ProjectZero is a public-private collaboration to achieve carbon neutrality in Sønderborg, Denmark, by 2029. From the outset, the multistakeholder collaboration fostered knowledge-sharing between citizens, educational institutions like the University of Southern Denmark, foundations such as the Bitten & Mads Clausen Foundation, NGOs, companies and the municipality of Sønderborg.

Through concrete and measurable steps embedded in the master plan, the project engages experts to work on selected “hotspots”, with its approach anchored in three main principles: reducing energy consumption, cross-sector integration and generating carbon-neutral energy. Through an integrated system that engages residents, businesses from various sectors and the local government, this initiative has successfully cut carbon emissions by two-thirds by the end of 2023. ProjectZero operates on the principle that solutions to decarbonization already exist and are cost-effective, eliminating the need to wait for future innovations.