The film screening took place in cooperation with Climate Alliance. Since spring 2023, the network has offered its members the opportunity to show the documentary "The Illusion of Abundance" in their city or community and thus contribute to raising awareness among citizens.

Interested? Contact Silke Lunnebach at s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org.

Read more

• Trailer
• Website

The activity is part of the 20th anniversary of the international Green Footprints campaign. The aim of this activity is to show whether and to what extent the situation of children in traffic has improved. There is still a lack of political will to fundamentally change the road traffic regulations fort he benefit of children. Therefore, the campaign team invites all participating municipalities and institutions to join in!

In addition to this activity, the Green Footprints Campaign also offers new contents, such as the new stops on the Climate Voyage. In addition to new information on Spain and Italy, there will also be materials from Germany (forests) and Luxembourg (village made of waste) from late September. All information is available online.

Read more

• Hands-on activity " Cozy Spaces and Not So Nice Places“
• Climate Voyage

Many municipal representatives and local stakeholders are already taking climate action. As a Pact Ambassador, they will be able to connect with hundreds of other like-minded people in Europe, gain access to valuable tools and resources, and get visibility for your activities. European Climate Pact Ambassadors inform, inspire and support climate policy and action in their communities and networks.

Besides municipal representatives and policy makers, the following individuals can become Pact Ambassadors: leaders of organisations or associations, community leaders, leaders of informal groups or movements, representatives of cultural, educational or research institutions, influencers and opinion leaders.

As part of the European Green Deal, the Climate Pact is a movement of people united around a common cause, each taking steps in their own worlds to build a more sustainable Europe for us all. Climate Alliance is part of the Climate Pact Secretariat supporting the implementation of the initiative.

Learn  more about the Climate Pact Ambassador Call.

• Maximising the energy performance potential of our homes and buildings through a ‘Holistic Deep Renovation Wave’ is one major solution to address the current energy prices crisis.
• Adequate and sufficient funding should be ringfenced to vulnerable households to prioritise the renovation of the worst performing homes of low-income households.
• A strong and clear regulatory framework needs to be implemented with equally strong social safeguards.
• Activating and supporting national and local actors on the ground through adequate EU building policies can enable a multitude of stakeholders to prepare for the challenges ahead.

The demands were published today on the occasion of the upcoming second round of discussions on the EU Buildings Directive.

Read more about the Build Better Lives campaign and the demands at buildbetterlives.eu.   
 

This success is also due to pressure from civil society and the Yasuní ITT campaign, which demanded compensation for the expected losses from the international community. Climate Alliance has also repeatedly supported the campaign and the actors on the ground in order to actually make the referendum possible. The German Bundestag also planned to support the initiative back in 2008, but the then Development Minister withdrew this decision at short notice. Luxembourg, on the other hand, supported the Yasuní ITT campaign financially, partly because of the national campaign of Climate Alliance in Luxembourg.

The decision from Ecuador is a positive signal for the rights of nature and indigenous peoples in the Amazon. But the example should also be an inspiration for Europe. After all, it is just as important to protect nature here and to stop the exploitation of fossil raw materials.

Forest fires, water shortages, drought: humanity finds itself in the midst of a climate crisis. This summer, the crisis is affecting all of us right on our doorsteps - and those with limited means are being hit the hardest. Together with Fridays for Future, we will take to the streets to phase out coal, gas and oil more quickly, implements a fundamental mobility turnaround, alleviates the burden on low-income individuals and increased support for countries of the Global South!

Join the Fridays for Future climate strike on 15 September 2023! It will take continued pressure from all of us on the streets to demand action from the government. All information on the climate strike, available materials and planned demonstrations can be found online.

Read more

• Planned demonstrations and information for Germany
• Plans and information for strkes worldwide

Given the political crisis Ecuador has been in since the dissolution of the parliament on 17 May, there is enough interest to actually hold the referendum in time. The fact that the local population can vote on the future of oil extraction in the rainforest is a milestone in environmental politics, a significant victory for the rights of nature and an important way forward for the indigenous peoples of the forest.

To mark the International Days of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Climate Alliance has published an exclusive interview with an indigenous representative from the border region of Colombia and Peru. The indigenous representative describes current dangers ranging from the threats posed by drug trafficking and carbon offsetting. He also points out possible solutions to improve the situation and urges us advocate for indigenous peoples and support them in their fight for their rights and territories. The interview is now available online.

Read more

• Indigenous realities on border between Colombia and Peru: an interview
• Climate Alliance funds for Amazonia
• “Where the rainforest is best protected” – an article on the significance of indigenous territories

As of October, cities and towns across Germany will also have the opportunity to access relevant cycling data collected by the CITY CYCLING app via the RiDE platform. Thanks to a grant from the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV), CITY CYCLING municipalities from Germany will receive a large part of this data free of charge.

Learn more about CITY CYCLING.

• LOCAL – Technical support to clean energy transition plans and strategies in municipalities and regions
• OSS – Integrated services for clean energy transition in buildings and businesses
• PDA – Project Development Assistance for sustainable energy investments
• BETTERRENO – Energy Performance of Buildings - Creating the conditions to make renovation faster, deeper, smarter, service- and data-driven

The LIFE Clean Energy Transition call stands alongside three further LIFE sub-programmes also currently accepting applications: Nature and Biodiversity; Circular Economy and Quality of Life; and Climate. In total, 99 million euros are being made available via LIFE’s programmes.

The application deadline for all LIFE Clean Energy Transition call topics is 16 November 2023.

Learn more

• LIFE Clean Energy Transition Call
• Application guidance via video
• All LIFE subprogrammes at a glance

"Cities and towns need data not only to plan and adopt climate action plans in a political sense, but also to make success measurable. The type and quality of data available is, however, not the same everywhere. Google data is therefore a real asset for municipal climate action. We are pleased to be able to support our member municipalities even more in their efforts through this partnership," comments Thomas Brose, Executive Director of Climate Alliance.

The network can now provide Google data on traffic, PV potential on roofs, building emissions and tree coverage in municipalities. In this way, Climate Alliance can offer another data source for the development of municipal climate action plans. Every year, Google gathers data via its Environmental Insights Explorer for over 40,000 cities and towns worldwide on the basis of satellite imagery processed with artificial intelligence as well as aggregated and anonymised user data. Currently, the data is available for cities with a population of 10,000 or more, as well as for some regions, districts and other groups of municipalities. Climate Alliance can now access Environmental Insights Explorer data for its member cities and towns.

Download this press release as a pdf
 

CONTACT
Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
communications(at)climatealliance.org

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}        

Your tasks
As the Senior Project Manager, you will be primarily responsible for managing our deliverables related to building and supporting a European Climate Pact Community in and across all EU Member States. Key tasks will include:

• Co-leading the initiative’s work in relation to the established European Climate Pact Ambassador community currently comprised of over 650 individuals across all 27 EU countries.
• Providing support to other Climate Pact initiative work in relation to citizen engagement and in coordinating the network of Climate Pact Country Coordinators across all 27 countries.
• More broadly representing Climate Alliance and EU projects at public events, conferences and workshops
• Contribute to collaborating with the EU institutions in Climate Alliance’s formal collaborations and projects

Click here for the full job description (pdf)!

Sparked your interest?
To apply, please send your CV, cover letter and three references with the subject line "Senior Project Manager Application" exclusively by email to career(at)climatealliance.org.

Closing Date for Application is 3 July 2023.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Please note, the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found. Interviews will be done on a rolling basis and we therefore encourage people interested in this role to submit their application as soon as possible.

Your tasks

• Development, coordination and implementation of the German work programme of the European Climate Pact in close exchange with the Climate Pact Coordination in Brussels and the Climate Pact Coordinators of the other countries.
• Developing activities with the aim of mobilising individuals and institutions for more climate protection
• Preparation of a stakeholder mapping
• Organisation and implementation of national and local climate action and networking events
• Recruitment, training, support and networking of German volunteer Climate Pact ambassadors
• Supporting young stakeholders in local climate protection activities
• Translating EU-wide climate documents into German and preparing them in a way that is suitable for the target group
• Regular reporting to the Climate Alliance Secretariat in Brussels
• Support of the German Climate Alliance National Coordination in the field of political advocacy, including organisation and implementation of events, writing of position papers and other publications
• Support in the development and implementation of political campaigns and corresponding communication activities

Click here for the full job description (in German, pdf)!

Sparked your interest?
Please send your complete application documents (letter of motivation, CV and references in a PDF with a maximum of 5 MB), stating the earliest possible starting date and your salary expectations, to bewerbung(at)klimabuendnis.org by 03. July 2023.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Please note, the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found. Interviews will be done on a rolling basis and we therefore encourage people interested in this role to submit their application as soon as possible.

The involvement of the Strassen climate team is expected to result in a high number of consultations in the neighbourhood, which, according to experience, will lead to numerous energy-efficient renovation measures, including renewable energy supply. Luxembourgish municipal climate teams are made up of committed, voluntary citizens, comparable to municipal advisory boards in German cities and towns.

The municipal campaign was made possible by Pol Straus, coordinator of the Energy Caravan Climate Alliance Luxembourg. The project-related cooperation between Climate Alliance Luxembourg, Climate Alliance Europe and fesa e.V. has been running since May 2022. Further campaign implementations in Luxembourg are planned by the municipality of Betzdorf in autumn 2023 and the municipality of Mertzig in spring 2024. The offer is currently valid for all Luxembourg Climate Alliance members.

Read more

• Materials for the Energy Caravan in Luxembourg: Poster template | Flyer template
• Energy Caravan

Want to learn more? Contact Pol Straus at pol.straus(at)oeko.lu for more information.

The INTERLACE Cookbook for interactive online exchanges
The “Cookbook on virtual interactive exchange formats for cities” developed by Climate Alliance gives guidance to public authorities, city networks and other organisations that want to build an inclusive online environment for sharing and learning between municipalities. It is specifically tailored to build networks on nature-based solutions (NBS) and ecosystem restoration. Examples from real life applications are included. Have a look at our tried and tested methods and cook up your own recipe for successful collaboration. The Cookbook is available in English and Spanish.

The INTERLACE Urban Governance Atlas
The Urban Governance Atlas is an interactive online database featuring 250 policy instruments supporting nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration.  Discover policy instruments from around the world, including contributions from Climate Alliance members in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and many more. Learn what has made them successful, lessons from their design and implementation, and their different approaches to governance.  Policymakers and urban planners are all invited to explore the Urban Governance Atlas and find inspiration in the amazing work being done across over 41 countries! The Atlas is available in English and Spanish.

Both materials were developed as part of the INTERLACE project. INTERLACE empowers and equips European and Latin American cities to restore urban ecosystems, resulting in more liveable, resilient and inclusive cities. If you want to stay informed about the project simply write an e-mail to proyectointerlace(at)ungl.or.cr.

Learn more

• The INTERLACE Cookbook
• The INTERLACE Urban Governance Atlas
• The INTERLACE Project

What can you expect?

• You will be responsible for member administration and support
• Helping to prepare and organise international events (CAIC)
• General secretarial and office organisation tasks
• Preparation of internal meetings and board meetings
• Administrative support of the project teams
• Administration of information and office materials
• Accounting experience is an advantage

Click here for the full job description (in German, pdf)!

Sparked your interest?
We look forward to getting to know you soon! Please send your complete application documents (cover letter, CV and references in a PDF with a maximum of 5 MB), stating the earliest possible starting date and your salary expectations, to bewerbung(at)klimabuendnis.org by 10 July 2023.

We look forward to receiving your application!

An interactive map of all selected municipalities is now available online.

Read more

• Interactive map
• EPAH Website

Your tasks

Development and management of the European Climate Pact’s Belgium work program, building strongly upon Climate Alliance projects and its mission. This will entail:

• Utilising your national experience in developing actions to bring further attention on taking climate actions for both individuals and institutions
• Undertaking an initial mapping exercise to ensure maximum impact of the national work program, that all important stakeholders are reached and engaged over time and that Climate Pact efforts build strongly upon already existing and effective efforts
• Aligning the work program with specific project requirements
• Managing and executing the work program in collaboration with Climate Alliance colleagues and our other national coordinators

While not fully defined yet, and with space for the incumbent to further craft we envisage the work program to include activities such as:

• Coordination and/or promotion of national and local climate action events
• Supporting recruitment, onboarding and providing capacity development and networking opportunities for Belgium’s Climate Pact Ambassadors
• Expanding Belgium’s broader Climate Pact community, and providing them with capacity building and networking opportunities
• Engaging with and supporting youth to act as catalysts of local climate action
• Working with Belgian educators as effective multipliers of climate action messaging and action
• Translation of smaller EU wide Climate Documents, not only into Belgian languages but also with an eye to the content and clarity keeping in mind the target audience
• Concise and regular reporting to Climate Pact Secretariat and Climate Alliance leadership

Click here for the full job description (pdf)!

Sparked your interest?

To apply, please send (in English) a motivation letter addressing the requirements and desired
results for this position (1 page) and your CV including at least two reference names (2 pages max) by 20 June 2023 at the latest, exclusively by e-mail to career(at)climatealliance.org.

Please note, the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found interview will be done on a rolling basis and we therefore encourage to submit your application as soon as possible as we will close the vacancy the moment we find a suitable candidate.

We look forward to receiving your application!

City Cycling is an international Climate Alliance campaign is supported by Ortlieb, ABUS, stadthelm.de, TERN, WERTGARANTIE, Busch + Müller, Schwalbe, WSM und Paul Lange & Co..In the German Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, the campaign is supported by the ADFC Baden-Württemberg, the AGFK Baden-Württemberg, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Transport and the RadKULTUR initiative.

Further Infromation

• Campaign website
• City Cycling App
• Press photo download (zip)

Contacts

Sarah Mekjian
Communications DIrector
T. +49 69 7171 39 -20
communications@climatealliance.org

Sebastian Reisch
City Cycling Communications Manager
+49 69 7171 39 -76
s.reisch@climatalliance.org

<sub>CITY CYCLING
With its international City Cycling campaign, Climate Alliance invites all citizens and members of local parliaments to pedal and set an example for increased promotion of cycling. In teams, they are to collect as many bicycle kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise citizens to cycling in everyday life and to bring the issues of bicycle use and cycling planning more strongly into local parliaments. With the reporting platform RADar! and the project RiDE – Radverkehr in Deutschland (Cycling in Germany), which provides scientifically prepared cycling data to the participating municipalities, the campaign also includes two elements with which the cycling infrastructure can be improved in a very concrete way including the involvement of citizens. city-cycling.org

THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org</sub>   

Applications for the twinning programme will be possible until 30 June 2023 and are open to all cities across the EU and Horizon2020 Associated Countries.
The selected twins will be paired with the NetZeroCities pilot cities in a tailored process, whereby each twin city's learning needs, emissions domains and levers of change will be taken into account. The goal of the joint journey: an individual replication plan for each participating twin.

The EU NetZeroCities (NZC) project contributes to the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, also known as the Cities Mission. Through NZC, Climate Alliance is supporting both the pilot cities and their twins in achieving their climate neutrality goals.

Read more

• NetZeroCities Twinning Programme
• Recording of the call for twin cities information session
• NetZeroCities Pilot Cities
• NetZeroCities Project

Learn more

• Technical guidance overview
• Best practice guidance

This press release in pdf format

Contact
Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
communications(at)limatealliance.org 

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}   

• Public authorities are encouraged to obtain support from sustainable energy agencies
• Renewable energy communities should be recognised by member states and actively supported as well as energy efficiency at local or household level
• Member States, including regional and local authorities should be encouraged to make full use of the European funds available to trigger private and public investments in energy efficiency improvement measures

More details can be found in the newly published Coalition for Energy Savings briefing.

Read more

• EED Briefing
• Coalition for Energy Savings

Excerpts of the film were previously shown at the 2022 Climate Alliance International Conference in Luxembourg. The full version in Spanish with English subtitles can now be shown by interested members to raise the awareness of citizens for the issues of climate justice and environmental degradation in Latin America. Accompanying discussion rounds can be supported e.g. by local organisations, by representatives of Climate Alliance or by the directors (via online connection). The screening costs 250 euros.

Want to learn more? Contact Silke Lunnebach at s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

Read more

• Trailer
• Film website

Immediately after the murder, Climate Alliance received a request from the region to bring an indigenous leader and his family to safety. Climate Alliance has always supported indigenous representatives who have been threatened. However, it is even more important to bring those responsible to justice and to strengthen the Peruvian state's commitment to protect the people in the areas of greatest risk.

The conference emphasized yet again the key role cities are playing, especially with reaching targets in building renovation and energy efficiency. Mayors from across Europe highlighted a diversity of emergency measures that they put into place to face the crisis: from green taxation, to building renovation, promotion of energy communities, education and awareness, transport and mobility. However, in order to translate these efforts into long-term action, support from the EU and national governments is also needed. Thus, Mayors called upon the EU to put pressure on national governments to involve local decision-makers and stakeholders in national climate and energy policy making. In addition, cities also need to ensure the essential support of their citizens. Cities have presented successful measures, for example energy communities, citizen conventions, youth forums, and energy offices offering advice on energy savings.

The full review of the conference content is available online. As part of the Covenant of Mayors - Europe office, Climate Alliance was instrumental in the preparation and implementation of this year's conference.

Read more

• Conference review
• Covenant of Mayors - Europe

Both Energy Caravan municipalities have decided to set an example in climate action in order to become active for their citizens, especially in these difficult times. The first Munich Energy Caravan achieved the highest absolute number of consultations of all campaigns carried out so far. With the tailwind of this success, further campaign implementations are already being planned for 2023 and the following years.

The cooperation project of the two non-profit associations Climate Alliance and fesa is also increasingly being requested by municipal representatives to include the Energy Caravan as a highly effective measure in the municipal climate action concepts. In the meantime, the campaign has also become part of the German publication "Praxisleitfaden Kommunaler Klimaschutz" (Practical Guide to Municipal Climate Protection) and is available for the implementation of measures such as strategic heat planning, as an information campaign for citizens and for the use of renewable energies.

Read more

• Energy Caravan
• fesa e.V.

The competition is part of a series of activities within the Interlace project, which is also supported by Climate Alliance. The aim is to creatively engage young people and understand their attitudes towards nature and nature-based solutions.

Read more about the Interlace competition.

Download the 2022/2023 Review and Outlook (EN | DE; pdf)

Want to learn more? Contact us at communications(at)climatealliance.org for further information.

Online course: Energy Poverty in Europe: From Policy Framework to Integration in Local Action Plans
The course aims to support decision makers of local governments and other stakeholders in gaining the necessary knowledge to take local action on energy poverty. The self-paced course is composed of four modules featuring presentations, interviews and interactive activities to understand how policies can be shaped into local action.

Handbook: Guide to Energy Poverty Diagnosis
Building a robust energy poverty diagnosis is a fundamental phase of understanding the characteristics of the phenomenon and building strategies to tackle it. The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub has released a practical guide to assist local governments through their diagnosis journey. The publication presents the different stages of the diagnosis: from contextualisation and coordination, through data collection to the formalisation of the results.

Both tools are now available online.

Read more

• EPAH online course
• EPAH handbook
• EPAH project

Specifically, the topic of heating/ventilation was reframed as a matter of comfort. For example, questions on the comfort perception of the target households were added to a questionnaire for the tenants. In addition, an information package was created to support the consultation, consisting of an information sheet, a ventilation diary and visual aids, such as window stickers with ventilation instructions or printed hangers with information on thermostat settings. First monitoring figures indicate a positive balance of the adjustments, e.g. more than 80 % of the users of the ventilation diary have stated that they want to change their ventilation behaviour.

The new approach will be applied this year in all 60 Caritas locations that are currently carrying out heating consultations.

Read more

• ENPOR project website
• Energy Saving Check

The Climate Change Adaptation Mission focuses on supporting EU regions, cities and municipalities in their efforts to prepare for the impacts of the climate crisis. The mission is one of a total of five EU missions to find concrete solutions to major societal challenges.

Read more about theEU Climate Change Adaptation Mission.

Since 2017, municipalities outside Germany can also participate in CITY CYCLING. The requirements and rules are identical, but there is a 20% discount on the participation fees if the/one national language is not German and thus, among other things, not all materials can be fully used.

Read more

• Registration for CITY CYCLING 2023
• CITY CYCLING Website

The NetZeroCities pilot programme is managed by the Mission Platform of the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission (EU Cities Mission). The Cities Mission aims for 112 cities to become climate neutral by 2030.

Read more

• List of pilot cities
• NetZeroCities pilot programme

The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub is the leading initiative for local action against energy poverty. As coordinator of the initiative, Climate Alliance organises a number of informational webinars to help interested local authorities with their applications and answer questions about the call for technical assistance.

This is already the second round of the call. In 2022, 23 applicants have already been selected and supported in their local projects to fight energy poverty. Information on the projects is available online.

Read more

• EPAH call for technical assistance in the fight against energy poverty
• Informational events

In addition to the World Resources Institute study, a research team from DIE ZEIT, The Guardian and SourceMaterial recently found that compensation projects in the rainforest do not deliver what they promise. An international research team evaluated one third of the rainforest projects (the most widely used by companies) certified by Verra, the world's leading certification body, and came to the conclusion that 90 percent of the certificates are worthless. This evaluation alone corresponds to false certificates amounting to 89 million tonnes of CO₂. This clearly shows how problematic offset projects are. Objective evidence that offsetting actually leads to more climate protection often does not exist.

These findings also confirm Climate Alliance's long-standing positions on offsetting and rainforest protection. However, the pressure on Amazonia is increasing and without indigenous peoples there will be no rainforests in the long term. For this reason, Climate Alliance continues to cooperate with indigenous partners in Amazonia and supports them in preserving their territories. The Climate Fund of Climate Alliance is a new instrument that will soon be available to member municipalities and other supporters to make their contribution to the protection of the Amazon.

Learn more

• World Resources Institute study
• Climate Alliance's cooperation with indigenous peoples

More than 70 cities worldwide have already joined the campaign. In Germany, the Cities of Bonn and Marburg have already adopted resolutions to this effect. Climate Alliance therefore calls on all interested cities and towns to draft a motion or start a campaign calling on their municipality to support the treaty. All information on the city campaign and possible wording aids are available online.

Have questions? Contact Julian Thoss at j.thoss(at)klimabuendnis.org.

Read more

• Fossil Fuel Non-Profileration Treaty
• Information on the Cities Campaign

The opportunity is offered by the EU PROTECT project. The mission of the project is to strategically prepare municipal practitioners to carry out a future pre-commercial procurement. This objective is funded by the European Commission and is expected to start in 2024 with an amount of up to 19 million euros.

Read more

• Call for PROTECT Community
• PROTECT project

Our ideal candidate:

You have academic or practical experiences in working with vulnerable segments at a local level. You are impact oriented with a focus on local actions while still having an interest in the policy developments at EU level on the topic. You have good knowledge or experiences with local climate and energy planning from a specific or various municipalities. You are interested in being a part of a small but vibrant office in Brussels committed to drive the energy transition at a high pace in a socially just manner.

Complete job description and application requirements (pdf)

We offer the following:

• A full-time position in Brussels under the Belgian law
• A 2-year contract (with a possibility to be extended), starting as soon as possible
• Benefits: paid leave (‘pécule de vacances’), DKV Medicare & lunch vouchers
• A positive, friendly and flexible working environment

Application:

Applicants must have the legal right to be employed in Belgium. To apply, please send (in English):

• motivation letter addressing the requirements and desired results for this position (1 page)
• your CV including at least two reference names (2 pages max)

to: career(at)climatealliance.org
Closing date for applications: 1 February 2023

Have questions? Please contact Jeppe Jensen at j.jensen(at)climatealliance.org

The report provides an overview of the national adaptation action of all EU Member States for the year 2021, showing that national efforts in the field of climate adaptation have been scaled up: Capacities for raising awareness on climate adaptation have been built, more funding opportunities for adaptation measures have been tapped. Also, some countries are using legislation to institutionalise climate risk assessment. Nevertheless, many countries still rely on soft measures without legal obligation, and the social equity aspect of climate adaptation has not yet arrived in many countries.

The full report is now available online in English.

Read more

• EEA report “Advancing towards climate resilience in Europe — Status of reported national adaptation actions in 2021"
• ETC CA project

Saarbrücken/Frankfurt am Main, 1 December 2022. Over 920,000 participants from 2,557 municipalities in five countries – that is the tally for this year's international City Cycling camapign by Climate Alliance. Between May and September, participants cycled almost 180 million kilometres in a climate-friendly way, thereby avoiding more than 27,000 tonnes of CO₂. Yesterday, the award ceremony for this year's most successful City Cycling municipalities took place in Saarbrücken (DE). Saarland's Minister for the Environment, Climate and Mobility, Petra Berg as well as Saarbrücken's Lord Mayor Uwe Conradt and Climate Alliance's André Muno awarded the winning municipalities.

"Year for year, the great response to City Cycling sends a clear message in support of climate action and cycling. If we want to make cycling more attractive, we need role models. I am sure that many of those who took part in the campaign will not only use their bikes more often themselves, but will also influence friends and family. This is how we can promote everyday cycling, bit by bit," stressed Minister Berg. In many municipalities, the campaign has been a fixed date in the calendar for years and is a welcome occasion to pay special attention to cycling. "The expansion of the cycling infrastructure, which we are promoting, plays a very important role when it comes to getting people excited about cycling. But certain everday routines must also change. City Cycling is a helpful campaign to stimulate such processes. More and more people in Saarbrücken and the State of Saarland are joining in and getting on their bikes," explained Mayor Conradt regarding the campaign in Saarbrücken.

When it comes to encouraging people to switch to cycling in the longterm, more progressis on expanding the necessary cycling infrastructure is needed. "People will only become convinced cyclists if they feel safe and can reach their destination quickly and flexibly," points out campaign director André Muno. "Many municipalities have realised that the infrastructure is essential for this. Now it's time to put the necessary changes in place."

_{City Cycling is an international campaign of Climate Alliance and is supported by the partners Ortlieb, ABUS, stadthelm.de, DB Call a Bike, ROSE Bikes, Busch + Müller, Paul Lange & Co, WSM and Schwalbe.}

_{In the federal state of Saarland, the campaign is supported by the Ministry for the Environment, Climate, Mobility, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.}

Further information

• City Cycling website
• Saarland.de/radverkehr
• City Cycling 2022 winner municipalities
• Press photos

Contacts

Sebastian Reisch
Communications City Cycling
Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -76
s.reisch(at)climatealliance.org

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director
Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -20
communications@climatealliance.org

Saarland Ministry for the Environment, Climate, Mobility, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Press Office
T. +49 681 501 -4710/4792
presse(at)umwelt.saarland.de

Thomas Blug
Head of Marketing and Communication
State Capital Saarbrücken
T. +49 681 905-1350
medien(at)saarbruecken.de

_{CITY CYCLING
With its international City Cycling campaign, Climate Alliance invites all citizens and members of local parliaments to pedal and set an example for increased promotion of cycling. In teams, they are to collect as many bicycle kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise citizens to cycling in everyday life and to bring the issues of bicycle use and cycling planning more strongly into local parliaments. With the reporting platform RADar! and the project RiDE - Radverkehr in Deutschland (Cycling in Germany), which provides scientifically prepared cycling data to the participating municipalities, the campaign also includes two elements with which the cycling infrastructure can be improved in a very concrete way including the involvement of citizens. city-cycling.org} 

_{CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (as compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

"Kids, you are our future. Keep doing what you're doing. Let your voices be heard. You are key stakeholders in this," commented Executive Secretary Stiell upon receiving the campaign results. "As adults and as policy makers, we have a responsibility to you to leave this planet in a better state than we found it and to provide you with the opportunities that you deserve, that we have had and that some of us have squandered. We have a responsibility to all of you."

With 236,281 children from eight European countries, more children and institu-tions participated in this year’s campaign than ever before. Children from Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Northern Macedonia and Sweden collected a total of 3,019,901 Green Footprints by choosing climate-friendly transport, using energy sustainably and eating local or organic foods.

"The feedback from participating institutions shows that children are very aware of the dangers posed by the climate crisis. They are distressed and also fright-ened, thus hoping that concrete changes will be made to avert these dangers – a call to global decision-makers to work together in overcoming the climate crisis and ensuring a secure future," emphasised Andreas Wolter, Climate Alliance President.

Climate Alliance's Green Footprints campaign has been inviting children from across Europe to act for the climate since 2002. Together, the children learn more about sustainable lifestyles and push for climate action with the footprints they collect.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Photos of the handover: Climate Alliance | UN Climate Change Secretariat
• Video Message from UNFCCC Executive Secretary Stiell
• Green Footprints campaign results 2022
• Green Footprints Report 2022
• Statements of participating children and teachers
• Campaign website
• Climate Alliance at COP27
• This press release as PDF

CONTACTS
Sarah Mekjian, Climate Alliance
Communications Director
+49 69 7171 39 -20
s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

Claudia Schury, Climate Alliance
Green Footprints Campaign Manager
T. +49 69 7171 39 -22
c.schury(at)klimabuendnis.org

_{THE GREEN FOOTPRINTS CAMPAIGN
Since 2002, Climate Alliance’s Green Footprints has been helping children across Europe learn about the influ-ences of their daily actions on the climate and encouraging them to become role models for both their parents and climate politicians. During at least a one week period, children in participating classes collect so-called ‘green footprints’ for every sustainable trip completed via public transport, bike or foot as well as for other environmen-tally-friendly habits such as sustainable nutrition. These footprints are presented to the participants and politi-cians at the UNFCCC’s annual Climate Conferences. zoom-kidsforclimate.eu} 

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (as compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

Further information and details on the application process are available online.

Learn more

• 10th Climate Star Competition
• Application

“Climate policy goes hand in hand with energy security affordability,” explain the authors of the letter. “By investing in clean, cheap and sovereign renewable energy sources, as well as boosting energy savings, we can address all three crises at once.” Demands include a base revenue stream for the fund that scales with the carbon price, is supported by the Emissions Trading System, and can be topped up by other sources of finance including member state co-financing and contributions from windfall profit caps.

The European Commission agreed upon the creation of a Social Climate Fund in July 2021 as part of the European Green Deal’s 'fit for 55' legislative package. Negotiations on the form such a fund will take are ongoing.

Further information

• Open letter of 11 October 2022 (pdf)
• Information on the Social Climate Fund

“The protection of vulnerable low and middle-income households must be a priority if we want to ensure a just energy transition,” stresses Andreas Wolter, Climate Alliance President and Mayor of the City of Cologne. “We need to create the right national and European legal frameworks to combat energy poverty. The mandate of cities and towns to fight energy poverty must be strengthened!"

With the resolution, Climate Alliance members are demonstrating strong leader-ship in the current crisis and pursuing ambitious goals such as the eradication of energy poverty by 2050 and the consistent integration of social aspects in local energy and climate policy. Energy renovation of the building stock is cited as cen-tral to the fight against energy poverty as is the fostering of a political and financ-ing framework that promotes such renovations. In the resolution, member cities and towns thus also call for adequate support from the European and national levels.  

Further information

• Resolution on mitigating energy poverty at the local level
• This press release as PDF

Contact

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
+49 69 7171 39 -20
communications(at)climatealliance.org

_{The Climate Alliance
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (as compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate    Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

A first look on policy recommendations and possible solutions is now available.

Read more

• First policy recommendations from the ENPOR project
• ENPOR project

"There is no way around it: climate change mitigation and adaptation must be made mandatory municipal tasks!" explains Andreas Wolter, Climate Alliance President and Mayor of the City of Cologne. "Cities and towns are obliged to actively prevent damage to the population, which today also includes climate action measures that can only be implemented at the local level. In accordance with treaties such as the Paris Agreement, cities and towns must be provided with appropriate funds by the federal government and the states, as stipulated by law in accordance with the 'connexity' principle".

The position paper names elements crucial to the success of municipal climate action activities. These include, among others, the anchoring of climate change mitigation and adaptation as objectives of overriding public interest in all municipal areas of responsibility, the comprehensive development and implementation of ambitious climate action concepts, basic funding for investments independent of subsidies and sufficient personnel for all German municipalities. The necessary institutionalisation of climate action in German can only succeed if it is made a mandatory municipal task.

Download the position paper (in German): Executive summary | Full version

Contacts

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -20
communications@climatealliance.org

Svenja Schuchmann
National Coordinator for Germany, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -21
s.schuchmann@climatealliance.org

_{Climate Alliance}
^{For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (as compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility.  climatealliance.org}  

Contact us communications(at)climatealliance.org for more information and learn more about the event smartcityexpo.com.

In the selection of pilot projects, all urban areas contributing to climate neutrality will be considered including mobility; energy systems and the built environment; material and resource flows; health and wellbeing; natural areas; cultural, social, financial and institutional systems; and accessible public spaces.

The deadline for applications is 4 November 2022. Applicant cities must have at least 50,000 inhabitants. In countries with predominantly smaller cities such as Croatia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovenia or Slovakia, however, several cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants each may submit a joint application in order to reach the 50,000 inhabitants.

Read more

• Application Guidelines
• Application Guidebook
• Information Sessions
• Call Website
• NetZeroCities Project
• EU Cities Mission

1. The first Italian hydro-power EC in Venaus practicing electricity sharing over the public grid operative as of 27 December 2021;
2. The conclusion of an agreement to set up a regional EC in the Susa Valley engaging 31 Municipalities with around 80,000 inhabitants and a total investment of EUR 60 MM.;
3. The setting up of the Prague Renewable EC on 1 October 2021, one of the largest photovoltaicprojects in the Czech Republic with a foreseen capacity of 500 MW and an investment of EUR 40 MM. stemming from an ELENA contract;
4. One of the first German ECs in Essen to practice electricity sharing in 2022 embracing an institution for disabled children, a public school and a sports club;
5. The development of an “Assisted Consumer Stock Ownership Plans” that permits the residents of homeless shelters in Słupsk, Poland, to become co-owners in RE.

As part of the SCORE project, Climate Alliance supported the idea of turning consumers into prosumers of renewable energy in three pilot regions. The project was completed at the end of 2021.

Read the final report here.

The new project seeks to support climate change mitigation and adaptation through innovativation procurement procedures. It specifically aims to enable public authorities from different European regions to collaborate on a joint pre-commercial procurement.

Complete the survey now!

The survey is available in the following languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian and Slovenian. To the extent possible, it is recommended to discuss the questionnaire with your procurement legal expert and your technical expert in a cooperative manner. 

Read more

• Survey
• PROTECT Leaflet (pdf)
• PROTECT Project

Each partnership addresses urban challenges by bringing key stakeholders such as cities, national governments, NGOs, the European Commission and other EU institutions together. Selected partners get the chance to directly shape relevant policy by developing action plans to improve regulation and funding schemes relating to and targeting urban areas. They also develop knowledge together, for example by carrying out studies and sharing of good practices.

Each partnership will consist of 15 to 20 members including at least one small and one medium-sized municipality. Municipalities as well as regions, municipal consortia and umbrella organisations are among the groups encouraged to apply by 16 September 2022. The two partnerships are due to be launched in October of this year.

Learn more

• The Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU)
• Further information on the call for partners
• Applications: Greening Cities | Sustainable Tourism

Complete job description and application requirements(pdf)

We offer the following:

• A full-time position in Brussels under the Belgian law
• A 2-year contract (with a possibility to be extended), starting as soon as possible
• A salary according to profile and experience
• Other benefits: paid leave (‘pécule de vacances’), hospitalisation insurance and meal vouchers
• Various training opportunities
• A dynamic international team and a positive working environment
• Structured teleworking conditions and flexible working time

Application:
To apply, please send a motivation letter and a CV (in Europass format, max. 3 pages) to: career(at)climatealliance.org by 24 August 2022. Please include “Job application | Adaptation Project Coordinator” in the subject line and clearly indicate possible start date and citizenship (and if non-EU, whether you are holder of a work permit for Belgium). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

_{ABOUT CLIMATE ALLIANCE
Climate Alliance is a non-profit association uniting local authorities and indigenous rainforest peoples in their efforts to take action on global heating. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (as compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. The network runs awareness raising campaigns, develops tools for climate action planning and fosters cooperation with indigenous peoples. Additional work goes into the management of EU-funded projects as well as EU flagship initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors – Europe, communication and policy work.}

_{ABOUT THE COVENANT OF MAYORS EUROPE
The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy - Europe brings together local authorities voluntarily committed to meeting or even exceeding the EU climate and energy objectives. Since its launch in 2008, the initiative has mobilised over 10,500 local authorities in Europe, covering roughly one third of the EU population. Signatory cities pledge action to support the EU in reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. They commit to delivering actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the given territory, increase resilience and prepare for the adverse impacts of climate change, and tackle energy poverty to ensure a just transition towards climate neutrality.}

Each handbook of the series will focus on one of the three main phases and provide additional practical information and concrete tools to apply. The handbooks are designed based on experiences and data collected over time and from different geographical contexts and are supported with additional material developed by EPAH.

EPAH is the leading EU initiative on energy poverty and is being coordinated by Climate Alliance. EPAH’s mission is to become the center of energy poverty experience and expertise in Europe providing direct support, online training and research to local authorities and civil society organisations and by building a collaborative network of all stakeholders interested in taking action to combat energy poverty in Europe.

Learn more

• Introduction to the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) Handbooks: A Guide to Understanding and Addressing Energy Poverty
• EPAH Website

The reasons for this include:

• The classification of natural gas as sustainable is neither scientifically tenable nor in line with the EU's climate goals: large quantities of climate-damaging greenhouse gases are emitted along its extraction, transport and use. If humanity wants to achieve the Paris climate goals, no new investments in fossil energies should be made.
• The classification of nuclear power as sustainable is also scientifically untenable. Even the German Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) opposes the aforementioned delegated act in an expert opinion. Moreover, the construction of new nuclear power plants cannot be done in time to help Europe reduce its greenhouse gases.
• The German environmental aid organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe has provided a legal opinion proving that the inclusion of nuclear and fossil gas in the EU taxonomy would be unlawful.
• Greenpeace France already published a report in May showing the lobbying links between Russian energy companies and the EU Commission in connection with the taxonomy. According to the report, Russia could earn an additional four billion euros a year through the changes to the taxonomy.The greenwashing of fossil gas and nuclear power has the potential to undermine the credibility and effectiveness of the entire EU taxonomy and weaken trust in the European Union.
• Every euro invested in fossil gas and nuclear power is missing for investments in the urgently needed energy transition.

The EU Parliament's debate on the EU Commission's proposal will take place on 5 July and the vote on 6 July.

Read more

• BASE assessment of the EU Commission's proposal on the classification of nuclear energy according to the EU Taxonomy Regulation (in German)
• Legal opinion of Deutsche Umwelthilfe (in German)
• Greenpeace France report on lobbying links between Russian energy companies and the EU Commission

CEESEU supports administrations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to build capacity, thereby promoting higher energy efficiency, clean energy, lower carbon emissions and better adaptability to climate change. CEESEU brings together 11 partners from 10 CEE countries. Climate Alliance is responsible for evaluating the development and implementation of SECAPs and supports training activities for local and regional authorities in CEE countries on the SECAP process.

Read more

• CEESEU Project
• Emerging Europe

The EU City Facility 4th call will support the development of 48 investment concepts, with a total budget of EUR 2,88 million. The call, open from June 9th to September 30th 2022 supports cities and local authorities by financing the development of an investment concept with a fixed grant of up to 60 000 EUR. Previous three calls of the EU City facility received more than 600 applications and the resulting 165 beneficiaries across Europe are now working on their investment concepts.

Lesen Sie mehr

• EUCF
• Application process
• Map of EUCF Beneficiaries

At the award ceremony in Budapest, Deputy Minister Sándor Farkas said: "The Ministry of Agriculture has made it a priority to prepare existing forests to adapt to climate change and to increase the area covered with trees. Currently, 25.4% of our country is covered by forest and shrub vegetation. Under the afforestation programme, 42,000 hectares of new forests have been created in the last two years." Afforestation is supported and promoted through government programmes. Under the Climate and Nature Action Plan, for example, 680 hectares of new forest have been created so far.

In addition to Csaba Lajtmann, three other people also received the Pro Natura Award for their work in the field of environmental and climate protection:

• András Ambrus, ecologist of the Fertő-Hanság National Park Directorate
• Csaba Fitala, retired nature reserve warden of the Bükk National Park Directorate
• Andrea Riskó, Head of the Nature Conservation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture

Read more about the award ceremony (in Hungarian).

All Climate Alliance members are invited to share their success stories and apply for the 10th Climate Star. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2022. Climate Alliance members as well as municipal networks – be it groups of municipalities or local organisations working with and for member cities and towns – can participate. Thanks to the support of the province of Lower Austria, the winners will be honoured at a festive award ceremony at Grafenegg Castle on 27 April 2023.

Read more

• Application
• Competition Details

Want to learn more? Contact us at communications(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

A key element of the campaign is a Manifesto, in which the signatories propose measures to the EU Member States and the European Commission to give the local level the human resources they need to achieve the climate goals. The four main demands include:

• Financing the recruitment of municipal staff
• Making jobs more appealing and supporting local pooling of expertise
• Providing training and reallocation programmes
• Providing a framework enabling local governments to develop their own green budget, investments, and workforce

The manifesto can be signed by towns, cities, regions and other stakeholders in local climate action.

The campaign is based, among other things, on a current study that clearly shows that the need for personnel will increase in the coming years in view of the challenges ahead and that municipalities will have to act accordingly. The campaign thus aims to draw attention to the problem and call for support at national and EU level. 

Read more

• Campaign website
• Manifesto: Local staff to future-proof municipalities
• Study „Human capacity in local governments: the bottleneck of the building stock transition”

The campaign is a joint effort of the European Commission, the European Committee of the Regions the Covenant of Mayors – Europe. As a close partner to the Committee of the Regions and driving force behind the Covenant of Mayors, Climate Alliance is supporting this campaign, which comes at a time when the need to speed up the energy transition and reduce the EU’s dependence on fossil fuel imports has become even more urgent. Cities and regions are an important partner to reduce energy consumption.

Further inspiration for concrete measures to save energy in the short, medium and long term for the building sector in particular can be found on the Passipedia database under the heading “Efficiency NOW!”. The easily implementable efficiency and sufficiency measures outlined here, curated by the Passive House Institute, are a useful resource for anyone serious about reducing their gas and oil consumption.

Read more

• The Cities Energy Saving Sprint Campaign
• Registration of interest
• Cities Energy Saving Toolkit
• 1st Sprint webinar on the energy crisis, 7 July 2022
• "Efficiency Now!" advice on Passipedia

The Policy Support Facility is a new European Commission initiative under the Covenant of Mayors – Europe co-led by Climate Alliance. It aims to assist local and regional authorities in implementing adaptation strategies. Covenant signatories as well as signatories to be coming from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain are encouraged to apply. A separate call for experts will also be open through 31 May.

Read more

• Application page for cities and regions  
• Covenant of Mayors - Europe
• Call for experts

What to learn more? Contact Julie Yang at j.yang(at)climatealliance.org for further information.

Climate Alliance a member of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency and has been an official observer of the UN climate process since its beginnings in 1995. The association has consistently worked to elevate both the role and contributions of local authorities and indigenous peoples in this process. In 2017, Climate Alliance officially partnered with CoR and works with this key EU assembly of regional and local representatives on topics such as energy poverty, climate adaptation and decentralised cooperation. 

Learn more

• Climate Alliance and the UN climate process
• Climate Alliance and CoR partnership
• 2019 CoR and Climate Alliance action plan

The annual report is now available in English and German.

Download in EN | DE

Want to learn more? Contact us at communications(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

_{City Cycling is an international campaign of the Climate Alliance and is supported by Ortlieb, ABUS, stadthelm.de, DB Connect, Busch + Müller, Paul Lange & Co., WSM and Schwalbe.}

_{In the German Federal State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the campaign is supported by the ADFC Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AGFK MV and the Ministry for Climate Action, Agriculture, Rural Areas and Environment.}

FURTHER INFORMATION

• CITY CYCLING website
• CITY CYCLING app
• Press photos
• This press release as a pdf

CONTACTS

Sebastian Reisch
CITY CYCLING Communications Manager, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -76
s.reisch(at)climatealliance.org

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -20
s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

_{CITY CYCLING
With its international City Cycling campaign, Climate Alliance invites all citizens and members of local parliaments to pedal and set an example for increased promotion of cycling. In teams, they are to collect as many bicycle kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise citizens to cycling in everyday life and to bring the issues of bicycle use and cycling planning more strongly into local parliaments. With the reporting platform RADar! and the project RiDE - Radverkehr in Deutschland (Cycling in Germany), which provides scientifically prepared cycling data to the participating municipalities, the campaign also includes two elements with which the cycling infrastructure can be improved in a very concrete way including the involvement of citizens. city-cycling.org} 

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With nearly 2,000 members spread across more than 25 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (as compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate    Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

“The green transition is making its way all over Europe right now. But there's always a need for trailblazers, who set themselves even higher goals. These cities are showing us the way to a healthier future,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of the selected cities.

The Cities Mission will receive €360 million in EU funding over the next two years to blaze paths towards climate neutrality by 2030. The 100 selected cities to will now begin to develop plans for climate neutrality across all sectors such as energy, buildings, waste management and transport. In addition to further financing and other opportunities, they will benefit directly from tailor-made advice via a dedicated Mission Platform, run by Climate Alliance’s NetZeroCities project. NetZeroCities will also be making additional opportunities such as twinning programmes available to all cities that applied but were not selected. Some 377 cities from across Europe applied to the Mission Cities call launched in November last year.

Further information

• Press release of the EU commission
• Mission Cities factsheet
• NetZeroCities project
• News on the Mission Cities call in November

The survey is being conducted in the framework of a study on the EU Green Deal. The results will feed the political work of the European Committee of the Regions, both at EU and at global level. The survey is available in 23 languages.

Read more

• EU Green Deal Survey
• Committee of the Regions

The Urban Governance Atlas is being developed as part of the Interlace project, which is also supported by Climate Alliance.

Read more

• Instructions for submitting a local example
• Urban Governance Atlas
• Interlace Project

In 2021, the Covenant Office supported 45 cities, 6 coordinators, and 4 energy agencies. This year, the Covenant of Mayors offers four tailored programmes to respond to local needs: twinning, expert mission, peer review and technical assistance.

Read more

• Peer Learning Programme 2022/2023
• Selection criteria
• Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy – Europe

In sessions of the European Climate Conference, Climate Alliance representatives spoke on topics such as the risks of focusing too narrowly on offsetting and climate neutrality as well as the challenges of climate change adaptation in cities and towns. At the Climate Chance Summit, a special event was convened to support Ukraine, European municipalities expressed their solidarity with the country. Andreas Wolter, President of Climate Alliance and Mayor of the City of Cologne, also took part and offered his city's support. Climate Alliance organised, among other contributions, a workshop on the building sector. The network presented four concrete political recommendations on the topic of buildings, which will be handed to EU politicians along with further official conference recommendations. Climate Alliance‘s demands include:

• Alleviate energy poverty for a just transition  
• Lower barriers to renovations to increase energy efficiency
• Secure the right to energy-efficient adequate housing
• Reduce energy demand, use renewables for energy autonomy

„We need financing support to set the required measures, means to ensure sector climate neutrality, financial instruments and legal instruments. Local communities must be fully equipped“, declared Andreas Wolter during the workshop. The session aimed at showcasing the importance of adapting buildings from an environmental and socio-economic perspective as well as the crucial role of municipalities in the implementation of European and national policies. The focus was on two Climate Alliance activities: the Energy Caravan as a campaign for energy-efficient retrofits and the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) as the leading EU initiative for local action against energy poverty.

Climate Alliance's activities were also presented in Climate Chance’s "Local Action Report 2022", which was published alongside the conference last week and is now available online. The case study of Climate Alliance member Rüsselsheim am Main, which highlights the implementation of the Energy Caravan in the Hessian city, was also included in the Climate Chance project map.

Read more

• Review of Climate Alliance workshop on 7 March
• Photo Gallery
• Climate Alliance's Local Action Report 2022 (pdf)
• Climate Chance's Projet Map: Case Study of Rüsselsheim am Main
• Energy Caravan
• Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH)
• Climate Chance

• A long-term loan that gives local authorities access to a personal loan for energy renovation of individual private homes and ancillary investments. A high loan amount (up to €50,000) allows for deep renovation investments and also provides the benefits of a longer loan period of (up to 20 years).
• The grouping of buildings into a large portfolio in order to enable energy savings for companies as well and thus reduce the relative transaction cost as well as the performance risk, which in turn benefited the bankability of the investment project.
• Identification of initiatives that can help local authorities to make public buildings climate neutral. Many local authorities indicate that available human resources are not aligned towards conducting this strategic real estate planning approach. These initiatives include: centralized tenders for supporting advisory services, one-stop-shops providing access to contractors (e.g. EPC contracts), and improved EPC contracts.

These solutions were developed and tested in the framework of the Climate Alliance project FALCO (Financing Ambitious Local Climate Objectives). The project has just ended and managed to mobilise a total investment portfolio of about €18 million with a budget of €1.7 million. 

Read more

• Full article on financing solutions
• FALCO project website

Learn more

• Registration for CITY CYCLING 2022
• CITY CYCLING Website

EPAH is the EU's leading initiative with the vision to eradicate energy poverty and accelerate the just energy transition in European municipalities. The team offers support as well as online services, such as the EPAH Atlas with inspiring examples of local action or online training on energy poverty. The first online course with information about the initiative and the topic of energy poverty is now available online.

Read more

• EPAH Call
• EPAH Info Sessions
• EPAH Website
• EPAH eLearning platform

Authored by hundreds of the world’s top climate scientists, this latest addition to the IPCC sixth assessment is a call to action. It provides a deep dive on the intensifying impacts of climate change and future risks, particularly for resource-poor countries and marginalised communities. The report also details the way forward, pointing to the climate adaptation measures that are most feasible and effective while highlighting the communities and ecosystems that are most vulnerable. Very much in line with Climate Alliance’s perspectives and work over the last years, the report not only emphases the importance of boosting adaptation to the climate crisis but also of political commitment and follow-through across all levels of government.

Some key takeaways:

1. Climate impacts are already more widespread and severe than expected. Impacts are magnified in cities where more than half the world’s population lives.
2. Every small increase in warming will result in increased risks, often causing irreversible climate change impacts.
3. Action on adaptation has increased but progress is uneven and we are not adapting fast enough.
4. There are increasing gaps between adaptation action taken and what’s needed. These gaps are largest among lower income populations.
5. Enhanced knowledge of impacts and risks improves responses.
6. Feasible solutions already exist to reduce risks to people and nature. Nature offers significant untapped potential, for example in the use of nature-based approaches as well as green and blue spaces.
7. There are limits to adaptation. Some impacts of climate change are already too severe to adapt to. The world needs urgent action now to address losses and damages.
8. Inequity, conflict and development challenges heighten vulnerability to climate risks.  
9. There are financial constraints too: current global financial flows are insufficient and most finance targets emission reductions rather than adaptation.

Learn more

• Report downloads (including the summary for policymakers and technical summary)
• Press conference recording
• IPCC website

_{Photo: Issy Bailey via Unsplash}

The guideline is available in seven languages and can be downloaded now.

Read more

• Guideline on how to set up a Consumer Stock Ownership Plan for Energy Communities: EN | DE |  ES | IT | PT | PL | CZ
• SCORE Project

Read Climate Alliance Austria’s obituary (in German)

Numerous informational events will be held from 3 to 15 February to answer questions about the application process. As coordinator of the initiative, Climate Alliance is organising two events of its own:

• On 3 February (13h CET), the team will address signatories of the Covenant of Mayors in particular | Register here
• On 9 February (10 a.m. CET), the team will address German municipalities in particular | Register here

EPAH is the EU's leading initiative with the vision to eradicate energy poverty and accelerate the just energy transition in European municipalities. The team offers support as well as online services, such as the EPAH Atlas with inspiring examples of local action or online training on energy poverty. The first online course with information about the initiative and the topic of energy poverty is now available online.

Read more

• EPAH Call
• EPAH Info Sessions
• EPAH Website
• EPAH eLearning platform

The context of the paper is European policy developments, notably the EU Green Deal and the revised EU Adaptation strategy, which stresses the importance of achieving resilience in a just and fair way in order for adaptation benefits to be shared equitably. Climate Alliance contributed to the report in the framework of ETC/CCA, the European centre for thematic of expertise in the field of adaptation, contracted by the European Energy Agency.

Read more

• Report „Just Transition in the context of adaptation to climate change”
• ETC/CCA

Climate Alliance supports the programme as part of the EUROPA project. The learning programme is designed to transfer know-how from EUROPA to peers and work through potential challenges of
local context. For six months, municipalities will have the opportunity to engage with one of the EUROPA pilots and fellow mentees in an online environment. The mentoring programme also includes one in-person gathering in the mentor’s region.

On 2 February, Climate Alliance is organising an informational event to present the programme to interested municipalities and to answer questions.

Read more

• EUROPA Mentoring Programme
• Info session on 2 February
• EUROPA

The tool was developed within the framework of the EU project BUILD UPON². Brian Cassidy, Senior Engineer at the Cork City Council, is taking advantage of the Framework. "Cork City Council will retrofit 2,700 social houses by 2030. The Build Upon² Framework is a fantastic opportunity to better monitor the impact of this programme on our climate targets and to exchange best practices with fellow European Local Authorities”, he comments.

With the aim of practical implementation, municipalities - including many signatories of the Covenant of Mayors - were involved in the development of the project to provide direct input and feedback.

Want to learn more? Contact Anuschka Ruge at a.ruge(at)climatealliance.org. 

Read more

• Build Upon² Framework
• Build Upon² Resources
• Build Upon² Project

Olesya Dikalova, Deputy Director for Teaching and Educational Work, Karma Regional Center for Children and Youth Creativity, commented: “It's great that so many events have been held in our city recently. I participate in them with pleasure. Such actions increase the ecological culture of our residents and instil a love for nature in our children. And I think that the improvement of the area in which we live is our direct responsibility.”

The competition took place within the framework of the support programme "Covenant of Mayors for Localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Belarusian Cities”. Climate Alliance supports the project by organising an exchange with German municipalities and adapting and using the Change the Future tool in Belarus.

Read more

• Change the Future Tool
• Support Programme Belarus

Climate Alliance supported the development of the measures within the framework of the Interreg project SaMBA. The project aims to trigger behavioural changes and thereby promote greater use of sustainable transport options. The handbook is now available online.

Read more

• Manual for the implementation of behaviour change measures
• SaMBA project

The CITIES FORUM is the place and the moment to discuss topics such as the role of cities in implementing the European Green Deal or EU level initiatives developed in order to support cities. The Commission's implementing Directorate-General for Regional Policy and Urban Development (DG Regio) is looking for a enthusiastic city to host and co-create the Forum. The city should provide a suitable venue, help with communication activities and ensure political participation at national level.

Interested cities can still apply until 31 January 2022 here.

Awareness about energy poverty is growing across Europe. Different European municipalities have already started to address energy poverty by adopting a local approach that fits the needs of their communities. In this light, The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub, where Climate Alliance is the lead partner, has collected more than 200 inspirational cases during a research period that took place in 2021 aiming to inspire practitioners to tackle energy poverty at the local level.

The report displays a series of 24 cases that include national, local and international projects as well as measures. The examples are chosen to cover as many situations as possible both in regard to topic and geography and aim to inspire readers to further consult additional examples on the EPAH ATLAS. The EPAH ATLAS is an online interactive database that allows visitors to discover local and international projects as well as measures addressing energy poverty across the world.. A list of quick and advanced filters allows visitors to browse through the cases in an easy and effective way. Interested municipalities can still share their projects and measures to be added to the EPAH ATLAS at energy-poverty.ec.europa.eu/discover/epah-atlas.

Read more

• EPAH ATLAS
• Report “Tackling energy poverty through local actions ‒ Inspiring cases from across Europe”
• EPAH Website

Hans Kandler called Brazil his home from 1972 to 1992, where he supported the local people, fighting for the preservation of the rainforest and the rights of the indigenous peoples. Once back in Europe, he took up work with Climate Alliance Austria from its very beginnings as an "Amazon expert" and established a successful partnership with FOIRN, the umbrella association of indigenous organisations on the Rio Negro. He has thus built a strong and stable bridge for the support of indigenous communities on the Rio Negro and for a better understanding of the role and importance of indigenous ways of life for sustainable development also outside Amazonia. In the words of Climate Alliance Austria, he was truly a “wanderer between worlds and cultures”.

He also carried the idea of a global partnership with indigenous peoples to the Austrian communities for the first time and raised awareness in numerous lectures, presentations and study tours with European delegations. The many participants of the delegation tours were inspired by the intense impressions and try to incorporate these insights into their work. The many people (adults and children) who were motivated with up-to-date and personal information during his visits to municipalities and schools are also potential multipliers.

We would like to thank him for his work on behalf of the entire Climate Alliance. We are convinced that his work will continue to be carried forward. With his death, our network has lost a committed colleague, important advocate for climate justice and long-time friend. The indigenous organisation FOIRN has also lost a good friend as well as a strong supporter for their issues. Their visits with ISA in Austria and beyond were important building blocks for strengthening the Climate Alliance partnership. Hans Kandler will be sorely missed.

Read Climate Alliance Austria’s full obituary.

Berlin/ Frankfurt am Main, 29 November 2021. Today, the winning municipalities of the Climate Alliance’s international City Cycling campaign received accolades during a ceremony in Berlin. Berlin's Senator for Environment, Transport and Climate Protection, Regine Günther, honoured the winners both onsite with a limited number of guests in attendance due to the Corona pandemic as well as via live stream from the “Malzfabrik”. The City Cycling campaign set new records this year with 804,077 participants from 2,172 municipalities in Denmark, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Romania and the US. Between May and September, participants cycled some 160 million kilometres, avoiding over 23,000 tonnes of CO2 compared to travel by car and sending a clear signal for more climate action, cycling promotion and liveable communities.

"Year after year, the City Cycling campaign manages to motivate thousands of people to cycle – including those who may have not cycled for a long time but tend to stick with it after the campaign. This is just wonderful,” exclaimed Gün-ther. “The teams cycle with each other in friendly competition – and all cycle for a common goal: for a form of transport that is compatible with the city, protects the climate and promotes health."

André Muno, City Cycling campaign manager, stressed the importance of continuing to put the bicycle at the centre of urban planning activities: "The newly achieved records clearly show that people across the world have had enough of the status quo and are demanding a bicycle-oriented infrastructure."

Since 2008, City Cycling has been inviting municipalities, citizens and local politi-cians to get on their bikes and cover as many kilometres as possible during the campaign period. The campaign is an offer brought to the public by Climate Alli-ance, Europe’s largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action.

_{City Cycling is an international campaign of the Climate Alliance and is supported by the partners Ortlieb, ABUS, Busch + Müller, Stevens Bikes, MYBIKE, Paul Lange & Co, WSM and Schwalbe.}

FURTHER INFORMATION

• City Cyling Results 2021
• Winning Municipalities 2021
• City Cycling Campaign Website
• Press Photos
• This press release as PDF

CONTACTS

Jan Thomsen
Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protec-tion Berlin
T. +49 30 9025-1090
jan.thomsen(at)senuvk.berlin.de

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director,
Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 717139 -20
communications(at)climatealliance.org

André Muno
City Cycling Coordination,
Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -11
a.muno(at)climatealliance.org

_{CITY CYCLING
With its international City Cycling campaign, Climate Alliance invites all citizens and members of local parliaments to pedal and set an example for increased promotion of cycling. In teams, they are to collect as many bicycle kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise citizens to cycling in everyday life and to bring the issues of bicycle use and cycling planning more strongly into local parliaments. With the reporting platform RADar! and the project RiDE - Radverkehr in Deutschland (Cycling in Germany), which provides scientifically prepared cycling data to the participating municipalities, the campaign also includes two elements with which the cycling infrastructure can be improved in a very concrete way including the involvement of citizens. city-cycling.org} 

_{CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With more than 1,800 members spread across 27 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. www.climatealliance.org}

Also included is a Mobile Green Room®, which makes nature-based solutions in cities tangible. "In the middle of the city centre, it is an attraction for many people with its colourful vegetation. They perceive with all their senses what there is to discover inside, or simply use it as an oasis of peace," comments Sven-Oliver Knabe from the company Helix Pflanzen GmbH, manufacturer of the Mobile Green Room. "Due to the great success of its first tour in 2016, municipalities have been able to rent it since 2017." The roadshow also offers cities the opportunity to meet members of the Connecting Nature Enterprise platform and work with them to develop ideas for creating a local network. As part of the Roadshow, it´s accompanied by EM | Path, the developers of a co-created, art based engagement process. Within a workshop, the participants get the opportunity to explore their relationship with nature and to create narratives out of their reflections, which shape individual nature-based solutions in a city.

The roadshow will take place within the framework of the EU project Connecting Nature. Climate Alliance is part of the project, which aims to strengthen the resilience of municipalities with the help of nature-based solutions. Interested municipalities can apply for the roadshow until 12 January 2022.

Read more

• Roadshow Application
• Flyer Connecting Nature Roadshow 2022
• Connecting Nature Impact Summit in Genk (28-30 April 2022)
• Connecting Nature Project

In addition to support across a range of areas such as citizen engagement, governance, finance and systemic innovation, Mission Cities will receive preferred access to a variety of funding opportunities via EU programmes, the European Investment Bank, national banks and private investors. A smaller group of 30 Mission Cities will additionally get assistance developing their own municipal strategies via the dedicated Mission Platform. 

Municipalities interested in applying must clearly state an ambition to go climate neutral by 2030 and have a at least 50,000 inhabitants (10,000 in countries with mainly smaller cities such as Croatia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovenia or Slovakia). The EU Commission has organised a series of three webinars from 30 November to 15 December 2021 to help applicants through the process. The call, termed the “Call for Expression of Interest”, will close on 31 January 2022 with selection of the Mission Cities taking place in April 2022. Climate Alliance is part of the NetZeroCities consortium, which is supporting the roll-out of the European Commission’s Cities Mission and charged with running the Mission Platform.

Learn more

• Expressions of interest: Call page and form link
  (application questionnaire will be sent to registrants)
• Key resources: Factsheet, info kit and FAQ
• Related events:Upcoming webinar registration and launch event recording
• Cities Mission:Website

Municipalities interested in applying to become one of the 100 Mission Cities must clearly state their ambition to go climate neutral by 2030 and have at least 50,000 inhabitants (10,000 in countries with mainly smaller cities such as Croatia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovenia or Slovakia). The official call for applications, termed the "Call for Expression of Interest", will open later this November and close in January 2022. With this newly published informational kit, interested municipalities can already get an thorough overview of the application requirements. They can further register their interest to ensure that they are informed as soon as the official call is published.

Learn more

• Info kit to help municipalities prepare for the “Cities Mission Expression of Interest”
• FAQ on the Climate Neutral Cities Mission
• Registration for interested municipalities
• Cities mission website

“I'm extremely grateful for these contributions,” commented Espinosa on the children’s efforts. “This is very much in fact about their future, about the world they will be living in... I would ask the children to continue and to not give up,” she said, vowing to bring the children’s message to world leaders.

More than 350,000 children from nine European countries took part in the Green Footprints campaign over the last two years. Together, they collected more than five million green footprints by choosing climate-friendly transport, eating local and organic food and saving energy. Many educational institutions were forced to get creative in order to carry out the campaign despite the pandemic. Some teachers spontaneously cut campaign materials apart so that each child could work from home and when trips to school were far and few between, the children logged their daily lockdown walks instead.

"We are happy that so many children and educational institutions from across Europe have been part of the Green Footprints campaign over the last two years. It seems Corona made them work even harder for the good of the climate – let’s hope the politicians do the same," commented Thomas Brose, Climate Alliance Executive Director, during this year’s official handover.

Since 2002, Climate Alliance's Green Footprints campaign has been inviting children from across Europe to collect green footprints for the climate. Together with their classmates, children learn more about sustainable lifestyles and set a strong example for climate action. The campaign results are traditionally presented to the participants of the annual UN Climate Summits.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Pictures of the handover
• Video of the handover (by Zeitfilm Youth4planet on Vimeo)
• Green Footprints campaign results
• Several demands and statements from participating children and schools (pdf)
• Campaign website
• Climate Alliance at COP26
• This press release as PDF

CONTACTS

Sarah Mekjian, Climate Alliance
Communications Director
T. +49 69 7171 39 -20
communications(at)climatealliance.org  

Claudia Schury, Climate Alliance
Green Footprints Project Head
T. +49 69 7171 39 -22
c.schury(at)climatealliance.org

<sub>THE GREEN FOOTPRINTS CAMPAIGN
Since 2002, Climate Alliance’s Green Footprints has been helping children across Europe learn about the influ-ences of their daily actions on the climate and encouraging them to become role models for both their parents and climate politicians. During at least a one week period, children in participating classes collect so-called ‘green footprints’ for every sustainable trip completed via public transport, bike or foot as well as for other environmen-tally-friendly habits such as sustainable nutrition. These footprints are presented to the participants and politi-cians at the UNFCCC’s annual Climate Conferences. zoom-kidsforclimate.eu


THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With more than 1,800 members spread across 27 European countries, Climate Alliance is Europe's largest city network dedicated to comprehensive and equitable climate action. Each member city, town and district has committed itself to continually cut greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for a 95% reduction by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels) in line with IPCC recommendations. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org</sub>

Read more

• Report by Servindi (in Spanish)

The campaign follows a standardized approach and is carried out on the basis of blueprint working materials and implementation packages. So far, well over 100 municipalities of all sizes have been supported in order to make them fit for an independent campaign implementation. In an average of 60 percent of the consultations, energy-related renovation measures are implemented in private buildings in all areas – energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy production. With the Energy Caravan, municipalities have an effective approach to motivate the previously hard-to-reach target group of homeowners to modernise their energy systems.

For the Energy Caravan, Climate Alliance cooperates with the non-profit association fesa e.V.  Currently, the campaign materials and the experiences for knowledge transfer to municipalities are focused on Germany. But together, the two cooperation partners want to make this successful campaign available to municipalities from across Europe in the future.

Are you interested in the Energy Caravan? Contact Jan Schwarz at j.schwarz(at)climatealliance.org  for more information.

Read more

• Energy Caravan
• Fesa e.V.

Climate Alliance conducted the survey in order to help design a working group on buildings for municipal representatives. The working group will establish a platform for interested municipal representatives to exchange with one another and with experts on the critical topic of energy use in buildings. Climate Alliance’s new working group on buildings is due to have its first meeting this November. 

Climate Alliance implemented the survey in cooperation with the EU project outPHit. The outPHit consortium develops solutions for cheaper, faster and more reliable retrofits.

Read more

• Consolidated Survey Results (pdf)
• Climate Alliance Working Groups
• outPHit Website

_{Photo: Dylan Gilis via Unsplash}

The results also show that it is important to prioritise the following three approaches in order to reduce heat: Green structures through vegetation or trees, white structures through light and radiating surfaces and blue structures through the proximity of flowing water.

The project was implemented with the financial support of the Franco-German Citizen Fund. Since 2016, the cities of Worms and the Eurométropole Metz have been cooperating on the topics of climate action and adaptation. Supported by the TANDEM project, which is coordinated by Climate Alliance and Energy Cities, both cities have already carried out a variety of successful actions within the framework of this cross-border climate action partnership.

Read more

• Citizen survey of the city of Worms
• Citizen survey of the Eurométropole Metz
• Report of a heat tour in Worms Old Town
• About the city partnership between Eurométropole Metz and the city of Worms
• About the TANDEM project

_{Photo: Murielle Bosch}

With a funding of up to €60,000 per beneficiary, as well as additional support services, the EUCF aims to unlock investments in sustainable energy projects, which are crucial for the implementation of cities’ local energy and climate action plans. More than 250 applications from across Europe came through the first call for applications in 2020. Out of these 69 received funding. The 2nd call, which closed in May this year, received 221 applications and resulted in 68 selected applicants. The cities from the first call are already developing their project investment concepts (due in spring 2022), while the cities from the 2nd round will soon start working on theirs.

Climate Alliance members can find out more about the 3rd Call by attending the EUCF Launch event in English on 14 October or the German 3rd Call Launch event to take place on 19 of October.

Read more

• About EUCF
• EUCF Application process
• German EUCF event (19.10.21)
• English speaking EUCF event (14.10.21)
  
  

_{Photo: Jacek Dylag via Unsplash}

Climate Alliance is working as a lead partner with eight other project partners for RegEnergy. The project aims to increase the share of renewable energy by creating supply and demand partnerships for renewable energy between urban and surrounding rural areas in North West Europe.

The REGIOSTARS Award is a competition organised annually since 2008 by the EU Commission's Directorate-General for Regional Policy and Urban Development. It has become the European seal of approval for EU-funded projects that demonstrate innovative and inclusive approaches to regional development. 

Read more

• Regiostar Awards 2021
• RegEnergy

_{Photo: Infrastruktur & Umwelt}

"Be it flood disasters, extreme heat or the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the events of recent months have made it clear how important ambitious climate action is. Acting now is essential, but what that action looks like is at least as important. The adoption of the charter is a milestone for our network and a big step towards the future", comments Andreas Wolter, President of Climate Alliance and Mayor of the City of Cologne, Germany.  

The member charter points out the importance of asking how we should fight global heating. From climate neutrality to 100% renewable energy to the intro-duction of a carbon price – with the charter, Climate Alliance provides its mem-bers with concrete recommendations for the promotion of a sustainable and just transformation at the local level. 

Climate Alliance has been committed to local climate action for more than 30 years. With over 1,800 members, it is the largest European network of municipalities committed to comprehensive and equitable climate action, paring local approaches with global responsibility.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Climate Alliance Charter (DE | EN)
• FAQs (DE | EN)
• Climate Alliance Principles
• Press Release as a PDF

CONTACT
Sarah Mekjian, Climate Alliance Communications Director
+49 69 7171 39 -20
communications(at)climatealliance.org  

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With more than 1,800 members spread across 27 European countries, Climate Alliance is the world’s largest city network dedicated to climate action and the only one to set tangible targets: each member city, town and district has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by ten percent every five years. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

_{Photo: Climate Alliance}

"It is a great pleasure for us," said Karl-Ludwig Schibel, "that the diocese has decided to continue its activities for ecological conversion in matters of climate protection together with Climate Alliance. We are happy to have a strong partner to bring the issue of climate responsibility for creation to life in the everyday life of the faithful and all people of good ecological will in South Tyrol and beyond."

"Climate change does not come from outside, we are all involved," Bishop Muser underlined. "What can we do? What should we do, what must we do? The biggest mistake would be to resign and do nothing!" Before signing the formal declaration of membership, the bishop reiterated the diocese's agreement to the voluntary commitments as a member of the European Climate Alliance. He said it was important to take small concrete steps to achieve more eco-social justice.

Read more about Climate Alliance Italy

The 2021 City in the Spotlight Award is open to all Covenant of Mayors – Europe signatories that have committed to the 2030 mitigation and adaptation targets. Signatories to the 2020 commitments may apply as long as they renew their Covenant of Mayors Ambition by 1 October 2021. Climate Alliance is calling on members that are also Covenant of Mayors signatories to apply for the award and thus set an example for other local authorities across Europe.

The winners will be announced in the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony on 7 October 2021. Applications can now be submitted through 3 September.  

Read more

• Deadline extension
• City in the Spotlight Awards 2021
• Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 2021
• Climate Alliance & Covenant of Mayors

_{Photo: Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy - Europe}

The studies also confirm the approach of Climate Alliance, which has been promoting the importance of indigenous peoples as key actors in a global climate strategy for more than 30 years. The cities and towns of Climate Alliance already support the political involvement of indigenous peoples in international processes through their membership. Many municipalities also provide additional support for indigenous peoples, for example through Climate Alliance funds or in the form of partnerships. The network is currently developing offers for members that focus on climate impact costs as an effective alternative to the classic compensation approach.

A detailed column with further information on study data as well as Climate Alliance's offers is now available online.

Read more

• Column
• Nature Study “Amazonia as a carbon source linked to deforestation and climate change”, 2021
• PNAS Studie „The role of forest conversion, degradation, and disturb-ance in the carbon dynamics of Amazon indigenous territories and pro-tected areas”, 2020
• Climate Alliance Funds
• Global partnerships of Climate Alliance members

_{Photo: Unsplash}

Since 2008, CITY CYCLING has invited local politicians and citizens to cycle together for 21 days between May and September and thus set an example for increased promotion of cycling. This year, interested municipalities have until 9 September to register and take part in CITY CYCLING 2021.

Read more

• CITY CYCLING
• Registration

_{Photo: Climate Alliance/ CITY CYCLING}

This review is a collaborative effort between EPAH, local support organisations and local energy poverty experts. Climate Alliance is coordinating the EPAH consortium and the project is supported by DG Energy of the European Commission. EPAH, the EU leading initiative on local action against energy poverty, started in January 2021 and will last for 4 years, following up the work done under EPOV – the EU Energy Poverty Observatory.

Read more

• Survey
• EPAH project

Want to learn more? Contact the EPAH helpdesk at info(at)energypoverty.eu for more information.

_{Photo: Unsplash}

The 2021 City in the Spotlight Award is open to all Covenant of Mayors – Europe signatories, who have committed to the 2030 mitigation and adaptation targets. However, 2020 signatories can still apply, under the condition that they renew their Covenant of Mayors Ambition before 1 October 2021. Climate Alliance members that are also Covenant of Mayors signatories are also called upon to apply for the award. 

Winner will be announced in the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony on 7 October 2021. Applications can be submitted by 16 August.  

Read more

• City in the Spotlight Awards 2021
• Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 2021
• Climate Alliance & Covenant of Mayors

_{Photo: Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy - Europe}

The letters calls for higher ambitions with regards to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED):

1. Higher renewable energy target
2. National binding targets
3. Keeping the RED for renewable energies

Renewable energies play an important role in the transformation process. In order to limit climate change, more ambitious climate and energy targets are necessary. With this letter, key actors in Europe are calling upon the EU Comission for more ambition and emphasising key elements for a solid policy framework to increase the use of renewable energy in the future. 

Learn more

• Open Letter – call for higher ambitions for Renewable Energy Directive, June 2021

Since 1 May, local politicians and the public pedal together, competing for 21 days between May and September. Municipalities and cyclists worldwide can register for CITY CYCLING 2021 through September.

Read more

• CITY CYCLING
• Registration

The calculator is an open, interactive, online tool which provides consumers and municipalities actively involved in the energy transition and stakeholders without specific expertise and technological know-how (i.e. local authorities, individuals, consumer associations, micro-enterprises, etc.) with a preliminary assessment of their RE prosumer investments. Proposing an intuitive usage, the CSOP calculator simulates different scenarios and economic feasibility, providing a range of data relating to operating costs, cash flows, credit repayments, tax burden, and financial ratios (also available in the form of figures).

The tool was developed within the Climate Alliance project SCORE – Supporting Consumer Ownership in Renewable Energies. Interested municipalities and other stakeholders can now freely access the tool.

Read more

• CSOP Calculator
• SCORE project

Want to learn more? Contact Andrea Carosi at a.carosi(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

In addition to the activities of the European Secretariat of Climate Alliance, the national coordinations in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg and Switzerland also report on their work at national level.

The annual report is now available online in English and German.

English | German

Want to learn more? Contact us at communications(at)klimabuendnis.org for more information.

More than 1,600 municipalities from five nations have already registered for the world's largest cycling campaign – a new record. Cities from Denmark and the USA are taking part for the first time. "City Cycling is a great opportunity to take advantage of the enthusiasm surrounding cycling to covert even more people into dedicated, regular cyclists in the long term. We are therefore pleased that more and more municipalities, especially international ones, are taking part in the campaign," comments André Muno of Climate Alliance. Since the Corona crisis, the cycling trend has gained additional momentum worldwide and the topic is now on the agenda of many local governments.

In the City Cycling competition, local politicians and the public pedal together, competing for 21 days between May and September. In doing so, they can experience the advantages of cycling first hand while setting an example and promoting cycling for climate protection and increased quality of life. More than 545,000 people from 1,482 municipalities followed the call last year, covering more than 115 million kilometres by bicycle.

Municipalities and cyclists worldwide can register for the City Cycling 2021 through September.

_{City Cycling is an international Climate Alliance campaign and is supported by Ortlieb, ABUS, Busch + Müller, Stevens Bikes, MYBIKE, Paul Lange & Co, WSM and Schwalbe.}

FURTHER INFORMATION

• City Cycling campaign website
• Photos for use by the press
• This press release as a pdf

CONTACTS

André Muno
City Cycling Coordination, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 717139-11  |  a.muno@climatealliance.org

Sebastian Reisch
City Cycling Communication, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 717139-76  |  s.reisch@climatealliance.org

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
communications(at)climatealliance.org

_{CITY CYCLING
The international CITY CYCLING campaign by Climate Alliance invites members of municipal parliaments to get on their bikes, become climate action role models and promote cycling. They team up with citizens to cycle as many kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise people to cycling in everyday life and to boost awareness for bicycle traffic planning in municipal parliaments. With the reporting platform RADar! and validated cycling data that can be made available to participating municipalities, the campaign also includes two elements with which cycling infrastructure can be improved in a very concrete and participatory way. city-cycling.org} 

The update of Covenant of Mayors – Europe commitments was based partially on a survey of local authorities’ views and spurred on by European Union's new climate targets as laid out in its Green Deal. These renewed ambitions reflect local leaders' commitment to a climate and energy transition that is fair, inclusive – respectful of the world’s citizens and of our planet’s resources. Beyond the objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, signatories to the new commitments also vow to strengthen efforts on adaptation to climate change and on alleviating energy poverty through a just transition. They further commit to engaging their citizens, businesses and local stakeholders in the transition, thus contributing to the European Climate Pact, an EU-wide initiative fostering participatory climate action towards a greener Europe. Local leaders are now being invited to endorse the renewed Covenant ambitions by presenting the 2050 commitment document to their local council for formal approval.

Further information

• The Covenant of Mayors new 2050 commitments (available in all official EU languages)
• FAQ (pdf; see pages 8 – 10 on renewing the Covenant commitments)
• Info session led by Climate Alliance (video)
• Info session presentations (pdf)
• High level session (video)
• Message from the EU Commissioner for Energy (video)
• Mayor's call to action (video)
• Covenant of Mayors – Europe survey
• EU Green Deal

Want to learn more? Contact Lucie Blondel at l.blondel(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

“The winning projects from across Europe highlight just how active and creative cities and towns are in their local climate protection efforts and what the local level is capable of. We congratulate all the Climate Star winners and wish both them and each of us continued success in local climate action”, commented Thomas Brose, Executive Director of Climate Alliance European Secretariat.

The winning projects convinced the international jury with a wide range of ideas: Ambitious climate and energy plans, a self-sufficient energy supply, attention-grabbing competitions for more sustainability in everyday life, innovative ideas for involving citizens in local climate action and creative approaches on how to save resources and reuse products. While the initiatives awarded were diverse, each Climate Star winner exemplified ambitious goals in support of heightened local climate action.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Climate Star winners at a glance
• Climate Star Brochure (pdf)
• Videos of winning projects
• Press release as a PDF
  

CONTACT
Helena Daum, Climate Alliance
T. +49 69 7171 39 -0
communications(at)climatealliance.org
     

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For over 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With more than 1,800 members spread across 27 European countries, Climate Alliance is the world’s largest city network dedicated to climate action and the only one to set tangible targets: each member city, town and district has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by ten percent every five years. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

Climate Alliance is supporting the scalability study of the ASSIST Model – an established and tested model for all entities providing an Integrated Contact Point (a home energy advisor or a group of advisors) to citizens facing energy vulnerability issues.

This survey is addressed to all municipalties that already offer similar services to citizens or are planning to set up such counselling services in the future. Local authorities are invited to complete the survey and share their views on the topic of energy poverty and their experiences. The survey is now available online and can be completed by 5 May.

Complete the survey now

You want to learn more? Contact Eva Suba at e.suba(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

Germany's move makes it the 24th country worldwide to have passed the convention and follows on Luxembourg ratification in 2018. Climate Alliance and its indigenous partners have been campaigning for the signing of this Convention for many years in several countries. In Germany, the network is part of the ILO 169 Coordination Group, which sees the Convention as a crucial step towards strengthening the rights of indigenous peoples.

"Through the destruction of the rainforest, indigenous peoples, the defenders of the forest, are exposed to multiple dangers that affect the climate on a regional and global level," explains Harol Rincón Ipuchima, Vice-President of Climate Alliance and Climate Coordinator of COICA, the umbrella organisation of indigenous organisations in the Amazon Basin. The territories of indigenous peoples and their traditional knowledge are of global importance for the preservation of biological and cultural diversity. The ILO Convention 169 is the only legally binding international instrument to protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

Learn more

• ILO 169 Coordination Group Germany (in German)
• Text of ILO Convention No. 169 (pdf)
• News of Luxembourg's decision to ratify in 2018
• Climate Alliance's indigenous cooperation

Since Climate Alliance’s founding, COICA has been one of the most important cooperation partners of our network. Aiming to support the indigenous peoples in their fight for legal recognition and the protection of their territories, Climate Alliance closely cooperates with COICA and its member organisations.

Read more

• COICA’s Declaration of the human rights emergency, 14 April 2021 (pdf)
• Climate Alliance’s cooperation with indigenous peoples

The calculator uses typical yearly consumption profiles of a variety of consumers. But users can also use their own consumption profile to calculate their optimal parameters more accurately.

Climate Alliance is promoting the new calculator as part of the Interreg project Store4HUC that aims at improving territorially based low-carbon energy planning strategies.

Learn more

• Optimal Sizing Calculator
• Infographic (pdf)
• Store4HUC

However, according to a is recent Committee of the Regions and CEMR’s joint consultation, ‘only a minority of Member States consult their local and regional authorities in the preparation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plans and that an even smaller number actually takes on their input.‘ This is for many reasons – and it risks jeopardizing the added value that cities can offer to the recovery and the Green Deal.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic kicked-in in Europe. We are one year down the line, and many people have found themselves suffering from having lost their jobs or for the economic punches their businesses received. Some are on the road to recovery. At this stage, one of the main objectives is to ensure that the multi-billion Recovery fund available from the European Union are put to the best use for citizens and businesses across Europe. Local leaders and Mayors are the ones in charge of implementing projects on the ground, and the first to be involved in this important mission.

Read more

• EU Recovery and Resilience Facility

Climate Alliance launches this competition as part of the SaMBA project consortium. The Interreg project researches and tests sustainable mobility behaviour in the Alpine region and wants to use this competition to draw the attention to existing best case examples and future visions. Videos with a maximum length of one minute and photos with a description can be submitted in English, Italian, German, French and Slovenian at samba(at)climatealliance.org.

Read more

• Competition details (pdf)
• SaMBA project

The EUCF supports municipalities with the development of investment concepts. With a funding amount of €60,000 as well as additional support offers, the EUCF is aiming at unlocking investments in sustainable energy projects, leading to accelerated implementation of local energy and climate action plans. More than 250 applications from across Europea were received in the first call for applications in 2020.

Read more

• Application
• EUCF project

The report was released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC) and shows for the first time just how important indigenous peoples are for the protection of the forests and therefore in the fight against climate change.

These findings reaffirm Climate Alliance’s principles and the network’s long-standing indigenous cooperation. Strong global partnerships are crucial to fight climate change and promote climate justice. Climate Alliance and its members support its indigenous partners in the Amazon basin to help them to fight for their rights and protect their territories.

Read more

• UN Report “Forest Governance by Indigenous and Tribal Peoples”
• Climate Alliance’s indigenous cooperation
• Funds for Amazonia

This way, Climate Alliance Luxembourg is supporting developments at the European level against the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement. Earlier this week, the European Ombudsman also accused the EU Commission of maladministration. Negotiations on the EU-Mercosur agreement were concluded at a time when the Sustainability Impact Assessment was not yet available and thus could not be included in the decision-making process.

Read more

• Climate Alliance resolution, October 2020 (pdf)
• EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

Dedicated actions also by municipalities are needed that actively contribute to alleviating energy poverty by identifying energy-poor tenants (and respective homeowners) as well as understanding and addressing their needs.

Climate Alliance is part of the ENPOR project to reduce energy poverty in the private rented sector, within which the report was developed. It is now available online.

Read more

• Report on Energy Poverty in the Private Rented Sector
• ENPOR Project

These murders affect a region where Climate Alliance supports the organisation FECONAU, the Federation of Indigenous Communities of the Ucayali. The organisation has been fighting against the illegal expansion of palm oil plnatations in their areas for many years. The activists are regularly confronted with threats, as was the case recently with Miguel Guimaraes. He and his family was able to be brought to a safe place thanks to numerous Climate Alliance member donations and other financial resources in late 2020.

Learn more

• FECONAU
• Interview with Miguel Guimaraes
• Climate Alliance’s indigenous cooperation

Selected projects will also receive a wide range of benefits, including public recognition by the UN Climate Change secretariat, attendance at COP 26, promotional videos/ photography and a dedicated page on the UN website.

The award aims to recognise climate action that is already achieving real results inthe following  three categories:

• Climate Neutral Now
• Climate Leaders
• Financing for Climate Friendly Investment

Completed applications must be submitted by 30 April 2021. To apply, you will need to first register on the UN application portal.

Learn more

• Application and more information
• Winners of the previous edition

Five years after signing of the Paris Agreement by states around the globe committing to reduce their emissions, municipalities have taken the opportunity to reaffirm this commitment on the local level. Their commitments within the framework of the Paris Declaration are ambitious. They range from creating a fair society and providing transparent information on climate policy progress to climate justice, the fight against energy poverty and the right to renewable energy for all citizens by 2050. These actions demonstrate once more the essential role local authorities play in fighting the global climate crisis.

Learn more

• Paris Declaration 2020 (pdf, in English and French)

In the last three years alone, the exhibition was shown in over 140 different member municipalities in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Romania and Hungary. With the exhibition, Climate Alliance wants to support municipalities in raising awareness amongst citizens on the global challenge of climate change. The exhibitions give climate change a face.

Currently, loans for 2021/22 are still possible. Interested municipalities can contact us at ausstellung(at)klimabuendnis.org.

Read more

• Exhibitions on climate justice

Climate Alliance is a partner of the Interreg Central Europe project Store4HUC, within which the tool was developed. The project promotes the integration and intelligent management of energy storage in historic city centres. The English and German version of the Autarky Rate Tool is now available online.

Learn more

• Autarky Rate Tool
• Autarky Rate Tool Infographic (pdf)
• Autarky Rate Tool workshop presentation (pdf)
• Store4HUC

As the Corona crisis made public transport less attractive and individual mobility gained importance, bicycles in particular enjoyed increased popularity. Many people had to restructure their routines in the course of the pandemic and dis-covered the bicycle for themselves. "It is not only in City Cycling that we have seen a strong increase in participants this year. Local authorities, too, are reporting a significant rise in cycling," explains André Muno of Climate Alliance.

Muno hopes that this newfound enthusiasm for cycling will remain after the pandemic. Some cities have already responded to changing transport behaviour with innovative and pragmatic approaches such as pop-up cycle paths. "I hope that this solution-oriented approach will continue. After all, a sustainable rise in cycling can only be ensured with well-developed cycling infrastructure," says Muno.

Climate Alliance will award the most successful municipalities in the City Cycling campaign prizes on 1 February 2021. Due to the Corona pandemic, the award ceremony will be held online.

_{City cycling is an international campaign of Climate Alliance and is supported by partners Ortlieb, ABUS, Busch + Müller, Stevens Bikes, MYBIKE, Paul Lange & Co, WSM and Schwalbe.}

Weitere Informationen

• City Cycling results for 2020
• City Cycling winners for 2020  (in German)
• City Cycling campaign website
• Press photos
• Press release as a pdf
• Heatmap of the routes of City Cycling 2020 in Germany (jpg)

Contacts

• André Muno, CITY CYCLING Campaign Director, Climate Alliance, T. +49 69 7171 39 -11, a.muno(at)climatealliance.org
• Sarah Mekjian, Communications Director, Climate Alliance, communications(at)climatealliance.org
  
  s.mekjian(at)klimabuendnis.org

_{CITY CYCLING
Climate Alliance’s international CITY CYCLING campaign invites members of municipal parliaments to get on their bikes, become climate action role models and promote cycling. They team up with citizens to cycle as many kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise people to cycling in everyday life and to boost awareness for bicycle traffic planning in municipal parliaments. With the RADar! digital reporting  platform and the MOVEBIS research project, CITY CYCLING contains two elements with which local authorities can improve cycling infrastructure with the help of their citizens. city-cycling.org}

_{THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With over 1,800 members spread across 27 European countries, Climate Alliance is the world’s largest city network dedicated to climate action and the only one to set tangible targets: each member city, town and district has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by ten percent every five years. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}       

As long as greenhous gas emissions do not come at a price, we will continue to treat those emissions as if they were non-existent. The solution to this problem is a price on CO2 emissions connected to the market. Carbon pricing is an important part of the strategy towards a low carbon economy.

Interested in participating? Contact Miguel Morcillo at m.morcillo(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

Read more
Carbon Pricing Model
Working Group CO₂ Pricing Model (pdf)

One representative per local authority will be appointed as contact person and will then be able to communicate with users from their own municipality. Climate Alliance members who are already using Change the Future and wish to use this new feature should contact the project team at climatejustice(at)climatealliance.org.

The Change the Future Tool offers communities, groups and individuals ways to get involved in creating a good life for all. The tool is giving people the opportunity to help instigate major changes by completing little activities aiming at starting a dialogue about sustainability – focusing on topics such as consumption, energy, mobility and nutrition.

Read more

• Change the Future Tool
• Guide (pdf)

The survey was conducted during the summer 2020, Climate Alliance members were also invited to participate. The survey outcomes will be used as basis to reposition the initiative in its new (policy, social, economic) context and transform it so that it best supports climate transition and empowers local authorities in the recovery process. This, in turn, will strongly influence EU policy regarding municipalities and climate in general. The full-text analysis of the survey results and the summary are now available online.

Read more

• Full-text analysis of the survey results (pdf)
• Summary of the survey results (pdf)
• Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy Europe

The new ENPOR project is devoted to alleviating energy poverty in the European Private Rented Sector (PRS) and aims at identifying energy poor tenants and landlords and understanding their needs. A key result will be the development of an Energy Poverty Dashboard, a digital mapping tool and a platform for knowledge exchange within and between different national contexts.

Read more

• ENPOR
• Kick-Off Press Release (PDF)

Climate Alliance promotes this survey in the framework of the EU funded project XPress that supports and facilitates collaborations between SMEs and the public sector for the development and adoption of renewables in regions. The survey is available in nine languages and is aimed at public buyers who procure green products and services.

Complete the survey

Read more

• Survey for SMEs
• Xpress project information
• www.xpress-h2020.eu

On 26 October, Climate Alliance organised an online vernissage together with its member city Munich and the photographer as part of the awareness raising campaign “A good life is simple”. The Facebook livestream of the event is now also available online.

Read more

• Virtual photo gallery
• Background information on the exhibition
• Facebook livestream online vernissage
• Awarness raising campaign „A good life is simple“

_{Photo: Tom Hegen}

With regard to the local level, the publication proposes to extend renovation requirements to all public buildings beyond the national level. Cities will therefore be faced with higher requirements for their town halls, schools and hospitals.

Climate Alliance has provided extensive input during the public consultations that had been conducted prior to the launch of the strategy. The network thus welcomes the proposal to increase technical assistance for local authorities. "We also appreciate the mentioned importance of sustainable renovation based on circular and nature-based solutions as well as the focus on social and economic elements of building renovation", says Jonas Rönnefarth from Climate Alliance. However, specific actions will be revealed only by the time existing legislation will be revised as outlined in the Action Plan annexed to the Strategy.

Read more

• Renovation Wave Strategy (pdf)
• News "Climate Alliance weighs in on EU Renovation Wave"
• Climate Alliance response to the first public consultation (PDF)
• Climate Alliance response to the second public consultation (PDF)
• Climate Alliance project work in the field of buildings and energy efficiency (e.g. Build Upon², PadovaFIT Expanded, SCORE, Falco, EUCF and CityInvest)

Alongside the report on the state of European climate change adaptation planning, the EEA has also published a second report, Monitoring and Evaluation of National Adaptation Policies Throughout the Policy Cycle, highlighting the importance of monitoring, reporting and evaluation. Both reports are out now and available for download.

Read more

• Report Urban Adaptation in Europe: How cities and towns respond to climate change (pdf)
• Report Monitoring and Evaluation of National Adaptation Policies Throughout the Policy Cycle (pdf)
• ETC project

For the first time, this year’s General Assembly took place as a digital event within the framework of the Climate Alliance Digital Days from 6 – 9 October. As in previous years, the next General Assembly is planned as part of the Climate Alliance International Conference in Wels, Austria, from 8 – 10 September 2021.

Read more

• Executive Board
• News on Robinson Lopéz Descanse’s death
• Climate Alliance International Conference

"The Free Trade Agreement is an agreement for large companies. It undermines environmental and social standards and, above all, threatens small farmers and family businesses," emphasises Rainer Handlfinger, member of the Climate Alliance board, who introduced the resolution in the General Assembly.

With the adoption of the resolution, the network of cities recognises its responsibility towards its indigenous partners in Amazonia and calls on the EU Commission to not undermine municipal efforts in climate protection with its trade policy. Instead, trade should be shaped in accordance with European climate goals and social standards.

"The EU-Mercosur trade agreement is a frontal attack against our climate targets, both as a network of municipalities and as citizens," comments Dietmar Mirkes, National Coordinator of Climate Alliance in Luxembourg, on the European Union's plans.

Since the Climate Alliance's beginnings 30 years ago, the network has stood alongside the indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin. The now adopted resolution was developed in cooperation with a number of other organisations of the Seattle2Brussels network.

Further information

• Climate Alliance resolution on the EU-MERCOSUR Trade Agreement
• Background information on the Climate Alliance Resolution
• Official EU information on the agreement
• Sustainability impact assessment for the free-trade agreement

Contacts

• Sarah Mekjian, Communications Director, Climate Alliance, communications@climatealliance.org
• Silke Lunnebach, Project Coordinator, Climate Alliance, s.lunnebach@climatealliance.org

The competition is being organised within the TANDEM project. Together with Energy Cities, Climate Alliance coordinates the project. The main objectives are the coordination of Franco-German climate protection partnerships and the support of the Franco-German Energy Transition Week, which takes place from 18 to 31 January 2021 and aims to initiate as many local actions as possible and thus raise public awareness of the energy transition.

Read more

• Ideas competition (in French)
• TANDEM

López Descanse was a representative of the Inga people and was born in the protected area of Chaluayaco in the municipality of Villagarzon Putyumayo, Colombia. He was involved in his community from an early age, having held various positions within the structure of the reserve. He presided over legal proceedings in defence of the territorial, social and cultural rights of the Inga people, served as the political leader of the "Minga of Resistance" for the rights of indigenous peoples of Putumayo, was the Human Rights and Peace Commissioner of the National Organisation of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC) and Commissioner of Rights before the National Commission for the Human Rights of the Indigenous Peoples of Colombia (CNDDHHPIC). Robinson López Descanse was a member of the Climate Alliance Board since 2018 and was elected COICA Coordinator for Climate Change and Biodiversity in the same year.

With the death of Robinson López Descanse, we and the Amazon rainforest have lost an important and dynamic champion of indigenous rights, the environment and climate protection. Robinson López Descanse’s passing has undoubtedly left a large void.

Read more

• Robinson López Descanse
• COICA Statement (in Spanish)

An inter-institutional crisis committee has been set up in the Brazilian community to initiate measures improving local health infrastructure. The committee is coordinating work with other organisations. With the help of ISA and Greenpeace, for example, 13 health stations have been established on indigenous territory. A contingency plan developed by ISA’s Rio Negro Program managed to raise R$2.2 million to purchase medical materials, hygiene products and implement communication measures, and with the help of Doctors without Borders, a COVID-19 reception center with 30 beds has gone into operation.

Further measures have been supported in partnership with Climate Alliance Austria’s partner FOIRN, the umbrella association for the Rio Negro’s indigenous organisations, including participation in biosecurity trainings for local teams, the facilitation of donations from companies and institutions, an analysis of the pandemic‘s development at the Rio Negro, and communications work as well as information material on COVID-19.

Indigenous peoples continue to face serious threats, however, such as the indigenous genocide being perpetrated by the Bolsonaro government and institutional racism. It is thus critical to draw public attention to these pressures as well.

Read more

• ISA
• Webinar: Next steps on the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement (17 September)
• Climate Alliance Corona Relief

The tool takes a two-step approach: preliminary assessment and main assessment. The first stage serves to determine whether the project in question is climate-relevant at all and whether it should be more carefully examined with regard to its climate impact. The main assessment then determines which fields of action are most affected and to what extent. Based on this, municipalities can define options for action and, if necessary, alternatives.

The climate impact assessment was developed in cooperation with the ifeu Institute as part of the German National Climate Protection Initiative project “Climate Action Management in Public Projects (KöP)”. Version 2.0 of the tool for German municipalities can now be downloaded free of charge.

Read more

• Climate Impact Assessment (Excel file, in German)
• Climate Action Management in Public Projects (KöP)
• First presentation of tool (pdf, in German)

Within the Climate Alliance project Climate Active Neighbourhoods (CAN) the campaign was continued and expanded to include the topics of energy-efficient building renovation and citizen participation. Frankfurt am Main, Germany, was one of the pilot cities that tested the new topics in practice. The city will offer the next Transition Tour on 5 September 2020.

The German manual for the implementation of the campaign is now available free of charge. An English version will follow shortly.

Read more

• Transition Tours
• Transition Tours – Guideline for municipalities (in German, pdf)
• Climate Active Neighbourhoods (CAN)
• Transition Tour in Frankfurt am Main

Climate Alliance is taking a two-pronged approach, to help its indigenous partners during these difficult times: direct aid by organising donation funds and raising awareness in Europe. A series of webinars, campaigns such as „A good life is simple“ and tools such as Climate Compass or the Change the Future Tool help raise awareness on the current situation in the Amazon Basin and topics like climate justice.

This year in particular, indigenous peoples in Amazonia and their territory are facing great risks. The Corona crisis is being exploitet to weaken democratic institutions and environmental safeguards. At the same time, the EU is poised to ratify a trade agreement with Mercosur, that is completely at odds with our climate goals and environmental standards – with dramatic impacts on indingenous peoples.

Learn more

• Mailing for Indigenous Peoples‘ Day
• Webinar “The next steps on the EU-Mercosur Trad Agreement” (17 September)
• Corona Relief Fund
• Further Amazonia Funds
• Climate Alliance‘s Indigenous Cooperation

Want to learn more? Contact us at climatejustice@climatealliance.org for more information.

Both awards honour cities’ commitments to environmental, social and economic sustainability. The financial prizes are supposed to contribute to achieving their sustainability visions. Being a European Green Capital brings many benefits including a greater focus on environmental projects, increased tourism and foreign investment, boosting the local economy and helping to create employment. Winners and shortlisted cities also gain access to the exclusive European Green Capital Network, providing them with support and a platform for sharing knowledge and best practice.

There is still time to enter as applications close on 28 October 2020. The competitions are open for towns and cities from EU Member States, EU Candidate Countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Learn more

• Award portal
• Eligibility check Green Capital Award
• Eligibility check Green Leaf Award

This year, the Climate Alliance's cycling campaign has experienced continued success. With 1,402 registrations, CITY CYCLING has already surpassed last year’s record number of participating. This year the campaign is being supported by state funding in ten of Germany’s thirteen federal states. The campaign is also becoming increasingly popular abroad with French municipalities taking part for the first time. The French region of Alsace Central, for example, participated with its sister region of Emmendingen in Germany with the support of the Interreg project SaMBA. Another example is the French municipality Val d’Alzette, which is participating in this year's campaign as part of the TANDEM project.

These preliminary results are a boon for CITY CYCLING in this unusual year. Recently, the campaign has also been given its own podcast, in which many topics related to CITY CYCLING and bicycle traffic are being discussed. Since 2008, the campaign has been inviting local authorities to take part in a cycling competition and thus lead by example by promoting cycling as a sustainable transport alternative.

Read more

• CITY CYCLING
• Registration
• CITY CYCLING - The Podcast (in German)
• The SaMBA project on mobility behaviour
• The Tandem project on Franco-German city partnerships

The platform brings together local actors from industry, science, municipalities and associations. The main goal is to build a network community. Users can present their work on the platform as well as learn and benefit from each other through the exchange of knowledge and experience. A built-in translation feature helps overcome possbile language barriers.

The published user manual is intended to illustrate and simplify the handling of the platform. The manual is now available in German and English.

Read more

• EC-Link Platform
• User Manual
• Project information on EC-Link

Want to learn more? Contact Nina Stiehr at n.stiehr(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

The Renovation Wave aims to increase energy efficiency and reduce building emissions within the European Union. As such, Climate Alliance sees it as central pillar of the European Green Deal. Bringing together lessons learnt from the activities of its member municipalities as well as its extensive project work on the topic, the city network has identified five keys to making the programme a success. These five pillars include:

• Increased ambition to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement
• Empowerment of municipalities through financial and technical support
• Promotion of one-stop-shops to bring together demand and supply side
• Alleviation of energy poverty to ensure affordable energy for all citizens
• Protection of natural resources through use of local and natural materials

Climate Alliance will continue its work in the field of building energy efficiency, helping European municipalities and contributing to the success of EU programmes on the topic.

Further information

• Climate Alliance response to the first public consultation (PDF)
• Climate Alliance response to the second public consultation (PDF)
• Climate Alliance project work in the field of buildings and energy efficiency (e.g. Build Upon², PadovaFIT Expanded, SCORE, Falco, EUCF and CityInvest)

Want to know more? Contact Silvia Nanni at s.nanni(at)climatealliance.org or Jonas Rönnefarth at j.roennefarth(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

“This agreement would undermine our member municipalities' efforts over the last 30 years to fight against climate change and for climate justice,” explains Madlie Le Bihan of Climate Alliance’s Climate Justice team. “Any agreement struck with the Bolsonaro government will be an endorsement of environmentally and socially disastrous policies for which our towns, our cities and our citizens, not to mention our indigenous partners in Amazonia and countless ecosystems on which we all rely, will have to pay dearly.”

The long negotiations for the trade agreement between the European Union and the so-called Mercosur states of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay were concluded in June 2019 although the agreement’s sustainability impact assessment was only finalised in July 2020. Analysis shows that the agreement would greatly bolster industries that are already key contributors to the climate crisis, increasing imports of agricultural products from Mercosur countries and exports of vehicles and chemicals, among other products. Beef and soy, perhaps the industries that stand to profit most, are already the main drivers of illegal logging and deforestation in the Amazon Basin.

Although the EU is currently preparing the agreement for signature, it is questionable how it can claim to uphold its climate goals while ratifying the current version of the trade deal. The German Federal Government, which now holds the EU Council Presidency, has set its sights on closing the agreement this November.

Further information

• The Just World Trade initiative (in German)
• Survey of public sentiment about the agreement
• Voices of Climate Alliance’s indigenous partners

_{Photo: Uwe Hiksch}

For the last two years, Climate Alliance has led the consortium heading up the new Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat for the European Commission. The first EU-wide initiative of its kind to mainstream transition management and multi-stakeholder commitments, its success thus far is due in large part to the so-called quadruple helix approach in which collaboration between public and private stakeholders is carefully balanced. The secretariat thus supports civil society organisations, local authorities, local businesses and academic and educational institutions work together to advance the clean energy transition on their islands as a community effort. Climate Alliance’s long tradition of working with small towns and communities on climate issues through civil society and citizen engagement has made the network a strategic player throughout the secretariat’s development.

Moving forward, the Clean Energy EU Islands Initiative will continue to support islands in their transition agendas while promoting citizen participation, renewable energy communities and the exchange of good practice.

Further information
•    Clean Energy for EU Islands
•    Islands Transition Handbook (pdf)

From 2015 to 2019, Climate Alliance collaborated with De Montfort University and ten other consortium members to establish social platforms on water challenges via POWER, helping pilot them in Leicester (UK), Milton Keynes (UK), Jerusalem (ISR) and Sabadell (ES). The platforms feature best practices as well as gamification to encourage engagement. So far, more than 16,000 people have visited the platforms created through the project and thousands have taken part in associated activities. POWER has demonstrated that the use of smart technologies supported by innovative engagement models can play an key role in addressing areas with significant environmental impact.

Learn more

• POWER project received Governance Award
• POWER project
• De Montfort University

Climate Alliance members are also called upon to share their views on the future of the initiative, whether they are already involved in the Covenant of Mayors or not. The survey is including topics such as climate emergency and climate justice. Filling in this survey should require less than 15 minutes. It is available in 23 languages and will be open until 15 September 2020.

The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy is a movement of more than 10,000 local authorities throughout Europe and beyond. Climate Alliance has helped manage and shape the Covenant of Mayors since the initiative’s founding in 2008.

Further information

• Survey
• Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

• Climate and Energy Charter of the cities and municipalities (in German)
• Ratification (in German)
• Climate Alliance Switzerland (in German)

• Green Footprint Campaign
• Registration
• Materials

Want to learn more? Contact Claudia Schury at c.schury(at)klimabuendnis.org for more information.

This year’s competition is running under the motto, “We are change – success stories in local climate action”. In everyday life, at work or in the transition to a better world – change affects us all, especially in times like these. Yet change also offers the opportunity to initiate a sustainable transformation and to break new ground. This is exactly why Climate Alliance is looking for success stories from its members. For the first time, the Climate Star is also being awarded in the Change the Future special category. Change the Future is an online tool from Climate Alliance that promotes local commitment to climate protection.

30 October 2020 marks application deadline for the 9th Climate Star. Climate Alliance members from across Europe as well as municipal networks of member municipalities can participate. As in previous editions of the Climate Star, the city network will award the winners at a gala ceremony on 22 April 2021 at Schloss Grafenegg in Lower Austria.

Further information

• Application
• Competition details
• Change the Future special category

Want to learn more? Contact us at communications(at)climatealliance.org for further information.

A transparent application process available in a variety of European languages will allow municipalities to respond to the call within the limits of their resources. Throughout the entire process, country experts will support municipalities in their native language. Applications will be evaluated based on energy savings ambition and expected investment as well as qualitative criteria such as stakeholder engagement and governance.

The initial duration of the call has been extended until 2 October due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As energy savings and investments can be increased by pooling sustainable energy projects, the EUCF recommends that local authorities join their forces and resources and submit joint applications.

More information

• EUCF Application
• Guidelines for Applicants (pdf)
• Fact Sheet (pdf)

Want to learn more? Contact Tatjana Veith at t.veith(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

The annual report is now available for download in German and English.

English (pdf) | German (pdf)

Want to learn more? Contact us at communications(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

Donations to the fund will enable rapid support for indigenous peoples in the following areas: prevention and protection measures, food and medical supplies, emergency evacuation, food sovereignty and resilience. A full 100 percent of each donation will go directly to indigenous communities and organisations confronted with COVID-19 in the Amazon Basin. The fund is fiscally sponsored by the Rainforest Foundation U.S. Grant, but all governance decisions will be carried out in strict coordination with the Founding Solidarity Circle.

Climate Alliance will be forwarding all donations collected thus far in support indigenous organisations managing the COVID-crisis to the newly launched Amazon emergency fund.

More information

• Amazon Emergency Fund
• Climate Alliance Funds
• About COICA

Want to learn more? Contact Silke Lunnebach at s.lunnebach@climatealliance.org for more information.

The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy is a movement of more than 10,000 local authorities throughout Europe and beyond. Xesco Gomar Martín, Deputy President of the Province of Barcelona, represents Climate Alliance on the Covenant of Mayors – Europe Board. The 30-year old city network has helped manage and shape the Covenant of Mayors since the initiative’s founding in 2008.

Further information

• Open letter from the Covenant of Mayors – Europe Board (pdf)
• Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy
• Quote by Xesco Gomar Martín on Barcelona's COVID-19 action (pdf)
• Ghent’s Relaunch Taskforce

While the long-running campaign will be characterised by the Corona crisis this year, campaign director André Muno of Climate Alliance sees no reason for can-cellation: "The bicycle is currently the most reasonable means of transportation and enables people to cover everyday distances with a low infection risk. In addition, cycling promotes health and can help counteract the boredom associated with lockdown restrictions while maintaining physical distance.”

A community feeling is also an important theme for the campaign this year. In times of contact restrictions, Muno stresses the advantages of collecting kilome-tres by cycling together in digital teams as a good way to overcome current limitations while cycling towards a common goal. Climate Alliance is thus also awarding a special prize this year to municipalities that mobilise participation with particularly creative activities.

In the framework of the City Cycling campaign, local politicians and citizens pedal together on 21 consecutive days between May and October. They thus experience the advantages of cycling first hand and set an example while promoting cycling, climate action and quality of life. More than 400,000 people from 1,127 municipalities took part in last year’s campaign, covering more than 77 million kilometres by bicycle.

Municipalities and cyclists worldwide can register for City Cycling 2020 through October.

^{CITY CYCLING is an international campaign of Climate Alliance and is supported by the partners Ortlieb, ABUS, Busch + Müller, Stevens Bikes, MYBIKE, Paul Lange & Co., WSM and Schwalbe.}

Further information

• City Cycling website
• Press photos for use
• This press release as a pdf

Contacts

• André Muno, City Cycling Campaign Director, Climate Alliance, +49 69 717139-11, a.muno(at)climatealliance.org

• Sarah Mekjian, Communications Director, Climate Alliance, s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

_{CITY CYCLING
The international CITY CYCLING campaign by Climate Alliance invites members of municipal parliaments to get on their bikes, become climate action role models and promote cycling. They team up with citizens to cycle as many kilometres as possible for their municipality on 21 consecutive days between May and September. The campaign aims to sensitise people to cycling in everyday life and to boost awareness for bicycle traffic planning in municipal parliaments. There are awards and prizes to be won – but above all, an environment worth living in with less pollution, fewer exhaust fumes and less noise. With the campaign’s RADar! digital reporting platform, local authorities can also enable citizens to report damages and necessary improvements to cycling infrastructure.
city-cycling.org}

These CSA projects, which focus on awareness raising and communication, coordination and support services, policy dialogues, mutual learning exercises, strategic planning and networking, are currently co-funded by the EU under the Horizon 2020 programme at a rate of 80%. As of 2021, EU funding for energy transition CSAs will be transferred from the Horizon 2020 Programme to the LIFE Programme.

In response, Climate Alliance is calling for action to ensure municipalities’ central role in the energy transition and as part of the EU Green Deal. At a time of great uncertainty due to COVID-19, funding programmes such as Horizon 2020 and LIFE are more essential for local authorities than ever. Securing a high level of co-financing is of the essence for the continuation of local level climate action activities.

Further information

• Open letter
• European Commission’s publication consultation on 2021 – 2027 LIFE Programme
• Latest calls for LIFE project proposals

Want to learn more? Contact Silvia Nanni at s.nanni(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 21 April 2020. The COVID-19 virus is posing an enormous threat to the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Basin. After the devastating fires of 2019, Climate Alliance’s partner COICA, representing Amazonian indigenous organisations, has once again declared a state of emergency.

"The situation is really difficult. The military is failing to check boats and trans-porters. The sluggish delivery of food and medical supplies to the communities is also happening without any protection,“ comments Lizardo Cauper, president of AIDESEP, Peru’s indigenous peoples association.

In the declaration, COICA and the indigenous organisations of all nine Amazon Basin countries point to the particular vulnerability of indigenous peoples, which often lack access to health care. The few health centres that exist are often only staffed by a single nurse if at all and neither intensive care beds nor ventilators are available. The immune system of the indigenous population is also not equipped for such diseases.

In its statement, COICA also draws attention to the companies that are disregarding government calls to halt activities. Many are now entering areas unchecked and carrying on with illegal deforestation, mining and oil production. Those involved pose an additional threat as potential transmitters of the Corona virus.

Climate Alliance has stood alongside the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Basin since its founding 30 years ago. The city network is also advocating for its indigenous partners in this crisis and has launched a call for donations with the Institute for Ecology and Action Ethnology (INFOE).

Further information

• The Amazon Declaration (EN | ES)
• Climate Alliance and INFOE’s call for donations (EN | ES)
• This press release as pdf (EN | ES)
• Image of Yarinacocha, Peru, for further use (jpg) | Photo: Tereza Soria Gonzales

Contacts

• Silke Lunnebach, Climate Alliance, T. +49 69 7171 39 -32, s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org
• Elke Falley-Rothkopf, INFOE, T. +49 221 73928-71, elke(at)infoe.de

_{INFOE
The Institute for Ecology and Action Ethnology has been supporting indigenous organisations in the defense of their environment, rights and cultures since 1987. With its activities, INFOE promotes the demands and needs of its indigenous partners. The current focus areas are the protection of climate, forests, indigneous territories and indigenous rights as well as the SDGs, the UN Principles on Business and Human Rights and hydropower mega-projects. infoe.de}

_{CLIMATE ALLIANCE
For 30 years, Climate Alliance member municipalities have been acting in partnership with indigenous rainforest peoples for the benefit of the global climate. With over 1,800 members spread across 27 European countries, Climate Alliance is the world’s largest city network dedicated to climate action and the only one to set tangible targets: each member city, town and district has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by ten percent every five years. Recognising the impact our lifestyles can have on the world's most vulnerable people and places, Climate Alliance pairs local action with global responsibility. climatealliance.org}

^{Photo: Tereza Soria Gonzales}

This year again, the campaign will be supported by numerous federal states in Germany. Contact your regional representatives to see if they are planing to support CITYCYCLING for cities in your area this year.

Read more

• Registration
• City Cycling

Want to learn more? Contact Katrin Jurisch at k.jurisch(at)climatealliance.org for more information.

alpine-space.eu/projects/e-smart

The large number of registrations for last week's webinar proves once more that municiaplities across Europe are in need of such intiatives. The EUCF supports local authorities from the EU and the UK to develop investment concepts for accelerating the implementation of their energy and climate action plans.

Learn more

• Launch Webinar
• EUCF

The small community had been fighting for years against a developer of oil palm plantations that disputed community-owned areas. With the help of the FECONAU indigenous organisation and the support of European partners, the inhabitants have now secured their land rights and thus taken an important step in protecting their community and the rainforest.  

Climate Alliance has been committed to the rights of indigenous peoples of the Amazon Basin since its founding 30 years ago. Individual member municipalities are particularly active in this respect, as in the case of Santa Clara de Uchunya the German Climate Alliance member Bühl. The long-standing dispute in Peru is, among other things, also the basis for the partnership between the city of Cologne, Germany, and the community of Yarinacocha, in which FECONAU is also active.

Read more

• Climate Alliance and its indigenous partners
• About FECONAU

_{Photo: FECONAU}

The recently concluded webinar series explored topics ranging from assessing risks and the design of an adaptation action plan to their evaluation and financing. These Climate Alliance-supported webinars for the Covenant of Mayors featured examples from Climate Alliance members such as Gent (BE) and Guimarães (PT). Climate Alliance also shared information on nature-based solutions resulting from the CONNECTING Nature project. The four webinars and further information are now available online.

Also now available for download via the Covenant of Mayors is a new publication on the pressing topic of energy poverty. The brochure, elaborated with Climate Alliance’s support, shares energy monitoring tools and policy materials as well as recommendations on how to involve citizens in energy poverty projects and how to finance such projects.

Learn more

• Webinar series on adaptation to climate change
• Publication on alleviating energy poverty (pdf)
• CONNECTING Nature
• The Covenant of Mayors

_{Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash}

Congratulations to the winners! The winners can look forward to a wooden game of skill, each of which is produced by a joinery from their region.

Within the scope of the contest, a total of twelve videos were sent in, all of which deal with the impact and benefits of local wood.

Read more
•    CaSCo Youtube Channel
•    About the award

Cities are under increasing pressure to make use of innovative financing schemes while the financial engineering itself gets more and more complex. The EUCF helps counter these hurdles with a streamlined application process and experts in each EU Member State for tailored technical support in municipalities’ respective national languages. The facility will also encourage the bundling of projects and blending of funds to help smaller municipalities access funding.

Climate Alliance will be working with project partners Energy Cities, Fedarene, Adelphi and Enviros to coordinate applications. The first call will be launched in May with a webinar on how to apply slated for 7 April.

Learn more

• www.eucityfacility.eu
• www.climatealliance.org/activities/projects/eucf
• Via twitter at @eucityfacility

You can watch the 3-minute short films on the CaSCo youtube channel. The videos that receive the most clicks and likes by 27 February will be awarded as winning videos.

Many thanks to all participants and good luck!

Further information

•    CaSCo Youtube channel
•    About the award

• www.climatealliance.org/activities
• www.nweurope.eu/projects
• RegEnergy-Newsletter (pdf)

• About the Covenant of Mayors 2020 Awards
• About the application form
• About the Covenant of Mayors 2020 Ceremony

• COP25 - The Results
• Climate Alliance @COP25

1. COUNTRY EXPERTS

Small and medium-sized cities often fail to access centrally managed EU funds and programmes. A decentralised approach based on a direct interface with local target groups has a much higher impact and outreach than centrally managed support and communication in English.

For each EU Member State, the consortium will therefore appoint a Country Expert, whose role will be to support cities and the Core Management Team for a smooth EUCF operation and monitoring.  Country Experts will be selected based on their proven technical and financial competences, local working experience in the field of energy and climate investments, existing contacts with cities, best value for money and references. We are looking for Country Experts in the following countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg.

The country experts will be coordinated by the EUCF Core Management Team who will ensure that they have a common understanding of the EUCF and provide high quality support to cities.
Please find the detailed call here.


2. NATIONAL NETWORKS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES

In order to recruit potential applicants from all over Europe, the consortium (consisting of adelphi, Energy Cities, Enviros, FEDARENE and Climate Alliance) will need the support of national partners to promote and disseminate the EUCF. Therefore, one network of local authorities will be contracted per EU Member State.

The tasks will include the organisation of an information session for potential EUCF beneficiaries in the country, several webinars, general promotion and dissemination activities, among other things. The national network will focus on the promotional activities and will liaise with the country expert or the Core Management team for technical questions, while a technical helpdesk willl be run by the consortium and the country experts for their respective countries.
Please find the detailed call here.

DEADLINE: 15th of January 2020 COB

Contact: info(at)eucityfacility.eu

• Photos from the handover  (available as of 16:00 on 07 December 2019)
• 2019’s participants came from Austria, Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland
• Campaign results (pdf) | Campaign info sheet (pdf)
• Several hopes from participating children and statements of participating schools (pdf)
• Hopes and demands from Chilean pupils
• Campaign website: zoom-kidsforclimate.eu
• This press release as pdf

Contacts

• Claudia Schury
  +49 69 7171 39-22
  c.schury(at)climatealliance.org
  
  
• Angela Hanisch
  +49 69 7171 39-12
  a.hanisch(at)climatealliance.org 

_{THE GREEN FOOTPRINTS CAMPAIGN
Since 2002, Climate Alliance’s Green Footprints has been helping children across Europe learn about the influ-ences of their daily actions on the climate and encouraging them to become role models for both their parents and climate politicians. During at least a one week period, children in participating classes collect so-called ‘green footprints’ for every sustainable trip completed via public transport, bike or foot as well as for other environmen-tally-friendly habits such as sustainable nutrition. These footprints are presented to the participants and politicians at the UNFCCC’s annual Climate Conferences. zoom-kidsforclimate.eu}  

Read more

• Climate Alliance at COP25
• Forest Fires in Amazonia
• Deforestation and indigenous rights in Brazil

• About the project BUILD UPON²
• About the World Green Building Council
• The “Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment”

• www1.diba.cat

• www.euractiv.com
• Cities and towns are declaring a climate emergency

• Guidebook “Project Development Assistance”

Climate Alliance supports its members in achieving their voluntary commitments of reducing CO₂ emissions by ten percent every five years and to halving per capita emissions by 2030 (base year 1990). Among other activities, the network advocates for an improved legal framework for local authorities and for heightened recognition of their role in the European climate and energy policy, as well as for funding opportunities for local authorities for the implementation of their climate strategies. Climate Alliance is involved in several EU funded projects and is looking for an experienced project manager to support its team in the areas of innovative financing and energy efficient buildings.

YOUR TASKS
Project management focusing on:

• Daily management and liaison with project partners and national and municipal stakeholders
• Liaison with the European Commission and further donors
• Coordination and organisation of events and webinars, such as on financing sustainable energy investments
• Reviewing (country specific) reports on sustainable energy investments, as well as Sustainable
• Energy and Climate Action Plans
• Communication, capacity building and peer-to-peer learning activities in cities across Europe
• (Financial) reporting
• Ensuring the timely delivery of the project deliverables
• Ensuring synergies with related projects, the Climate Alliance permanent working groups as well as related policy work carried out by Climate Alliance

QUALIFICATIONS

Required skills:

• 5 years of experience in project management
• Fluency in spoken and written English, proficiency in French and other EU languages is an asset (should Frankfurt be the place of work, German fluency is required)
• Strong communication skills in written and public-speaking formats,
• Excellent organisational skills, the ability to multitask and to work in a team
• Proactive approach and a high level of autonomy
• Willingness to travel within the EU frequently

Preferred education & experience:

• Profound knowledge of EU funding and EU policy in the field of climate, energy, sustainable financing and energy efficient buildings
• Experience in the management of EU funded projects
• Experience in working with local authorities
• Knowledge of energy efficiency business models (such as energy performance contracting, one-stop-shops etc.)
• Master’s Degree in relevant field (e.g. environment, energy, climate change, urban and regional planning, EU policy); a background in economics is an asset

CONTRACT

The corresponding assignment is based on a full-time basis initially for 2 years and will start as soon as possible based at the Climate Alliance Secretariat either in Brussels, Belgium or Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

APPLICATION

To apply, please send a motivation letter and your CV to Andreas Kress at europe(at)climatealliance.org  by 11 December 2019.

Applicants must have the legal right to be employed in the EU. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

View this job offer as a pdf

CONTACT
Andreas Kress
+49 69 7171 39 -0
europe(at)climatealliance.org

• Covenant of Mayors Delegation
• Programme of the delegation
• Application form – Closing date 13 December 2019

• www.euislands.eu
• The Aran Islands will install community-owned wind power, retrofit homes, and deploy heat pumps or other renewable energy sources for domestic hot water and space heating
• The Cres-Lošinj archipelago aims to completely decarbonise its energy system by 2040. This will be done in part through community-owned solar farms.
• Culatra will work towards 100% renewable energy self-consumption, which will be owned by the local community.
• La Palma aims for full decarbonisation and self-sufficiency in the energy sector. The island transition team puts a strong focus on building a resilient island energy system, actively involving the more than 100 local associations who committed to supporting the island’s transition.
• Salina aims to increase public awareness on energy and environment. Salina will decarbonise its power generation plants, switch to 100% electric/hybrid mobility on the Island, increase efficiency in its buildings and decarbonise its maritime transport.
• Sifnos aims to become 100% renewable and self-sufficient, and has developed a number of pathways the island could follow to achieve this goal. Any installations will be co-owned by the local community and private investors.

Learn more

• Islands Transition Handbook (pdf)
• Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat

Increasing digitalisation of public procurement and stronger networking of electronic procurement systems at federal, state and local level would have the advantage of making it easier to collect and compare data. This data could then be used to continuously optimise awarding practice. In addition, Germany should invest in the professionalization of its procurers. Many of them are generalists, lacking the specific training often required in this area.

Read more

• Article in the magazine C.ebra (in German)
• OECD study (in English)

Climate Alliance is part of the SaMBA consortium. The project is made possible via the EU’s Interreg programme.

Read more

• Report on Reward/Pricing Policies for Behaviour Change (pdf)
• Co-creation of reward/pricing schemes: methodology (pdf)
• about the EU project SaMBA
• Contact via Janina Emge, j.emge(at)climatealliance.org

• BRIGAID (Antwerp, Berlin, Tirana, Valladolid)
• INSPIREWATER (Tarragona)
• RainAhead (Lübeck)

In addition, the authors of the ten best ideas submitted for the POWER Idea Contest for Sustainable Communities were honoured. Throughout the course of the contest more than 140 innovative proposals were submitted. The winning ideas from eight European countries will now be further developed together with water and sustainability experts and supported in their implementation.

• List of ideas

Read more

• About the EU project POWER

• lab24.ilsole24ore.com

• www.power-h2020.eu

• About the award via Christiane Kretschmer, Tel. +49-69-717139-38, c.kretschmer(at)climatealliance.org
• About the project CaSCo

Futher information

• Video of the the Regiostars winners
• Regiostar website
• Climate Active Neighbourhoods website
• Climate Active Neighbourhoods's Practice Cube, a collection of best practices
• Climate Active Neighborhoods brochure (pdf)

_{Photo: European Commission Representation Belgium, via Twitter}

The statement calls for a halt to Mercosur talks until deforestation and human rights abuses are stopped as well as the legal recognition of indigenous territories and the ratification of ILO Convention 169 on indigenous rights. The declaration of support was passed during the 28th Climate Alliance International Conference, where 175 participants representing municipalities, NGOs and governmental organisations from 18 countries have gathered to discuss topics including climate policy, climate justice, sustainable mobility and community engagement in climate action. The event also marks 25 or more years of dedicated Climate Alliance membership for 195 municipalities. This year’s conference is part of Rostock’s climate week from 22 to 27 September.

Futher information

• Declaration of support, voted by the Climate Alliance General Assembly (updated on 28.10.2019)
• Photos for use by the press
• Open letter from COICA
• Information on Amazonia in flames
• 2019 Climate Alliance International Conference
• COICA as Climate Alliance partner organisation
• Climate emergency declarations of Climate Alliance members
• Climate Alliance member list
• Rostock Climate Week (pdf, in German)
• This press release as pdf

• www.euractiv.com

Further information available via Twitter: @eucityfacility.eu

• Video of the event with the interview and the lecture

Read more

• leicester.power-h2020.eu

• ec.europa.eu/futurium

• Website EC-Link
• Users’ Guide for the platform
• Registration site of the platform
• About the EC-Link project

“The protection of indigenous territories in the Amazon translates directly to rainforest protection and thus climate protection,” explains López, who himself has been the subject of death threats along with several of his colleagues. Especially in Brazil, President Bolsonaro’s plans to massively develop the Amazon rainforest including indigenous lands have triggered further encroachment and deforestation. In June 2019 alone, 769km² of rainforest was cleared in Brazil, an increase of 60 percent on June 2018. The July murder of indigenous leader Emyra Wajãpi in connection with Brazilian mining interests is the latest incident in what has proven to be a rising trend. In his video message, Katan describes how more than 80 indigenous leaders and environmental activists were killed in 2018 in Latin America alone. Both videos come just before the publication of an IPCC report on climate change and land, widely expected to highlight the role of forests in the fight against climate change.

Further information

• Video on ILO 169 ratification, Robinson López Descanse
• Video on murders, Tuntiak Katan by AGCT
• Further videos of indigenous leaders supporting ILO 169 ratification
• IWGIA condemns killing of indigenous leader in Brazil
• ILO 169 Coordination Group (Germany) website and Facebook page (in German)
• COICA declaration in defence of indigenous activists (in Spanish)
• Climate Alliance Austria Article on Amazonian deforestation (in German)
• IPCC report on Climate Change and Land
• This press release as pdf.

CONTACTS

• Thomas Brose, Executive Director, Climate Alliance, T. +49-69-717139-31, t.brose(at)climatealliance.org
• Sarah Mekjian, Communication Director, Climate Alliance, T. +49-69-717139-20, s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

Joint press release by Climate Alliance, Climate Alliance Austria, the Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica (COICA) and the Alianza Global de Comunidades Territoriales (AGCT).

_{Photo: Juliana Radler/ISA}

• Green growth and eco-innovation
• Sustainable land use
• Waste management
• Sustainable urban mobility

The expert panel, made up of 12 environmental experts, plays an integral role in the awards process. Both the EGCA and EGLA competitions involve a two-step evaluation process. When cities apply for the award and are deemed eligible each application is reviewed and assessed by the expert panel.

Signed applications must be sent by 30 August 2019.

Read more about the role of the panel and the experts or how to apply

• Search for experts
• Expert panel

• Brochure “Adaptation to Climate Change”
• Project website

Read more

• Climate Neighbourhoods Newsletter
• about the Climate Neighbourhoods
• about the ICCA2019
• about the Youth Climate Summit
• about the Climate Action Festival

• Regiostar Website
• Public choice award voting
• CAN website
• CAN's Practice Cube, a collection of best practices
• CAN Brochure

_{Photo: Jacques Kok}

• ec.europa.eu/eusurvey (in all EU languages)

The ICCA2019 was hosted by the German Federal Environmental Ministry, the State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Heidelberg. The Climate Neighbourhoods as part of the ICCA were organised by Climate Alliance and ifeu – Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg.

While the ICCA aimed at political leaders, the Climate Neighbourhoods addressed local administration, the youth, companies and civil society. ICCA's guiding question “How can vertical and horizontal cooperation lead to the intensification and dissemination of climate mitigation activities and adaptation to climate change?” was modified to fit the Climate Neighbourhoods context into “How can horizontal cooperation on local level lead to scaling up of solutions?”.

The answers to these two questions are summarised in the Partnership Declaration on Collaborative Climate Action, which will be fed into the international dialogue, and the Heidelberg Outcomes, both documents developed in consultation with Climate Alliance.

Read more

• The interview with Andreas Wolter (pdf)
• About the Climate Neighbourhoods
• About the ICCA2019
• The Heidelberg Outcomes paper
• The Partnership Declaration on Collaborative Climate Action

• www.interreg-central.eu
• Descriptions of the projects in the four historical centres (pdf)
• This press release as pdf.

Contact

• Dr. Wolfgang Hofstetter, Tel. +49-69-717139-13, w.hofstetter(at)climatealliance.org

The Convention is the only international norm to date that guarantees indigenous peoples legally binding protection and entitlement to a wide range of fundamental rights. The International Labour Organisation also calls on states such as Germany, where no indigenous peoples live, to ratify the Convention. Ratification helps protect indigenous peoples’ rights and raises awareness of these rights internationally while also contributing to climate protection.

This is the first of a number of statements that Climate Alliance will publish on the way to the International Day of Indigenous Peoples on 9 August.

Today, Climate Alliance and its indigenous partners are in Bonn to stand up for indigenous rights at the SBSTA, one of the most important preparatory meetings of the UN Climate Conference.

Further information

• Video statement from Gregorio Mirabal
• Video statement from Tuntiak Katan
• Video statement from Nazaret Flores
• Video of deforestation in Brasil
• More about ILO169
• Factsheet: Demands of the German Government (in German)
• Amazonian Waterway SBSTA framework event

_{Photo: Gregorio Mirabal during the SBSTA in Bonn}

"Current targets at national and international levels are not sufficient to meet the ambition of the Paris Agreement. Everyone must do more. Declaring a climate emergency locally is a way to show that our cities, towns and regions are taking climate issues seriously. That is why my city, Cologne, is in the process of preparing and agreeing upon its own Climate Emergency Declaration. I encourage Climate Alliance members to do the same and join this global movement!" explains Andreas Wolter, Climate Alliance President and Mayor of Cologne.

Dare to be as ambitious as possible and feel free to use and adapt our template as needed. We’ll be in touch soon with videos to help you convince your municipal councils, example resolutions and hints on what to do after the emergency has been declared!

Further information

• Climate Emergency page
• Resolution template (doc)
• Resolution template (pdf)

Contacts

• Sarah Mekjian, Tel. +49-69-717139-20, s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org
• Andy Deacon, Tel. +32 2 400 1061, a.deacon(at)climatealliance.org 

Eight pilot cities will actively be involved in the project: Budaörs (Hungary); Dublin (Ireland); Eskişehir (Turkey); Leeds (UK); Madrid (Spain); Padova (Italy); Velika Gorica (Croatia) and Wroclaw (Poland). The cities will develop a multi-level renovation impact framework containing milestones and measurable progress indicators including: emissions reductions, increased employment and improved health. By capturing data at a local level, the framework will link renovation to policy and decision making processes at a national level. The overall aim of the project is to have 10 cities establishing strategies to decarbonise their building stock by 2050.  

BUILD UPON² will be led by a consortium of eight national green building councils working with the Buildings Performance Institute Europe and the municipal net-work Climate Alliance, which leads the Covenant of Mayors European Office, representing more than 7,000 local and regional authorities.

In the future, the framework will be used as a blueprint for the EU’s EPBD imple-mentation and cities signed up to the Covenant of Mayors in their efforts to tackle the decarbonisation of their building stock, as well as for governments worldwide looking for guidance in their national building strategies.

Further information

• Official press release
• Build Upon² website
• This press release as a pdf
  

Contacts

Cassandra Silk, Climate Alliance | +49 69 7171 39 -20 | c.silk(at)climatealliance.org
Angela Howarth, World Green Building Council | +44 79 7631 2060 | ahowarth(at)worldgbc.org

• Event photos
• The people’s messages
• CN2019 website
• ICCA2019 website
• This press release as pdf.

Contacts

• Svenja Schuchmann, Tel. +49-69-717139-21, s.schuchmann(at)climatealliance.org
• Angelika Paar, Tel. +49-6221-4767-73, angelika.paar(at)ifeu.de

Download your copies

• European Secretariat report
• National Coordination Office report

Brussels/Frankfurt, 7 May 2019. Stakeholders across Europe have launched a Climate Action Call today in Brussels. “Hundreds of cities across Europe and the globe are declaring a climate emergency. They are reaching towards zero carbon and setting 100% renewable energy goals, thus contributing to climate justice the world over,” explains Thomas Brose, Executive Director of Climate Action Call signatory Climate Alliance. “It is time for current and future EU policymakers to help turn this local level ambition into a European reality.” The call comes ahead of the EU Heads of State and Government debate on the Future of Europe on 9 May and the European elections from 23 and 26 May. In parallel, more than 200 mayors are sending an open letter to the European Council and its Member States calling for more climate ambition. Signatories of the Climate Action Call demand that current and future EU leaders act on public and local government mobilisation by publicly committing to make climate action a priority in upcoming debates.

The call spells out five steps for the new European Parliament and Commission as well as all EU Member State governments:

1. Commit to accelerate actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero emissions as soon as possible.
2. Plan the end of the use of fossil fuels and provide strong support to energy efficiency, renewable energy and emission cuts outside the energy sector.
3. Safeguard a just and fair transition and ensure that the EU increases its support to developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
4. Increase efforts to roll out the circular economy and increase resource efficiency.
5. Recognise biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration as a crucial component of climate action.

Hundreds of cities, businesses, investors, scientists, faith groups and civil society organisations, including climate, human rights, litigation, citizens’ mobilisation and sports groups have taken up this unprecedented Climate Action Call to pro-foundly alter the way we run our societies and economies and limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Further information

• The Climate Action Call
• Video message of Climate Alliance President Tine Heyse
• Complete signatory statements (scroll down)
• Mayor’s letter for more climate ambition (pdf)
• On local climate emergency declarations
• Further information on zero carbon
• This press release as a pdf

Contact

Sarah Mekjian, Climate Alliance, T. +49 69 7171 39 -20,  E. s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org 

On signing the Action Plan, Tine Heyse, President of Climate Alliance, commented: "The coming years will be decisive for shaping European and national climate and energy policies. By joining forces, we will further drive the strategic involvement of cities and regions in these fields and scale up ambitions."

CoR President Karl-Heinz Lambertz added: "This Action Plan is the result of our shared political interest in strengthening the voice of European local and regional governments on climate and energy issues in the EU and on the international scene".

The CoR and Climate Alliance 2019-20 Action Plan foresees cooperation in particular on the fields of the Sustainable Development Goals, the European climate and energy policy framework as well as energy poverty.

Further information

• Joint Action Plan

 Contact

• Lucie Blondel, Tel. +32 (0) 2 400 1060, l.blondel(at)climatealliance.org  

Despite this, even though 25 resolutions have been adopted during the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly that took place in March, the resolution on deforestation had to be withdrawn – largely also because of strong objections risen by states such as Brazil and Indonesia.

Further Information

• The forest pledge
• The indigenous concept of the Living Forest
• Brochure UNREDDY – A critical look at REDD+

Contact: Silke Lunnebach, s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org

Further information

• Practice Cube
• Empowering Neighbourhoods for Climate Action conference
• Climate Neighbourhoods project

• Claudia Schury, Tel. +49-69-717139-22, c.schury(at)climatealliance.org

Further Information

• www.zoom-kidsforclimate.eu
• Campaign Materials
• Video of RTL Luxembourg
• This press release as pdf.
• Photos of Hesperange

Everybody implementing climate action projects is invited to apply: companies, civil society and local and regional authorities. All participants have the possibility to share and discuss their activities and projects at the international Climate Neighbourhoods. Young people from all over the world and from Heidelberg are also part of the event, ensuring that the perspectives of future generations are included.

The conference also opens its doors to the citizens of Heidelberg. The Climate Action Festival on Wednesday 22 May 2019 offers a diverse programme. Artists will capture the citizens’ messages to politicians, which will be presented to policy makers.

Following the successful launch in 2015, the Climate Neighbourhoods take place for the second time in the immediate vicinity of the International Conference on Climate Action ICCA2019 of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, co-hosted by the City of Heidelberg and the State of Baden-Württemberg. As in 2015, participants of ICCA and Climate Neighbourhoods come together for a joint opening and closing ceremony.

The conference is organised by the ecological research institute ifeu and the city network Climate Alliance.

Press accreditation: A separate link for the accreditation will be sent with the press invitation to the conference in May 2019.

Further information

• Programme (PDF)
• Application 
• CN2019 website 
• ICCA2019 website
• Press release (PDF)

Contacts

• Svenja Schuchmann, Climate Alliance, +49 69 717139-21, s.schuchmann(at)climatealliance.org
• Angelika Paar, Ifeu,+49 6221 4767-73, angelika.paar@ifeu.de

"The fair is a good opportunity to exchange with other stakeholders on renewable energy strategies for communities, especially after Climate Alliance’s establishment of a new fund for renewable energies at the 35th anniversary of COICA two weeks ago. We are delighted to be able to support COICA and its member organisations in these questions going forward," explains Thomas Brose, Executive Director of Climate Alliance.

The focus of the fair is on energy strategies in the Amazon region and concrete solutions for communities that do not have access to the public power grid. A special highlight will be the presentation of the Kara Solar project, a solar-powered boat developed in collaboration with the indigenous Achuar people of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Climate Alliance’s indigenous partner organisation COICA will present this pilot project as an important part of its energy strategy for the entire Amazon Basin. Climate Alliance supports COICA in this strategy and will also present the experiences from the long-standing solar lamp project in Peru at the fair.

Climate Alliance and representatives of Climate Alliance Austria participate with various activities and will discuss new ideas and approaches with more than 400 participants from the Amazon region. The co-organisers Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) and Climate Alliance support the event as part of the EU project "Change the Power - (Em)Power to Change".

Further information

• Fair and Symposium – Energy Solutions for Communities of the Amazon
• Information on the solar boat
• News on COICA's 35th birthday
• Updates on Climate Alliance live in Amazonia on Facebook and Twitter

Contact: climatejustice(at)climatealliance.org

Further information

• News on COICA's 35th birthday
• Press release on Cologne's climate partnership
• Updates on Climate Alliance live in Amazonia on Facebook and Twitter

Dr. Andreas Kress, Climate Alliance's expert on forests and tropical timber, adds, "Understanding our forests and keeping them healthy is crucial for our future. From the rainforests of South America to the forests of our member municipalities – these special places keep air, water, soil and people healthy. They play an important role in some of the greatest challenges we face today such as combating climate change and biodiversity loss. Preserving and protecting forests and their functions is therefore something that we need to address locally, regionally and globally".

Further informations

• on COICA, Climate Alliance's indingenous partner organisation
  
• Materials to Download

Contacts

• Silke Lunnebach | T. +49 69 717139 32 | s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org
• Dr. Andreas Kress | T. +49 69 717139 33 | a.kress@climatealliance.org

Brussels, 14 March 2019. For the first time in Europe’s history, towns, cities and regions are marching along with young people from around the world in a Global Climate Strike for the Future. Six local government networks inspired by the youth’s call to action will join the strike on 15 March in Brussels. They jointly call on the European Union and national leaders to take the necessary steps to address climate change in a just and timely manner.

Their main demand: to take heed of calls by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to limit global warming to 1.5°C. According to the networks, reaching this overarching goal will mean divestment from fossil fuels, urgently rethinking the EU climate strategy and empowering local and regional governments.

Towns, cities and regions call on the EU to entirely divest from fossil fuels
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has disbursed €12 billion in fossil fuel projects since 2013. To adequately address the climate crisis, towns, cities and regions are calling on the EIB to completely divest from fossil fuels. They also call on the EU to do so with the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), in order to create a transformative transition fund. On top of this, they deem it necessary to make more funding programmes available, to replicate successful initiatives and to raise awareness of the benefits of climate and energy policies. This demand reflects a larger call for a shift in priorities: for the limitations of the Earth and the lives of future generations to take precedence over immediate wants and needs.

Urgency of an EU climate strategy that safeguards the future and steps up present action
According to Europe’s towns, cities and regions, the EU must significantly step up and accelerate the overall energy transition, ensuring that rapid progress is made in decarbonising Europe’s energy system. Additionally, an adequately coordinated, durable, long-term climate strategy must be put into place. The energy transition will also have the added value of acting as a strong driver for European cohesion in the long run.

Empowering local and regional governments as a solution to the climate crisis
Policies cannot be functional if they do not take into account the needs and capacities of the towns, cities and regions who will be implementing and experiencing them on the ground. As the areas that will be most impacted, they are eager to contribute to and co-create solutions. To do so, the consistency of ambitions, needs and support between all levels of government is crucial. Local action remains the best way to meet the global challenge of climate change, as it empowers citizens and bridges the gap between communities and policy-makers. In a similar fashion, the Covenant of Mayors can play a crucial role in climate action on the ground.

Download press release as a pdf

Contact

Sarah Mekjian, Climate Alliance
+49 69 7171 39 -20  |  s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

_{Photo: Gustave Deghilage}

Further information

• About COICA
• Energy & Communities Fair, Manaus, Brazil
• Updates on Climate Alliance live in Amazonia on Facebook and Twitter

• IUC call information
• IUC call application (deadline 4 March)
• IUC call FAQ
• City-to-city pairings from previous calls

• verwaltung.dessau-rosslau.de

• steiermark.klimabuendnis.at

^{Photo: municipality of Hartberg}

• climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu

• www.amareproject.eu

• unfccc.int/process-and-meetings

• Photos for press use (available as of 14:00 on 07 December 2018)
• Participates 2018 come from Austria, Belarus, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Netherlands, Poland and Sweden
• Campaign results (pdf)
• Campaign info sheet (pdf)
• Several wishes of participating children and statements of participating schools (pdf)
• Footprints of municipal representatives
• Campaign website: zoom-kidsforclimate.eu
• This press release as pdf

Contacts

• Claudia Schury, Tel. +49-69-717139-22, c.schury(at)climatealliance.org
• Angela Hanisch, Tel. +49-69-717139-12, a.hanisch(at)climatealliance.org

• Engagement: For activities that inspire and motivate citizens to make their energy habits more sustainable
• Leadership: For activities that are contributing to the long-term objectives of the EU, whilst providing significant socio-economic benefits
• Innovation: For EU-funded activities that demonstrate the sustainable energy transition in original and innovative ways
• Youth: For activities carried out by, or targeting, people under 30

You can apply for the EUSEW Award until 4 February 2019.

As one of the top 12 shortlisted projects, you will be invited to the Awards ceremony in Brussels during the EUSEW Policy Conference and have the chance to compete for not one, but two Awards. On top of winning a category Award, the coveted Citizens’ Award will be presented to the project that wins the EU-wide public vote.

Read more

• about the EUSEW Award
• about the EUSEW Week
• about the Energy Days
• about the winners 2018

• Adaptation leaflet featuring Cologne (DE), Ober-Grafendorf (AT) and Sant Cugat del Vallès (City of Climate Alliance Member Barcelona Province, ES)
• Energy Poverty leaflet featuring Brest (FR), Hasselt (BE) and Vienna (AT)
• Case-study on Thermi (GR)
• Covenant of Mayors library
• Climate Alliance and the European Covenant of Mayors
• www.covenantofmayors.eu

• The winners of the regional timber award
• EUSALP Annual Forum
• The Carbon Smart Communities (CaSCo) project
• This press release as a pdf

Contacts

• Sarah Mekjian, Tel. +49 69 7171 39-20, s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org
• Christiane Kretschmer, Tel. +49 69 7171 39-38, c.kretschmer(at)climatealliance.org  

Further information

• Climate Alliance members europe-wide
  
• Members in Germany (pdf)
• The 16th Climate Alliance Germany Municipal Climate Protection Conference
• Press release (pdf; in German)

Contacts

• Dag Schulze, Climate Alliance
  T. +49 69 7171 39 -24 | d.schulze(at)klimabuendnis.org 
• Sarah Mekjian, Climate Alliance
  T. +49 69 717139 -20 | s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

_{Photo: (left to right) Peter Kiefer, member of the city council of Kaiserslautern; Thomas Brose, Climate Alliance Executive Director; Andreas Wolter, President of Climate Alliance and Mayor of the City of Cologne; Thomas Griese, Ministry of the Environment, Energy, Food and Forestry, Rhineland-Palatinate | View / Kaiserslautern}

Further information

• Photos for the press (available as of 14.11.2018 at 10:00)
• Winning municipalities in 2018
• City Cycling website
• Climate Alliance website
• Press release (pdf; in German)

Contacts

• André Muno, Climate Alliance
  T. +49 69 7171 39 -11 | a.muno@climatealliance.org
• Sarah Mekjian,  Climate Alliance
  T. +49 69 717139 -20 | s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

_{CITY CYCLING
Since 2008, CITY CYCLING has been inviting local politicians and the public to cycle for their municipalities. In so doing, they promote cycling and advocate climate action. Participating municipalities choose 21 consecutive days between May and September during which the campaign is to be implemented. At the end of the season, the kilometres covered are tallied and the top municipalities in three different categories are awarded. This campaign is a unique way to promote climate-friendly mobility in that it reaches out directly to members of municipal parliaments, encouraging them to experience the local cycle path network first hand. These politicians can then implement specific improvements based on their experiences, thus making it easier to travel by bicycle locally. city-cycling.org}

THE CLIMATE STARS 2018

Category 1 - up to 10,000 inhabitants

• Böheimkirchen (AT) – Michelbach river habitat    
• Krummnußbaum (AT) – Internal development before external
• Kunsziget (HU) - Multi-generation project    
• Marcallo con Casone (IT) – Cyclist-friendly municipality    
• Wiener Neudorf (AT) – Sustainable town rejuvenation

Category 2 - up to 100,000 inhabitants

• Ettlingen (DE) - Energy-saving boxes    
• Judenburg (AT) – Climate action with staying power    
• Narni (IT) – Zero waste    
• Schifflingen (LU) – Waste separation is easy and saves money    
• Tübingen (DE) – Tübingen macht blau

Category 3 - over 100,000 inhabitants

• Ghent (BE) - Foodsavers

Category 4 - Local authorities associations

• Energiestädte Biel, Brügg, Nidau, Lyss (CH) – Seeländer Solarcup
• KEM Sterngartl-Gusental (AT) – Friends of Earth    
• Kreis Steinfurt (DE) – energieland2050    
• Ternitz-Umgebung (AT) – Water brings life

Further information

• Project descriptions
• Videos
• This press release as pdf
• Climate Star brochure

Contacts

• Angela Hanisch, T. +49-69-717139-12, a.hanisch(at)climatealliance.org
• Hannes Höller, T. +43-664-8539409, presse(at)klimabuendnis.at

• The POWER Idea Contest
• Leicester City Water Community Contest
• Milton Keynes Water Community Contest
• Jerusalem Water Community Contest
• Sabadell Water Community Contest
• This press release as pdf

Contacts

• Nina Stiehr, Climate Alliance, Tel. +49-69-717139-35, n.stiehr(at)climatealliance.org
• Kalina Drenska, European Institute for Participatory Media (EIPCM), Tel. +49-30-20076194, k.drenska(at)eipcm.org

Further information

• Letter on the Multi-Annual Financial Framework 
• Letter urging EU environment ministers to stay on track with Paris goals 
• Barcelona Declaration on climate action

The Climate Alliance General Assembly had unanimously elected both Andreas Wolter and Robinson López Descanse of COICA, Climate Alliance’s key indigenous partner organisation, on 2 October in Barcelona. López, COICA’s new Coordinator for Climate Change and Biodiversity, takes the place of Eider José Perafan Ramirez as the organisation’s vice president. Wolter is preceded by former president Holger Matthäus, Mayor of Rostock, Germany. Both newly elected officials have expressed their desire to intensify work on climate action and climate justice in both European cities and indigenous territories alike.

Further information

• Climate Alliance Executive Board
• Biography of Andreas Wolter
• Biography of Robinson López Descanse

_{Photo: (From right to left) Andreas Wolter, Tine Heyse, Robinson López and Holger Matthäus}

• IPCC summary for policy makers
• IPCC press release 
• Barcelona Declaration   
• Coalition for higher ambition letter  

• Barcelona Declaration (pdf)
• 2018 Climate Alliance International Conference

_{Photo: DiputacióBarcelona / MOMOJuditContreras}

• Full study “A Global Baseline of Carbon Storage in Collective Lands”
• About COICA

• www.europarl.europa.eu

• www.climatealliance.org

• about the Covenant Cities in the Spotlight award
• about the Covenant of Mayors

• Declaration of Macapá (in Spanish)
• COICA website (in Spanish)
• Cooperation with indigenous peoples
• International Climate Alliance Conference
• Press photo
• This press release as pdf

Contacts

• Thomas Brose, +49-69-717139-31, t.brose(at)climatealliance.org
• Silke Lunnebach, +49-69-717139-32, s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org

• Video on YouTube
• Climate Active Neighbourhoods website

Further information

• European Parliament resolution
• Luxembourg takes exemplary step to protect indigenous peoples
• Article “Protecting human rights and the climate”

_{Photo: European Union 2018}

There are only ten days remaining to apply for one of three openings at the Climate Alliance European Secretariat Brussels Office. Climate Alliance is currently seeking two project officers as well as one project and administrative assistant to join its highly motivated and multilingual team.

EU Covenant of Mayors Office Project Officer
For activities related to the Covenant of Mayors – in particular in the areas of Capacity building, web-development and general management.

• Complete job description (pdf)
• Contact: Lucie Blondel | Covenant of Mayors Office Head, Climate Alliance

Clean Energy for EU Islands Project officer
For the clean energy for EU islands initiative – in particular in the areas of secretariat management, capacity-building and awareness raising, web-development and stakeholder liaisons. 

• Complete job description (pdf)
• Contact: Alessandra Antonini | Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat, Climate Alliance 

Project and administrative assistant
For the Clean Energy for Island Secretariat – general support of the Brussels team in terms of management and the implementation of tasks. Halftime (appox. 20 hours a week).

• Complete job description (pdf)
• Contact: Alessandra Antonini | Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat, Climate Alliance

Please be sure to send your application, complete with letter of motivation and CV in Europass format, to brussels(at)climatealliance.org by 15 July 2018 and clearly state to which position you are applying. Applicants must have the legal right to be employed in Belgium.

Further information

• COICA’s newly elected coordinators (in Spanish)
• About COICA
• Connecting Cities

The application period has been extended. You can now apply until 28 September.

Further information

• Twinning programme
• Experience of Ghent

Further information

• Coverage of the 4th Amazonian Summit (in Spanish)
• About COICA
• Follow the events on Climate Alliance's Facebook page
• News on COICA events from 19 June
• The Change the Power project

Further information

• About COICA
• Follow the events on Climate Alliance's Facebook page
• The Change the Power project

Further information

• Video on YouTube
• The CAN project

Further information

• EU for Talanoa event
• 3 April news on the Talanoa Dialogue
• The Talanoa Dialogue portal
• Climate Alliance Climate Summit site
• Official Climate Summit website

In addition to the two recently published openings for project officers, the Climate Alliance European Secretariat Brussels Office is seeking to further strengthen its team with a project and administrative assistant.

The opening is for a halftime (appox. 20 hours a week) position and the assistant that will support the Brussels team with both the management and implementation of tasks for the Clean Energy for Island Secretariat.

Complete job description (pdf)

Contact:
Alessandra Antonini | Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat, Climate Alliance | brussels(at)climatealliance.org

Please be sure to send your application, complete with letter of motivation and CV in Europass format, to brussels(at)climatealliance.org by 15 July 2018. Applicants must have the legal right to be employed in Belgium.

The Climate Alliance European Secretariat Brussels Office is seeking two project officers to join its highly motivated and multilingual team.

EU Covenant of Mayors Office Project Officer
For activities related to the Covenant of Mayors – in particular in the areas of Capacity building, web-development and general management.

• Complete job description (pdf)
• Contact: Lucie Blondel | Covenant of Mayors Office Head, Climate Alliance | brussels(at)climatealliance.org

Clean Energy for EU Islands Project officer
For the clean energy for EU islands initiative – in particular in the areas of secretariat management, capacity-building and awareness raising, web-development and stakeholder liaisons. 

• Complete job description (pdf)
• Contact: Alessandra Antonini | Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat, Climate Alliance | brussels(at)climatealliance.org

Please be sure to send your application, complete with letter of motivation and CV in Europass format, to brussels(at)climatealliance.org by 15 July 2018. Applicants must have the legal right to be employed in Belgium.

• www.covenantofmayors.eu

Further information

• Local climate action talks    
• Connecting Cities Conference  
• Conference registration     

This year’s European Sustainable Energy Awards saw twelve finalists competing for five awards in the categories consumers, public sector, businesses, young energy leaders and a special citizen’s award, resulting from public voting. These annual awards honour a commitment to sustainable energy, energy security and energy efficiency and form major pillar of the EU’s annual Sustainable Energy Week Policy Conference.

Further information

• EUSEW press release (pdf)
• Peace_Alps
• Finalists
• EUSEW 2018

_{News piece originally posted 5 June 2018; last updated 8 June 2018}

• Public voting
• Peace_Alps as a finalist
• Sustainable Energy Week

Further information

• Under 2
• Global Climate Action Summit
• 24th Climate Summit

Further information

• Conference information
• Programme | Registration
• News on input via Talanoa

• Climate Alliance Luxembourg (in German)
• Dietmar Mirkes of Climate Alliance Luxembourg / ASTM (in German, pdf)
• Several key Climate Alliance stakeholders (n German, pdf)
• Luxembourg Times

^{Photo: Groene Voetstappen gatherers from the Netherlands; copyright Matty van Leijenhorst, Klimaatverbond}

Further information

• News on the input via Talanoa  
• Further information on the event  
• Event programme

• Open letter to President Juncker
• CAN Europe press release

Further information

• The Talanoa Dialogue portal
• Climate Alliance Climate Summit site
• Official Climate Summit website

Contact

• Andy Deacon, Climate Alliance Policy Coordinator, a.deacon(at)climatealliance.org  

• Best practice platform on local water challenges
• Local water platform of Leicester
• Power project website
• This press release as pdf

Contacts

• Wolfgang Hofstetter, +49-69-717139-13, w.hofstetter(at)climatealliance.org
• Madlie Le Bihan, +49 69 717139-35 m.lebihan(at)climatealliance.org

• Study on potential of wastewater
• The POWER project
• POWER newsletters

Want to learn more?

• Madlie Le Bihan, +49 69 717139-35, m.lebihan(at)climatealliance.org

Climate Alliance has helped put the issue on the political agenda in Luxembourg. Members of Luxembourg’s Parliament approved the ratification of ILO Convention No. 169 unanimous at their meeting on 27 February 2018. Luxembourg is therefore the 23^rd country worldwide to ratify this important convention.

Further Information

• Background on ILO Convention 169
• Text of ILO Convention No. 169 (pdf)
• The Future We Want – Climate Alliance Publication on sustainable development with political recommendations (pdf)
• Background information from Climate Alliance Lëtzebuerg (in German)
• This position as a pdf

Kontakte

• Silke Lunnebach, Climate Justice Division Coordinator, Climate Alliance, T. +49 69 7171-32, s.lunnebach@climatealliance.org
• Sarah Mekjian, Communications Director, Climate Alliance, T. +49 69 7171 39-20, s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

Further information

• Dashboard with published reports of the pilot cities
• Case studies
• Application form
• EDI-Net project

Want to learn more? Contact Wolfgang Hofstetter at w.hofstetter@climatealliance.org  

• IUC call information
• IUC call application (deadline 8 March)
• IUC call FAQ (pdf)
• City-to-city pairings of the IUC call’s 1st round

Further information on the Urban Europe call and webinars can be found here.

To apply, please send a cover letter and your CV (in Europass format) along with information about the earliest possible start date via email by 28 February 2018.

Complete job offer as pdf

More information

• Global Covenant of Mayors
• International Urban Cooperation Programme

Contact

Lucie Blondel | European Secretariat | Brussels Office
brussels(at)climatealliance.org

• Guide for Local Authorities (pdf)
• The CITYnvest project
• Overview of tools

• The SpeicherWald project
• Press release of the German Federal Environment Agency
• Background paper of the German Federal Environment Agency
• Climate Alliance News on the "Charter for Wood 2.0"

• Assessing governance capacity to address water challenges in cities
• The City Blueprint Approach: Urban Water Management and Governance in Cities in the U.S.
• The POWER project on municipal water challenges

• Video “How to implement energy action plans”
• PEACE_Alps newsletter

The closing date for applications is 23 February 2018.

Read more

Read more in the press release of the Coalition for Energy Savings

Learn more | Register

• Five recommendations (pdf)
• Citynvest closing event and photos
• The Climate Alliance Working Group on Financing
• The Citynvest project

www.eumayors.eu

Read more on energycoalition.eu

Further information

• The review
• Key results and actors
• Climate Alliance activities
• Photo gallery
• Messages for the future (on Facebook)
• Impressions of the ambassadors

Further information

• Video (on YouTube)
• Information on Greta: Website | Informational sheet (pdf) | Midterm conference
• EUSALP Forum
• This press release as a pdf

Contacts

Janina Emge
Project manager, Climate Alliance
+49 69 7171 39 -27 | j.emge(at)climatealliance.org 

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
+49 69 7171 39 -20 | s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

_{THE GRETA PROJECT
The GRETA project (Near-surface Geothermal Resources in the Territory of the Alpine Space) promotes the sustainable use of near-surface geothermal energy in the Alpine region and thus contributes to a reduction in CO2 emissions. GRETA provides concrete support for the exchange of knowledge on licensing and implementation practices between Alpine countries as well as the assessment of area-wide potentials. The project also provides technical information for planners and municipalities. A geothermal potential map provides a basis for decision making regarding the integration of geothermal plants into political planning instruments and guidelines developed within the project facilitate the harmonisation of implementation processes and approval procedures in the Alpine region. www.alpine-space.eu/projects/greta}

• Resolution (pdf) “Local and regional authorities as drivers of climate action and sustainability ‒ towards a good life for all”
• Decision of Campo Tures
• Municipal resolution proposal (docx)
• Climate Alliance Italy

Find out more at www.alpine-space.eu/projects/greta
 
Contact
Janina Emge, Climate Alliance, j.emge(at)climatealliance.org

_{Photo: Henry Patton}

Further information

• ENERJ project (in Italian)
• EDI-Net project

^{Photo: Alexander Nordhus. Copyright Climate Alliance}

Further information

• Photos for press use (available as of 12:30 on 16 November 2017)
• Also in attendance in Bonn: Frank Bainimarama, Fijian Prime Minister and President of COP 23 and Andrä Rupprechter, Austrian Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management.
• Campaign results (pdf)
• Several wishes of participating children and statements of participating schools (pdf)
• Campaign info sheet (pdf)
• Campaign website: zoom-kidsforclimate.eu  
• Participating countries nn 2017: Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden
• This press release as a pdf

Contacts

Claudia Schury
Green Footprints Project Head, Climate Alliance
+49 69 7171 39 -22 | c.schury(at)climatealliance.org 

Sarah Mekjian
Communications Director, Climate Alliance
+49 69 7171 39 -20 | s.mekjian(at)climatealliance.org

http://www.klimabuendnis.at/images/doku/20171025_neuer_verein_klimabuendnis_oesterreich.pdfFurther information (pdf; In German)

Further information

• Cologne’s climate partnership
• Mayor Wolter’s official visit to Peru and photo gallery

_{Photo: Palm oil plantations in Peru}

• on Transition Tours
• on CAN
• this press release as pdf

Contact

• Jenny-Claire Keilmann, Tel. +49-69-717139-38, j-c.keilmann(at)climatealliance.org
• Svenja Enke, Tel. +49-69-717139-20, s.enke(at)climatealliance.org

_{© Infrastruktur & Umwelt | Photo: Birgit Haupter}

• bestpractices.baseform.com
• This press release as pdf

Contact

• Wolfgang Hofstetter, Tel. +49-69-717139-13, w.hofstetter(at)climatealliance.org

The main goals of the four POWER cities

Jerusalem: through the regional water utility, Hagihon, the city is to promote water conservation behaviours, quantifiable water savings and improve awareness regarding water quality.
Join Jerusalem Water Community and

• Immediately report any urban water burst
• Be a partner in turning Jerusalem to a green and flourishing city by spreading knowledge to watering gardens and saving water
• Be part of Hagihon’s educational curriculum
• Water quality is a recipe for health and wellness. Learn how to make sure quality water in your house
• Share your experience and knowledge
• Get ready to act in the Community Gardens

In Milton Keynes water is scarce, too, therefore, with the help of social awareness incentives, total consumption should be reduced.
Join Milton Keynes Water Community and

• Learn why people need to save water in Milton Keynes
• Read about ideas and tips for reducing water consumption
• Get informed about school projects and educational resources
• Create a Milton Keynes smarter water community

Leicester aims to strengthen the awareness of extreme weather events, as it is endangered by surface water floods. It provides real-time river water levels and predictive warnings for combined sewer overflows in specific geographical areas of the city.
Join Leicester Water Community and

• Learn about flood risk - of your home in Leicester, your neighbourhood and your city
• Get #floodprepared with the experiences of the Leicester  #floodpreparedcommunity
• Get involved by giving feedback, sharing know-how and experience with the #floodpreparedcommunity
• Get ready to act in the #floodpreparedcommunity

In Sabadell water is delivered in two qualities, as drinking water and non-drinking water. The water utility CASSA wants to actively involve citizens by implementing an information system that enables real-time information about the quality and conditions of service.
Join Sabadell Water Community and

• Know the quality of water in Sabadell
• Learn how Sabadell saves water
• Ask, think and participate in all areas of the water cycle, especially the water quality and use of alternative resources
• Follow the I+D projects in the water cycle that takes place in Sabadell
• Share what Sabadell is doing about water management and what is done in other cities in Europe
• Engage, participate, be critical and contribute to a more efficient resource management model, thus also reducing the impact of climate change