Exploring the Training Needs for Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Consumption in the Case of Public Local Authorities

Abstract

Climate change (CC) is a new reality that impacts urban life and costly impacts on cities' infrastructure, services, housing and human health. Cities are the agents and the places of change in addressing climate change, but sometimes there remains a concerned lack of powerful evidence for their effectiveness and capacity to accomplish this role. This paper therefore attempts to highlight a possible way to approach change at organizational, team and individual levels through training and leadership, to overcome barriers, for a better understanding of how the public administration can be more performant. The questionnaire-based survey results expose the actual status of understanding climate change, energy and sustainability issues and stress the need for trainings for individuals and teams that are implementing energy and climate strategies in the all mentioned topics. The survey also collects information regarding the main learning sources and the role of leadership for supporting a learning environment.