The Sustainable Energy Transition Cities and Local Governments in Focus

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of key global developments relevant to local climate and sustainable energy action, and leading the transition to a sustainable energy future. In light of the urgency and necessity for such action, the role of local governments in cities and towns is explored, considering the need for strong leadership, direction and accelerated action. Local climate and energy action are intertwined with sustainable development, embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is unfolding through high impact global initiatives that support local action such as the Global 100% Renewable Energy Cities and Regions Network and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), as well as through city networks such as ICLEI that provide policy and technical assistance, deal with advocacy, and support integrated Measuring, Reporting and Verifying (MRV) of local action. People and leadership, responsibility, innovation, resilience, security and finance are a few key words illustrating how the sustainable energy transition is unfolding today. Cities of all sizes and their local governments are increasingly responding to the call for climate neutrality at the latest by 2050. They are using ICLEI’s GreenClimateCities™ program, with its step-by-step methodology, tools and guidance, to shape their communities’ future. By defining their sustainable energy transition roadmap and finding innovative approaches, local governments are making their cities and towns liveable, resilient and climate neutral. Here the underlying premise is access to affordable, reliable, clean, sustainable energy which is essential for sustainable development, quality of life and a just transition in a changing world where climate change and limited resources frame the context. The transition, when well-managed, offers multiple benefits, such as improved air quality and associated health impacts, reduced and avoided greenhouse gas emissions, and new (local) employment opportunities created, to mention but a few. In combination, these make this transition so relevant and interesting to different types of stakeholders at community level. Mayors, councillors and senior local government leaders have understood this, and are re-defining and implementing the sustainable energy transition in their governmental operations and communities. Yet, local governments acting in their territories—cities and towns of all sizes—do not work in isolation. They are embedded in a national context and are key action partners for other levels of government (subnational state or region, province, national), as closest to the local community and closest to where the action should be. Each level of government should have a clear, specific mandate and role to address climate and energy. However, practice often does not reflect this crucial component, with energy mostly remaining a national responsibility. Only by exploring all forms of renewable energy, including decentralised generation and use, can we achieve a climate neutral future. A constructive approach is needed to define what this could look like, exploring relevant scenarios and fully committing to move away from burning fossil fuels. The Talanoa Dialogues were launched in 2018 to address these issues, among others, through exploring improved multilevel governance and vertical integration. Here we addressed three key questions: “where are we”, “where do we need to go”, and “how do we get there”. Moving from the unique Local Government Climate Roadmap—a major global climate advocacy process—that has helped to set the scene, the focus is now on exploring multilevel governance as a cooperation model between all levels of government, and further mobilising local governments to scale up local climate and energy action. This complex space and relevant developments are addressed in this paper.