Climate protection and renewable energy: medium and small communities facing the challenge

The Climate Conference Rovigo 2008 is a follow-up event, as part of a series of ICLEI Climate Conferences for local governments and local stakeholders. It is organised by the Province of Rovigo and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. In Stockholm in 2006 the focus was on ambitious targets and showing exemplary actions of advanced communities in the field of climate protection mitigation and adaptation. The Conference ‘A Future with Zero CO₂ Emissions’ illustrated how cities and towns can become active in different sectors, to become zero carbon communities.

Several of these forerunners will now share their experiences here in Rovigo – this time from a perspective on how they have achieved excellent results, focusing on the process, to help further develop the capacity of political decision-makers, municipal officers and other important stakeholders that need to become involved in community climate protection action.

Themes:
The main objective of this event is to encourage capacity-building from city to city regarding climate change. Below are the themes that will be covered:
1.   Climate protection: Local action plans and targets – how to develop and implement these.
2.   Energy conservation and energy efficiency: Strategies, procedures, tools, local rules and regulations that lead to energy savings, and a more efficient use of local resources.
3.   Renewable energy: Special focus on solar energy and biomass – local framework conditions to promote the use of renewable energy sources for electricity, heating and cooling.
4.   Urban and land use planning: Special focus on instruments and policies to support planning procedures oriented to climate change and local energy production.
5.   Engagement of citizens and local stakeholders: Motivate for change towards more sustainable energy use.
6.   Adaptation to climate change: Strategies to improve local resilience and the capacity of communities to adapt to a changing climate.

Main goals:
The focus will be on effective climate protection action and ways to integrate mitigation and adaptation. The presentation of good cases on effective approaches to climate protection and the use of sustainable energy, with an analysis and discussions on main issues that made it work and can be replicated.A fundamental aspect is the exchange between some of the most ambitious / advanced cities in Europe in these fields, and learning communities (that are either just starting up, or interested in advancing in a specific area). Exchanges both ways to learn about effective solutions and identify  opportunities for action.

Another essential issues is to further involve, motivate and guide citizens and other local stakeholders (as energy users), to a more sustainable use of energy in their day-to-day activities. In this context community awareness raising and influencing lifestyle and citizen behaviour will be addressed.

Programme elements
(a)  Plenary sessions: Welcome plenary with political representation by the Italian national government, Province of Rovigo, EC. Follow up plenaries to cover strategic aspects, scientific reasoning why climate protection is important and how local governments have already dealt effectively with this issue.

(b)  Workshops / discussion sessions: More detailed exchange on good examples, with brief introductions on very specific topics. Then analysis and facilitated discussions in smaller groups (e.g. addressing policy & strategy / technology & measures / people and behaviour change).

Three themes will be addressed in greater detail, with the aim to develop capacity of delegates - local governments and local stakeholders - on essential aspects for climate protection and sustainable energy in communities:

Theme1:  How to get started with climate change mitigation and adaptation;
Theme2:  Combining energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Theme3:  Urban and land use planning – mitigation and adaptation as key focus.

For every theme a few examples will be presented as showcases of successfully action, with these speakers focusing on success factors in their specific case, as well as replication potential and pitfalls (what should be avoided).

Three workshops:
Following these presentation, the delegates will select one of the three workshops, where the theme will be addressed in smaller groups, by a specific target audience:

1. Workshop1: Policy and strategy
Addressed mainly to political decision-makers, municipal strategy and planning staff, strategic consultants;
2. Workshop2: Implementation, technology and measures
Addressed mainly to municipal energy / environment staff, implementation consultants and development NGOs;
3. Workshop3: Community involvement, people and lifestyle chnage
Addressed mainly to municipal public relations staff, staff working with the public on community energy or environmental issues, Local Agenda 21 actors, awareness-raising NGOs, the public.

(c)  Exhibition: Set-up an exhibition area close to where coffee is served during breaks. Invite endorsers and targeted organisations to have an exhibition stand (posters, hand-outs, videos running on own laptops – electricity and internet available) – as added capacity development for specific topics. Poster exhibition for participants.

(d)  Support for small delegations and clusters: Specific meetings or facilitated discussions to ensure their needs are addressed.