Climate strategy 2012-2015 Mitigation This part of the Climate Strategy 2012-15 is about Climate Mitigation and how the Muni- cipality of Aalborg through ambitious clima- te targets works towards being free of fossil fuels by 2050. This vision requires a broad approach on energy savings and renewable energy in the energy supply, in transport , industry and agriculture. 2 Aalborg Municipality Climate Strategy - Mitigation Introduction.............................................................................................................. 3 The global climate is changing 4 International and national climate goals 5 Greenhouse gas invetory 5 Aalborg Municipality and climate............................................................................. 6 Previous CO2 reduction efforts in Aalborg 6 CO2-Account for Aalborg 7 Towards a fossil free Aalborg 7 Vision and strategy for climate change mitigation.................................................. 8 Future targets for reducing greenhouse gases 8 How you read the climate strategy 9 Energy Vision 2050 10 Energy Strategy 2030 11 Energy conservation.............................................................................................. 12 Buildings 13 Businesses 14 Private households 14 The municipality as a company 15 Energy supply.......................................................................................................... 22 District heating 23 Biofuels 24 Geothermal heat 25 Wind turbines 26 Solar cells 27 Solar heat 27 Heath pumps 28 Cooling 29 Transport................................................................................................................ 30 Public transport 31 Cyclism/ cycling 32 Road transport 33 Environmentally friendly vehicles 34 Forestry.................................................................................................................. 36 Afforestation 36 Agriculture............................................................................................................. 37 Partnerships.......................................................................................................... 38 Climate education....................................................................................................39 Local Green Growth............................................................................................... 40 Implementating the strategy................................................................................. 41 Guidelines 42 New Initiatives 46 Inquiries 52 Aalborg Municipality Climate Strategy - Mitigation 3 The global climate is changing Climate change has always been a part of the earth’s natural development. “However, a broad scientific consensus has emerged that some of the observed climate changes are not a natural part of Earth’s development, but are man-made and partly due to emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to produce heat and electricity and for transportation. ” However, a broad scientific consensus has degrees C, in the more pessimistic scenarios emerged that some of the observed climate temperatures are projected to rise by 4-6 changes are not a natural part of Earth’s de- degrees C. velopment, but are manmade and partly due to emissions resulting from the use of fossil Over 70% of global CO2 emissions come from fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to pro- cities because of population concentrati- duce heat and electricity and for transpor- ons and thus aggregate energy and material tation. Climate change will, even with a re- consumption is highest in cities. Metropoli- duction of current emissions of greenhouse tan regions therefore have a responsibility gases, continue to increase in strength over to reduce energy use and to actively develop the next several decades and the conse- renewable sources of heat and power supply. quence will be global warming, more extre- me weather, and rising groundwater levels. This part of Aalborg Municipality climate strategy addresses how Aalborg Municipa- The global consequences of climate change lity takes local responsibility for the global will also affect Denmark and thus Aalborg climate challenges by relying on non-fossil Municipality. It is expected that Denmark will energy and transport supplies, reducing experience longer droughts, more powerful emissions of greenhouse gases from agri- and more extreme rainfall, stronger storms, culture, and increasing the uptake of CO2 and to some extent and over a longer time from new forest areas in the municipality. horizon, sea level rise. Climate researchers employ various scena- rios of how the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could develop over the next 100 years and thus how strong cli- mate change will likely be. The scenarios are based on parameters such as global econo- mic development, population growth, and changes in technology. In the most favou- rable scenarios, average atmospheric glo- bal temperature increases will be around 2 4 Aalborg Municipality Climate Strategy - Mitigation International and national climate goals 37 countries have signed the UN Kyoto Pro- Denmark has ratified the Kyoto Protocol and tocol, which is a continuation of the United is obliged to reduce greenhouse gas emissi- Nations Frame-work on Climate Change (UN- ons by 21% on average over the period 2008 FCCC). The Kyoto Protocol, ratified in 2005, to 2012 compared to 1990. Current reduc- means that global emissions of greenhouse tions are on the order of 9% from 1990-2011. gases must be reduced by 5.2% compared to Denmark also has a long-term goal to be- 1990 levels until the period 2008 to 2012 in come 100% independent of fossil fuels and Annex I countries. an interim goal that the use of fossil fuels in 2025 will be reduced by at least 15% compa- The Kyoto Protocol legally obliges the Euro- red to 2007. pean Union by 2012 to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 8% compared to 1990. At the Conference of the Parties (COP)-15 The EU has also enacted further, non-legally, climate summit in Copenhagen in December binding policies to: 2009, climate scientists presented evidence that the global emissions of greenhouse ga- • Reduce greenhouse gases by 20% in ses should be reduced by 80-95% by 2050 if 2020 compared to 2005; the average atmospheric temperature rise • Increase the share of renewable energy is be kept below two degrees. The parties to account for at least 30% of total ener- were not able to deliver an agreement that gy consumption in 2020; and ensures a framework for achieving that goal. Furthermore, the Kyoto Protocol expired in • To achieve at least a 10% renewable 2012, with no international framework in energy share within the transport sector place for its continuation. by 2020. Greenhouse gas inventory The Kyoto Protocol establishes legally bin- In connection with the inventory of green- ding commitments to reduce six greenhouse house gases, different methods are utilised, gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous such as: oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocar- bons, and perfluorocarbons, which are pro- • A statement of sales of energy for duced by the nations that have joined the lighting, machinery, heating, transport, agreement. etc., which could be complemented with GHG contributions from agriculture, fo- In this context, the main greenhouse gases are: restry, waste and wastewater; or • An inventory of total emissions of green- • Carbon dioxide (CO2) released by burning house gases included in a given activity. fossil fuels and organic matter, especial- ly from the intensive use of fossil fuels; The first methodology in the calculation of • Methane (CH4) produced by the anaero- national emission of greenhouse gases was bic decomposition of organic material used for reporting to the EU and UN. The and is primarily due to emissions from calculation method is also applicable to the agriculture and melting permafrost; and individual household that can calculate the emissions of greenhouse gases as a result of • Nitrous oxide (N2O), which among other things arise from soil bacteria that re- electricity and heat consumption, and moto- lease nitrogen from fertilizer, derived rised transport. mainly from intensive agriculture. The second method of calculation is used, In energy and climate policy, methane and for example, when a municipality, a business, nitrous oxide are often converted to CO or a household wants to have a complete 2 picture of the total greenhouse gas emis- equivalents, and CO2 is therefore gradually become synonymous with all greenhouse sions, including embedded emissions. This gases. However, it should be noted that inventory method is called carbon foot-prin- many of the fluorocarbons and other gases ting, and is based upon life-cycle assessment have a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of (LCA) tools. 100-17,000 times that of CO . 2 In addition to an energy balance for 2007, Inventory of greenhouse gases may relate to Aalborg Municipality, in the same year, made different areas and/or units, for example: an inventory of CO2 emissions from all sec- tors of the municipality as a geographical • A geographical region, a nation or a re- entity, using a municipal CO2 calculator de- veloped by the Danish Climate and Energy gion, or a municipality; Ministry and Association of Local Govern- • A company involved in manufacturing, ments (KL). This inventory covers green- trading, or service activities; or house gas emissions from energy, transport, • A household consisting of one or more agriculture,