” climate change This is an undeniable fact that is advancing on the planet at an increasingly dizzying pace.” ‘PACES survey’carried out under the project ‘Unify Life’which 211 municipalities participated. 40% do not have a Climate Action Plan.
The participating municipalities ‘Mayors Convention’It is an initiative of the European Commission (EC) that emerged in 2008 with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions by at least 40% by 2030, with 2005 as the starting year.
In addition to finding out how many municipalities already have a Climate and Sustainable Energy Action Plan (PACES), the results, opportunities and obstacles has been in the preparatory process and shows exemplary examples of success in local climate action.
“Local assets are those who, with greater knowledge and guarantees of success, can transform the imperative nature of climate action into an opportunity for their environment and therefore significantly enhance the possibilities of climate action. achieve an effective global solution“, says Ana Márquez, who is responsible for the Unify Project at SEO/BirdLife.
“Although more than half (60%) of participating local organizations have a climate and energy action plan that indicates a positive trend for action at the local level, this plan is still insufficient. climate emergency In the current situation, even more so when the entities belonging to the ‘Convention of Mayors’ commit to drafting their plans two years after it was signed,” adds Márquez.
Lack of technical and economic resources
Most municipalities without climate action plans are small-scale. (less than 10,000 inhabitants). Despite this, almost all (99%) are clear that climate change is a global phenomenon affecting the whole society, and the majority (76%) think that a climate change is necessary. climate roadmap.
Half of the municipalities that do not have a Climate Action Plan, not having sufficient technical or financial resources for elaboration. In addition, almost a quarter (23%) of local action plans decarbonization long-term.
Elements that the city councils deem necessary to speed up the preparation of the plan are mainly distributed among the municipalities. the need for adequate resource allocation (38%) and technical and economic support (29%) by autonomous communities and the State.
They also highlight: the need for better planning in the medium-long term (25%), one external technical support (21%) and information and basic education expand knowledge (18%).
86% of the municipalities with a Climate Action Plan received external support for the preparation of this plan. SEO/BirdLife highlights that more than a quarter (27%) of organizations consulted did not conduct public consultations during the preparation of the plan, and only 11% supported a broad engagement process involving citizens and other interested parties.
Between obstacles and obstacles Those with financial qualifications (37%) found by the city councils in the preparation of plans against global warming, lack of accompaniment both in enforcement and monitoring (10%) and greater internal cooperation and better intergovernmental cooperation (13%).
Latest recommendations
The report prepared from the ‘PACES Questionnaire’ is based on the results and latest advice Advancing local climate action towards 2030. SEO/BirdLife highlights a few needs, among them:
one. to throw great communication and awareness campaign At the state level, along with other regional or municipal levels, it calls on citizens of towns and cities to take action.
two. Ensure that all municipalities not only make commitments but move forward without delay. develop a climate and energy action plan.
3. Make it available to local organizations qualified technical teams close to the populationfor example, through technical offices at strategic points in the region and also “climate action offices”.
Four. Making it available to municipalities economic resources and financial support necessary to plan with the creation of special financing lines (Next Generation, ERDF…) for the preparation, drafting and implementation of municipal climate action plans.
5. encourage co-management and adding capacities and efforts to strengthen the local response to climate change, e.g.climate management of the region”.
6. Combine the criteria and Providing planning tools adapted to different municipal typologies Achieving broader municipal climate action, encouraging in specific cases”climate action joint systems”.
7. to hold consistency in climate and energy planning through different levels of competence to guarantee effective joint responsibility between administrations.
8. Making it available to municipalities Simple tools to measure the impact of implemented measures and create common and agreed indicators for better monitoring.
Report on municipal climate action planning in Spain: https://seo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Planificacion-de-la-accion-climatica-municipal-en-Espana.-Encuesta-PACES -July – 29-2022.pdf
‘Life Unify’ project website: https://unify.caneurope.org/
Website of the ‘Convention of Mayors’: https://www.pactodelosalcaldes.eu/es/
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