Sustainability

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Education for sustainable development refers to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), looks for solutions and brings the future to life, true to the motto "Think globally - do it locally!"

Sustainability Coordination Office of the City of Aachen

The City of Aachen has created a new sustainability coordination office. Lisa van Aalst has been in office as Sustainability Manager since January 2025 (currently on parental leave) and has been replaced by Klara Kauhausen since January 2026.

Sustainability as a strategic task

With the establishment of the Sustainability Office, the City of Aachen is bundling its diverse activities, which are carried out in the various departments and projects. The topics of climate protection and sustainability have played an important role in Aachen since the early 1990s. Aachen has been a Fairtrade city since 2011 and in 2018 the city council welcomed the 2030 Agenda adopted by the United Nations and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) it contains. The city of Aachen has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030. With the update of the Integrated Climate Protection Concept and the submission of the Climate City Contract, the City of Aachen, together with numerous local stakeholders - including from the fields of business, civil society, research and education - is presenting effective measures and a clear roadmap.

New impetus for the sustainable development of the city

The coordination office pursues the goal of strategically aligning and advancing sustainable development in Aachen. Lisa van Aalst will work together with the various departments and local stakeholders:

- Develop a comprehensive sustainability strategy,
- Support the city's strategic decisions from a sustainability perspective,
- Initiate cross-departmental projects,
- And strengthen urban social structures in the area of sustainability.

Mission statement of the city of Aachen

The work of the coordination office is based on a mission statement that combines the following values:

- Ecologically exemplary
- Socially just
- Economically successful
- Globally responsible

Global perspective for local challenges

Lisa van Aalst brings in-depth knowledge and practical experience to her new role.
With a bachelor's degree in development studies and a master's degree in development management, as well as study and research stays in India, the Netherlands, South Africa and Turkey, she brings a global perspective on local issues to the job. After completing her studies, she initially worked for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in a project for climate-resilient economic development in western Nepal.

From 2020 to 2024, she coordinated the Indo-German Center for Sustainability at RWTH Aachen University, a cooperation project between Indian and German universities for teaching, research and exchange activities on sustainability topics. This interdisciplinary experience and cooperation with universities, business and civil society now flow into her work for the city of Aachen.

With the new coordination office, the city of Aachen and Lisa van Aalst are taking an important step towards a sustainable future based on solidarity and the common good.

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