ADENE, the Agency for Energy, launched this Monday, October 26, the Cities’ Climate Passport. On the first day, more than 80 municipalities joined, where more than half of the Portuguese population lives. The presentation took place at the 3rd National Meeting of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, at the Teatro-Cine in Torres Vedras.
In the opening ceremony, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, announced the creation of the Local Climate Action Award, which will highlight municipalities where climate policy is already visible on the ground.
“Recognising good practices is important, but we want to go further. We want to reward implementation, distinguish results and give visibility to those who demonstrate that the climate transition can bring concrete improvements to people’s lives,” says Maria da Graça Carvalho, Minister of Environment and Energy.
Forty-two mayors, representing 37 municipalities, participated in the symbolic act of adhesion. Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Vila Nova de Gaia, Braga, Coimbra and Funchal are among the adherents, alongside municipalities such as Arronches, Manteigas, Monforte or Pampilhosa da Serra, with fewer than 3,500 inhabitants. Of the more than 80 municipalities, about 20 are not yet part of the Covenant of Mayors. The Passport thus broadens local climate action to territories that were not yet part of this community.
The Cities’ Climate Passport is a national initiative by ADENE, the Agency for Climate and the IN+, Center for Studies in Innovation, Technology and Development Policies of the Instituto Superior Técnico. It is voluntary, free and open to all municipalities in the country. It accompanies the implementation of Municipal Climate Action Plans foreseen in the Climate Bases Law and gives public visibility to those who advance.
The Passport organizes this path in three levels. The Planning level requires the published plan, targets for 2030 and 2050, anticipated investments and a monitoring method. The Action level requires that at least half of the measures be completed or under way. The Leadership level raises the bar to 75%, requests alignment with the emissions reduction trajectory, mobilization of third parties and public disclosure of results. Each level is valid for three years and is maintained with a simplified annual report.
“In many city councils, the climate plan is in the hands of one or two people who accumulate responsibilities in environmental, energy, European funds and many other dossiers. This effort deserves to be recognised,” underlines Nelson Lage, President of ADENE.
The adherent municipalities have access to a platform that centralizes plans and reports, simplifies participation in the European Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and provides access to technical support. The Passport can also be considered a best practice in access to funding opportunities.
ADENE is the National Coordinator of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy of the European Union in Portugal, which today brings together 178 Portuguese municipalities. It is one of the largest local climate action communities in the country.
“We will support every municipality that wishes to join. We will continue to train your teams. We will provide tools and platforms useful to respond to your challenges. And we will value and give visibility to those who advance,” says Nelson Lage, President of ADENE.
The enrollment remains open. Municipalities, Intermunicipal Communities, Metropolitan Areas and energy agencies download the draft at passaporteclimatico.adene.pt and send it signed to [email protected].
