The synthesis report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2001 recognized that anthropogenic climate change has become observable. The expected average temperature rise between 1.4 C and 5.8 C were to mean far-reaching consequences for agriculture, land use, infrastructure, health protection, and biodiversity. In May 2002 the EU and the German Parliament (Bundestag) ratified the Kyoto-Protocol. The federal government has been implementing a substantial climate protection programme in order to lower greenhouse gas emissions until 2012 by 21 percent as compared to 1990. Coherent to this background, the Integrated Climate Protection Programme 2012 of the State of Hessen (INKLIM) is to warrant the fundamental technical planning aspects for the time until 2010/2012. INKLIM acts analogously to other federal states (Länder) to define pragmatic objectives for the contribution of the state of Hessen to full implementation of climate protection goals. This will be concerned in particular with potentials for prevention as well as the adjustment strategies as necessitated by climate change in Hessen, taking into consideration aspects of cost-efficiency and the implementation structures faced by the Bundesland Hessen.