Ecological sustainability not only contributes to the preservation of our environment but also offers an opportunity to promote a shift in thinking through cultural activities and institutions. Preparing a carbon footprint is a key instrument for a strategic approach to sustainability.
A carbon footprint is an overview of the scale and sources of all greenhouse gas emissions produced by a cultural institution over a specific period of time. Based on this, measures for climate protection can be developed and later evaluated.
Environmental sustainability in the cultural sector is an important topic in the discussions of the Conference of Ministers of Culture and its committees.
A pioneering step towards comparability and further development in the field of ecological sustainability in cultural institutions is the introduction of a common CO₂ accounting standard for cultural institutions, together with an associated CO₂ calculator.
With the CO₂ accounting standards and the associated CO₂ calculator, cultural institutions can record their CO₂ emissions according to uniform guidelines, identify potential savings, and develop sustainable strategies.
As part of the 19th High-Level Cultural Policy Meeting on October 11, 2023, the Ministers of Culture and Cultural Senators of the Länder, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, and the leading municipal associations adopted a joint CO₂ accounting standard for cultural institutions (CO₂ Cultural Standard) together with an associated calculator (CO₂ Cultural Calculator).
This enables cultural institutions of all sectors nationwide to record their CO₂ emissions according to uniform guidelines, identify potential savings and develop sustainable strategies.
In 2025, the CO₂ Culture Standard was further developed based on recommendations from experts and incorporating the experiences of users: At the 23rd Cultural Policy Summit on October 14, 2025, an updated version of the CO₂ Culture Standard (Version 1.1) was discussed and recommended for implementation. The corresponding updated CO₂ Culture Calculator is expected to be published in February 2026.
A detailed press release on the development process of the CO₂ Cultural Standard and CO₂ Cultural Calculator, as well as on the related deliberations during the 19th High-Level Cultural Policy Meeting, can be found here.