How can cities accelerate the transition towards climate neutrality while remaining competitive, innovative and inclusive? This question was at the heart of the innovation forum “Dresden – The Smart Climate-Neutral City” on the 29th of October 2025, which gathered leading voices from science, industry, finance, culture, sports and public administration.
The event confirmed Dresden’s role as one of Europe’s most dynamic urban innovation ecosystems and a committed member of the EU Mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030.” Mayor Dirk Hilbert opened the forum by highlighting the collective commitment of Dresden’s stakeholders to building a resilient and future-proof city. In an online address, Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment, acknowledged Dresden’s strong engagement in European cooperation projects and its strategic contribution to the EU City Mission.
The forum showcased best practices from diverse sectors, demonstrating how climate action becomes impactful when embedded across society:
- Dr. Iris Edenheiser, Director of the German Hygiene Museum, presented the museum’s sustainability roadmap, including climate accounting through the E-Tool Culture and the transformation of urban spaces such as the greening of its inner courtyard.
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Krzywinski, TU Dresden, shared insights into integrating sustainability into technical design education and research, illustrating how academia can drive transformative innovation.
- Franziska Lindner, Infineon Technologies AG, outlined the company’s climate targets and the development of the new Smart Power Fab, demonstrating how industrial decarbonisation aligns with regional climate goals.
- Sebastian Schmidt, board officer at SG Dynamo Dresden, presented the club’s new sustainability strategy and its 2023/2024 emissions report, highlighting the role of sports organisations in climate accountability.
- Heiko Lachmann, board member of Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden, addressed the financial dimension of sustainability, underlining the importance of green investment and sustainable financing mechanisms.
Together, these examples illustrated a shared understanding: climate neutrality is not a standalone environmental goal. It is a systemic transformation process involving governance, finance, culture, business and citizen engagement.
Dresden showcased concrete initiatives that link digital innovation with climate action, including the Cleema citizen engagement app, environmental monitoring solutions developed within the Smart City model project, and the EU-funded projects MOBILITIES for EU and NEUTRALPATH, supporting scalable pathways toward climate-neutral districts.
Participants also explored the new City Forum, reflecting the city administration’s commitment to modern, collaborative governance.
With a strong cross-sector alliance and a clear European direction, Dresden is demonstrating how cities can move from ambition to measurable climate impact.
Image credits: Holm Helis
