and effect such changes. This is an excellent example of how local efforts can have big impacts without influence from the federal government.

© Adam Smith Center, Singapore
This article is from the free online

Environmental Management: A Bottom-Up Approach to Policy Implementation

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now