Structural change - International Building Exhibition in the Rhineland Mining Region
The Rhinish Lignite Mining Area shall be the site of the International Building and Technology Exhibition (IBTA) from 2025 to 2035, decided the North Rhine-Westphalian State Cabinet. The goal is to present the structural change in the Rhinish Mining Area as an international showcase, in order to develop the region as a climate-neutral and sustainable industrial region, stated the Ministry of Building and the Ministry of Economics on a Wednesday. A state-owned company will be founded for the IBTA. Ten start projects have been decided for the IBTA.
Minister of Building Ina Scharrenbach (CDU) said, the IBTA is not just an architecture exhibition, but a broad-ranging large-scale project and a lab for economic, urban and regional development. "What we bring with the IBTA on the way has the ambition to work for decades." The IBTA is "an invitation to the world, to come to the Rhinish Mining Area". North Rhine-Westphalia aims to exit coal by 2030. In the region, international corporations like the tech giant Microsoft and high-tech company Quanta have already settled, stated Economics Minister Mona Neubaur (Greens).
The IBTA project reminds of the International Building Exhibition Emscherpark (IBA) 1989 to 1999, which had a great significance for the structural change of the Ruhr Area and was supposed to make an old industrial region future-proof. Back then, economic, social and cultural impulses were given in about 120 individual projects. For example, the Emscher Landscape Park between Duisburg and Dortmund was created.
Press release
- The decision to host the International Building and Technology Exhibition (IBTA) in the Rhinish Lignite Mining Area from 2025 to 2035 involves several Municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), as this region will undergo a significant structural change due to the exhibition.
- Society will benefit from the IBTA as it aims to present North Rhine-Westphalia's transformation from a coal-dependent region to a climate-neutral and sustainable industrial area.
- BMWi and NRW are working together to create a state-owned company for the IBTA, which will oversee ten start projects in the lignite mining area, contributing to the regional energy transition.
- The IBTA project in the Rhinish Mining Area is expected to attract international corporations, similar to how international tech giant Microsoft and high-tech company Quanta have already settled in NRW.
- By hosting the IBTA, North Rhine-Westphalia hopes to accelerate its exit from coal usage by 2030 and establish itself as a global example for the successful management of a coal phase-out and sustainable industrial growth within the larger lignite mining area, including Düsseldorf.
