CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Local authorities and Climate Protection
Dipl. phys. Gotelind Alber
Director
Climate Alliance - Klima-Bündnis - Alianza del Clima
www.klimabuendnis.org
www.climatealliance.org
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. The Climate Alliance ...
a partnership between European local authorities ...
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V.
... and indigenous rainforest peoples
... to preserve the global climate
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. The Climate Alliance
• More than 1200 members cities, towns and counties in Europe representing 49.5 million citizens
• Provinces, federal states, and NGOs collaborate as associated members
• Voluntary commitments: Climate Alliance Manifesto (1990) and Climate Alliance Declaration (2000)
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Climate Alliance activities
• Exchange of experience
• Showcase best practice, advice members
• Systematic approach to local climate protection
• Campaigns and joint actions
• Facilitate cooperation of European cities with indigenous peoples in the South
• Represent the interests of local authorities committed to climate protection at EU and international levels
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Local authorities ...
• can influence most sectors
• can apply a vast variety of policy instruments
• have special responsibilities and opportunitiesto tap GHG reduction potentials, e. g.
• spatial planning for a compact city
• local infrastructure and public services
• collaboration with housing companies and investors (energy efficient buildings, cogeneration and use of waste heat for district heating)
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Excellence in local climate protection
• Climate Star: the first European awarding scheme for local climate protection activities
• Criteria: costs / benefits, innovation, comprehensive approach
• 20 awarded cities and towns in 2002
• Perspective: Quality standard for local climate protection
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Case study: Hannover
• Climate programme since 10 years
• Climate Star project: Kronsberg settlement
• 45% less CO2 emissions through high quality low-energy buildings, CHP, renewables
• Integrated approachincl. water, soil, greenspace, waste
• Outreach, communi-cation and trainingagency
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V.
• Climate policy started 12 years ago
• Innovative scheme for collaboration with business
• Comprehensive partcipatory energy plan
• Climate Star project: Out of the frying pan, into the petrol tank
Case study: Graz
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Case study: Delft
• Second Climate Plan adopted,based on national Klimaatconvenant
• Work with investors for mutual benefit,GHG reduction and cost savings
• Energy agency, energy fund
• Very detailed, comprehensive,executable plan,including responsibilities and monitoring
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Systematic approach to local climate policy
The Climate Alliance methodology:
• 10 Steps to integrate climate protection into municipal policy
• Climate Alliance Cataloguecomprises more than 100 recommended measures in the relevant fields of activity
• Climate Alliance monitoring system
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Barriers
• Political commitment to voluntary task
• Information and expertise
• Financial limitations, lack of staff and budget for investment, other priorities
• Lack of powers, legal restrictions
• Deregulation and privatization
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Recommendations to governments
• acknowledge local authorities‘ (LAs) role in climate protection and work for better coherence of policies of the various spheres
• support training and capacity building for LAs and encourage them to enter commitments, draw up and implement local action plans
• remove legal and financial barriers towards local action
• take advantage of the diversity of local approaches
• involve local and regional sphere in certain actions, e.g. Art. 6 activities, implementation of energy and transport policy
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Recommendations: Reporting
• Assessment of national communications as to whether local and regional action is taken into account
• Survey on powers of local authorities, commitment to climate change policy, local action and results
• Recommend Parties to include involvement and contributions of local authorities into national communications
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Recommendations: Monitoring
• Methodology for the monitoring of progress on the local level, including
• qualitative aspects (policies and measures)
• measurable results (GHG inventories, sustainability indicators)
• coherence with national monitoring, if possible
CLIMATE ALLIANCEKLIMA-BÜNDNIS
ALIANZA DEL CLIMA e.V. Recommendations: Involvement of LAs
• Investigate options for Parties to support local climate policy
• Disseminate good practice (of LAs, and of national support for local action)
• Study approaches for, and scope of, multi-level arrangements on climate change policy,including regional level