Clear responsibilities and positive narratives
Scientific findings on successful urban climate action
News from Feb 10, 2026
In the 31st edition of the OSI-Zeitung, Master's students Marcel Bazalinski, Lennart Brien, Rebecca Möbius and Prof. Dr. Lena Partzsch talk about their research findings on urban climate action. Lennart Brien explains that people need positive visions of the future, and Marcel Bazalinski outlines that climate action should be linked more closely with positive narratives. Rebecca Möbius sees the establishment of local citizens' initiatives as a great opportunity for effective climate mitigation at the municipal level. Prof. Dr. Lena Partzsch emphasises that it is not so much a lack of ambitious climate targets that is the problem, but rather their ultimate implementation. This often fails due to unclear responsibilities and the voluntary nature of many measures. Those who wish to explore the topic further will have the opportunity to attend the seminars "Sustainable Cities and Communities” (in German, Bachelor, Thu 2-4 PM, Ihne 22/UG4) or "Think Globally, Act Locally: Local Communities as Political Actors" (in German, Master, Fri 12-2 PM, Ihne 22/UG4) in the coming summer semester.
