Eastern Europe - key region for climate protection

For a successful European and global energy transition and climate policy in the direction of the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the building sector is undoubtedly of the greatest relevance. There is immense potential for energy savings and efficiency in this sector, the exploitation of which also promotes environmental protection and decarbonisation. This is particularly true for the building stock in Eastern Europe due to the historical developments in the region in the residential building sector.

In questions of climate protection and sustainability, the countries of the Eastern European region have committed themselves to the same goals as their Western European neighbours and the international community of states. Their conditions and challenges, however, sometimes differ considerably.

Connect and understand.

Based in the heart of Berlin, the Initiative Wohnungswirtschaft Osteuropa (IWO) e.V. - Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe brings together private and public partners from Germany and many other countries. Our common goal is to support a market-based, sustainable, ecologically and socially compatible development of the housing and building sectors in Eastern Europe (also beyond the EU), the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The NGO was founded in 2001 on the initiative of the then Federal Ministry of Construction and has since pursued exclusively and directly charitable purposes. Our work and topics concern a social interest that is not immediately apparent: But without increased efforts for more climate protection, higher energy-efficient (residential) building renovation rates and improved living and housing standards, also in the Eastern European region, whose derelict building stock currently represents a large and increasing burden on the climate, the achievement of European and global climate protection and sustainability goals is not possible.