Catalonia and the promotion of climate change mitigation

Catalonia and the promotion of climate change mitigation in European regions

Frederic Ximeno Roca Director-General for Environmental Policy and Sustainability

Achieving significant CO2 emission reductions in a short time: learning from best practices regarding successful policies and technologies

Temporary Committee on Climate Change

8th Thematic session: 23/06/2008

European Parliament

Brussels

Contents

Context

Citizen participation

Framework plan for climate change mitigation in Catalonia 2008-2012

Conclusions

The voluntary commitment of Catalonia

Context

ContextCatalonia as part of the European Union

AREA 32,113 km2 (6.3% ES; 0.7% EU)

POPULATION 7,134,697 (16.0% ES; 1.5% EU)

GDP 195.284 B€ (20.0% ES; 1.2% EU)

DME (EU-25)plants 186 (18.2% ES; 1.7% EU)

Total emissions 59,262 kt CO2 equiv. (13.4% ES; 1.1% UE)

Diffuse emissions 39,190 kt CO2 equiv. (15.2% ES; 1.3% UE)

ContextThe path to compliance in Spain

+15 % with respect to 1990 levels, for 2008-2012

But...Emissions in 2005 are +52% with respect to 1990 levels

→ 15% free, under the Kyoto Protocol commitment

→ 2% compensated by the growth of forests (sinks)

→ 20% bought by the Spanish government to compensate the diffuse emissions for the whole of Spain

37% increase in emissions over the base year

Spanish commitment in the EU bubble

What is the answer?

The voluntary commitment of Catalonia

Reduce emissions growth in the diffuse sectors to 37%

Catalonia’s voluntary commitment to contribute to Spain’s compliance with the Kyoto Protocol

Catalonia’s diffuse emissions in base year1 + 37% 36.55 Mt CO2 equiv.

(annual average 2008-2012)

Catalonia’s quantified objective

The voluntary commitment of CataloniaQuantified objective

1 Value estimated by the OCCC

Avoid the annual average emission of 5,33 Mt of CO2 equiv. during the period of compliance with the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012) with respect to estimated emissions for this period in sectors not included in the emissions market

Catalonia’s voluntary commitment to contribute to Spain’s compliance with the Kyoto Protocol

The voluntary commitment of CataloniaQuantified objective

Period for compliance with the Kyoto Protocol


Climate Change...

... An environmental perspective


Dr Jaume Tarradas

Ecologist, Emeritus Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)

Climate change...


... An ethical perspective


Dr Norbert Bilbeny

Philosopher, Professor of Ethics University of Barcelona (UB)

Climate Change...



... A cultural perspective


Dr Brian Fagan

Anthropologist, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara

Climate Change...




... An economic perspective


Mr Josep Garriga

Economist. Director of the Catalan Office

for Climate Change

Climate Change...




... A European perspective



Climate Change...




... A European perspective



Climate Change...

... Action based on shared responsibility


Citizen participationObjective and organisers

Objective of the Catalan Climate Change ConventionInvolve and gather the opinions and contributions of all the active agents in organised civil society

Catalan Office for Climate Change (OCCC)

Sub-Directorate General for Environmental Information and Education

Directorate-General for Citizen Participation

Citizen participationObjective and organisers

Framework plan for climate

changemitigation in

Catalonia 2008-2012

Document of measures and actions to mitigate climate change

Participation on the web

Participation in person

A structured process

An integrated process

With clear objectives

Government of Catalonia

Departments

Participation process

Citizen participationDescription and structure

Structure of the participation process

4 phases of the participation

process

Nucleus of the Convention- Academic and professional

sphere- Government agencies sphere- Associations sphere- Economic sphere

Activities in parallel to the nucleus of the Convention Citizens’ group

Meetings for reflection and

debate

Broad structured process

Citizen participationDescription and structure

Structure of the participation process Broad structured process

Citizen participationParticipation data

20Citizens’ groups

169480Reflection and debate sessions

249485Closing session174Working sessions

257725

425Opening session

499

56194Information sessions

Number of organisations

Number of participants

In-person participation process

From different spheres:

academic, administration, associations,

business

High rate of diverse participation

Companies, associations, foundations, universities, professional associations,

unions, agricultural organisations, provincial

councils, regional boards, local councils, etc

Citizen participationData on proposals received

In total the process received around 1,000 proposals, of which

Classification by sectors

Very positive and useful contribution to society

Mit. Post 2012

Mit. 2008-2012

Adaptación

Otros

Thematic classification

Transport & mobility

Information & awareness raising

Agriculture and stock farming

Forests

Construction

Energy

Industry

Waste

Internal coherence of the process

Certificates of compensation for emissions

(participants were asked about their point of departure and mode of transport)

Citizen participationEmissions compensation

Framework plan for climate change mitigation in Catalonia

2008-2012

→ Cross-departmental plan with the mission of coordinating, monitoring and promoting sectoral policies, plans, actions and projects which will have a direct and indirect impact on emission reduction.

Framework plan for climate change mitigation in Catalonia

2008-2012. Introduction

Closing panel chaired by the President of the Parliament of Catalonia and the Minister for the Environment and Housing of the Catalan government, accompanied by senior members of different departments of the Catalan government (environment, economy, town and country planning and infrastructures, industry, energy, research)

Framework plan for climate change mitigation in Catalonia 2008-2012.

Introduction

→ Integrated incorporation of the variable of climate change into the implementation of government planning.

→ Coordination with the Energy Plan for Catalonia 2006-2015.

→ Work methodology of the plan: differentiate between diffuse sector and the sector included in the Directive; this is the same methodology used by the European Commission in the energy and climate package 2008 for the post-Kyoto period.

→ Coordination and agreement with civil society and the economic and social sectors to promote greenhouse gas emission reduction actions in Catalonia.

Plan programmes

1. Emission reduction in the diffuse sectors(Programme 5.33)

2. Promotion of emission reduction in plants covered by the European Directive on emissions trading

3. Cross-departmental actions for mitigation

Sectoral support measures


Programmes

Actions

Programme 1: 8 sub-programmes & 22 actions



58 Sectoral support measures


Programmes

5.33TOTAL

DMAH, DEF (ICAEN), DIUE0.966

VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS & PILOT PLAN ON DOMESTIC OFFSET PROJECTS

DEF (ICAEN), PTOP1.86TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

DMAH (ARC), DEF (ICAEN)0.325WASTE

DEF (ICAEN), DIUE1.159INDUSTRY (NOT INCLUDED IN THE DIRECTIVE)

DMAH,DEF (ICAEN)0.314SERVICES

DMAH,DEF (ICAEN)0.447HOUSING

DARP,DEF (ICAEN)0.259AGRICULTURE

Main departments promoting actionMt CO2eq/yearSECTOR

Programme 5.33Summary of emission reduction objectives in the diffuse sectors

and division of efforts

Framework plan for climate change mitigation in Catalonia 2008-2012. Division of efforts

Framework plan for climate change mitigation in Catalonia 2008-2012. Approval and management of the

Plan

Catalan Climate Change Convention

Interdepartmental ClimateChange Committee

OCCC

Interdepartmental work group

Environmental assessmentof plans and programmes

Government of Catalonia

Public information

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN


Implementation and monitoring

Programme of actions 2008-2010Programme of actions 2011-2012

MONITORING OF THE PLAN

Technical: OCCC- GHG emission reduction through official GHG inventory

Political: Interdepartmental Climate Change Committee

Social: Social Monitoring Group

Conclusions

Conclusions

Voluntary commitment as a Spanish autonomous community: 5.33 Mt CO2 equiv. in the diffuse sectorA responsible, proportional and effective contribution to the commitment to comply with the Kyoto Protocol made by Spain (Catalonia 15% of diffuse emissions in Spain)

Use of the shared and exclusive legislative and management capacity in different areas: environment, transport & mobility, agriculture, energy, construction, town and country planning… to achieve the Spanish and European objectives

Conclusions

Citizen participation: Catalan Climate Change Convention

•Process of dialogue, agreement and exchange with Catalan society

•Transparent process: delivery of all the documentation for the process in the different Convention sessions and through the website

Open participation process: the Government of Catalonia decided not to propose an initial text for the Plan, but rather to opt for an open but organised debate on the basis of all the necessary prior information

Conclusions

Cross-wise nature of the Plan (Interdepartmental Climate Change Committee )Technical and political responsibilities

Environment & Housing; Economy & Finance; Town & Country Planning and Public Works; Agriculture, Food & Rural Action; Health; Home Affairs, Institutional Relations & Participation; Innovation, Universities & Enterprise, and Education

Planning coherent with current European policy and European proposals for post-Kyoto

Plan work methodology: diffuse sector and sector included in the Directive

Conclusions

The Framework plan for climate change mitigation inCatalonia 2008-2012 clearly reflects Catalonia’s position in addressing the problem of climate change

A calendar has been established for the quantifiableimplementation of the mitigation measures to fight climate change by the Government of Catalonia (2008-2012).

A basis for future policies has been established with the aim of achieving European objectives for 2020: the year in which the EUhas proposed a reduction of 10% of diffuse emissions in Spain with respect to diffuse emissions in 2005.

Frederic Ximeno Roca Director-General for Environmental Policy and Sustainability

Josep Garriga SalaDirector of the Catalan Office for Climate Change

Iñaki Gili JáureguiTechnical Secretary of the Catalan Office for Climate Change

Maria Àngels Espuny SoléEuropean Affairs Officer

and the team at the Catalan Office for Climate Change

Thank you for listening

Documents

Catalonia and the promotion of climate change mitigation