Highlights of the Covenant capaCITY training project Capacity building of local governments to advance Local Climate and Energy Action – from planning to action to monitoring Co-funded by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme of the European Union COVENANT CAPACITY Capacity building of local governments to advance Local Climate and Energy Action – from planning to action to monitoring 3 Capacity building of local governments to advance local climate and energy action – from planning to action to monitoring, is the primary goal of one of the most important European projects that has ever been co-funded by the Intelligent Energy Europe programme. Covenant capaCITY takes up the urgent challenge to develop and enhance sustainable energy communities across Europe. This helps to create regional added value chains through enhancing energy efficiency and the use of local renewable energy sources. There is an unprecedented interest as well as pressure at local government level to achieve energy security for the economy and at the same time an affordable supply of electricity and heating for citizens. The build up of a smart, decentralised and efficient energy system that is powered by local renewables is the key solution for both challenges. Moreover the low-carbon urban and rural redevelopment contributes to the bigger picture and the core of ICLEI’s work, namely the sustainable use of natural resources including our climate, and ensuring that political, economic and social systems guarantee a high quality of life for everyone. Awareness, knowledge, and capacity gaps are the first obstacles for local governments to engage in climate and energy action. Therefore a specific approach was developed to move beyond the usual ad hoc, single theme concepts. Covenant CapaCITY is a comprehensive, well-structured European capacity building programme for political and technical municipal decision-makers, which supports all the phases of implementing a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). For this flagship project we are proud to have brought the expertise of 19 renowned European partners together to combine hands-on information and guiding examples ready to be replicated within 8 thematic modules. The result is a unique, interactive online-training package for start-ups as well as advanced communities. With this capaCITY Package as well as the support of our national capaCITY Trainers, already dozens of local governments gained confidence and the capacity to pursue more ambitious goals, implement their SEAPs and continue to demonstrate their achievements in key initiatives such as Covenant of Mayors and carbonn City Climate Registry. I would like to wish you inspiring thoughts while reading this booklet to replicate and bring the sustainable energy transition to your community. Wolfgang Teubner Regional Director Europe and Managing Director of the European Secretariat of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability 4 COVENANT CAPACITY IN A NuTshell: What Is Covenant capaCITY? “Capacity building of local governments to advance Local Climate and Energy Action – from planning to action to monitoring” was a 3-year project, co-funded by the Intelligent Energy Europe programme. It started in June 2011 and run until May 2014. The main project aim was and still is to assist Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) development and improvement in Europe - from motivation, planning, implementation, to monitoring and evaluating. It focused on three main activities: 1. Develop and offer an easy learning programme to: • local governments (local leaders and municipal staff) 2. Create a ‘train-the-trainer’ programme to extend the support offered, inviting participation of representatives from: • local government associations and networks • energy agencies working with municipalities 3. It actively supported selected cities and towns in 15 countries – step-by-step rolling-out their Local Climate and Energy Actions. Your Covenant capaCITY team Capacity building of local governments to advance Local Climate and Energy Action – from planning to action to monitoring 5 TAblE Of Contents Chapter 1: Highlights of Covenant capaCITY .................................... 6 Chapter 2: What does Covenant capaCITY offer beyond the project lifetime? ............................................ 8 Chapter 3: capaCITY study tour experiences and Chapter 3: replicable action ............................................................... 12 3.1 Malmö, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark ............................... 12 3.2 Koprivnica, Croatia ...................................................................... 13 3.3 Freiburg, Germany ....................................................................... 14 3.4 Padova and Vicenca, Italy ........................................................... 15 Chapter 4: capaCITY target country achievements .......................... 16 4.1 Bulgaria ....................................................................................... 16 4.2 Croatia ......................................................................................... 19 4.3 Estonia ........................................................................................ 22 4.4 Finland ........................................................................................ 26 4.5 France ......................................................................................... 29 4.6 Greece ......................................................................................... 32 4.7 Italy ............................................................................................. 37 4.8 Poland ......................................................................................... 40 4.9 Romania ...................................................................................... 42 4.9 Slovenia ....................................................................................... 44 4.10 Sweden ........................................................................................ 46. 4.11 United Kingdom .......................................................................... 48 Chapter 5: Conclusions and recommendations ................................ 52 5.1 Lesson learnt on capacity building and stakeholders’ involvement ............................................................... 52 5.2 Recommendations for SEAP development, improvement and implementation ................................................... 55 Chapter 6: capaCITY country contacts .............................................. 58 6 COVENANT CAPACITY Chapter 1: HIgHlIghts Of Covenant capaCITY • Estonia: 1,100 local government representatives and energy stakeholders participated in the capaCITY National Motivation Conference • Bulgaria: Covenant of Mayors’ signatories doubled since capaCITY kicked off in Bulgaria • Finland: Public-Private-Partnership alliance formed for resource efficiency • France: Triggered series of stakeholder involvement events led to selection of Pays de Romans as pilot for Rhône-Alpes region • Romania: Development support of a € 350 million European Investment Bank refurbishment project • Greece: More than 380,000 residents will benefit from the implementation of the energy efficiency measures of the developed and approved SEAPs in 9 municipalities • Italy: CO2e reduction of 170,570 t due to capaCITY and cooperation with Italian Ministry of Environment • Slovenia: National local government association enabled to train others, 15 feasibility studies and 6 investment plans produced • Croatia: SEAP developed in the fifth largest city in Croatia, Zadar, and by being the most southern city now serving as lighthouse example for energy action adapted to warmer climate conditions • United Kingdom: County leader almost quadruplicated its expected performance to support local energy planning and assisted successfully 7 local governments in the County of Worcestershire to mobilise funding of £3.4 million for energy efficiency improvements in the private building sector • Poland: 27 local governments - representing 1.15 million Poles - directly and indirectly benefited from the development/improvement of their SEAPs thanks to the 9 capaCITY trainers • Sweden: In September 2012 the midterm conference of Covenant capaCITY in Malmö attracted more than 150 energy stakeholders from different European countries -over 100 participants followed the inspiring speeches online Selected Performance Indicators • Currently more than 80 capaCITY Trainers active in 15 European countries • capaCITY for the development of 90 SEAPs throughout the European Union, already 59 of them have been approved by the Local Council • capaCITY for the improvement of 22 2nd generation SEAPs in Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, Poland and Romania • Assistance for further 57 SEAPs that are in the pipeline of development • More than € 3.5 billion triggered investments until 2020 due to Covenant capaCITY • Cumulatively approx. 13.5 Mt CO2e reduction by 2020 • 31 TWh energy saved and 9 TWh renewable energy put into the energy system by 2020 Capacity building of local governments to advance Local Climate and Energy Action – from planning to action to monitoring 7 Sum of Sum of Sum of Sum of Sum of Sum of Sum of Sum of Sum of esti- SEAPs Council SEAPs SEAP SEAP in cumulative cumulative cumulative mated impact developed approval improved underway process of impact impact impact on on triggered / almost planning on CO2 on energy renewable investments finalised reduction efficiency energy until 2020 (€) by 2020