OECD WORKSHOP ON COMPETITIVE CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES International Energy Agency, Paris - 30 November 2007 Ivana Capozza, Marco Magrassi Ministry of Economic Development Evaluation Unit Climate change mitigation policy at city level: the Italian experience

Outline  Climate change impact on Italian cities  Greenhouse gas emissions at national and urban levels in Italy  Attitudes of municipalities in dealing with environmental and climate change issues  Examples on energy and transport  EU funds

Climate change impact on Italian cities Average temperature Average temperature 2007 Average change Average temperature Jan-Jun 2007 Average temperature: a comparison 1961/90 – 1997/ has been exceptional, but there is an overall negative trend Heat waves + tropical nights affect every day life and have negative health impacts

Greenhouse gas emissions  Italian Kyoto target in : -6.5% (base year 1990)  However, increasing GHG emissions: +12% in  Emissions at city level? Problems No national monitoring system assessing municipal GHG emissions National Env. Agengy estimates provincial emissions on a 5-year basis Only a few regional inventories and comparability problems Italian provinces differ one another and provincial data are a good proxy for municipal emissions only in a few cases

Per capita CO2 emissions at provincial level (2005)

Attitudes of municipalities – Aalborg Commitments Municipalities have traditionally played an important role in managing environmental matters (mainly wastes, waste water treatment, green areas and urban transport) Italian local governments show a high commitment towards sustainable urban development Aalborg Commitments signatories per million inhabitants (2007)

 1452 local governments have started a LA21 planning process (75% municipalities)  78% abandoning rate (financial reasons)  85% are in Central and Northern Italy  Action plan implementation is ongoing in some 30% of cases  19% LA21 take account of Kyoto targets  2% of local governments involved in LA21 also have a specific climate change programme Attitudes of municipalities – Local Agenda 21

Attitudes of municipalities  Public investments in urban or light railways in some major cities (Milan, Rome, Naples)  Municipal energy plans Several support measures for “clean” energy, industrial and household efficiency, sustainable transport at central and regional level No comprehensive and specific climate change policy at urban level, but Sector-specific approach, focusing on energy and urban transport, non necessarily linked to climate concerns, e.g:

Examples - Energy  24 provincial capital cities over 111 adopted the Municipal energy plan (4 in the South)  Solar thermal and photovoltaic power are still under-used (especially in the South) but increasing interest  10 cities have district heating serving more than 100 inhabitants in (0 in the South)  No link between energy plan and city performance

Urban transport

EU Funds “for” climate change in cities – Underground, urban and suburban railways - Buses and tramlines - Cycling lanes - Network efficiency and energy saving - Solar energy

EU Funds “for” climate change in cities –

Few regional programmes explicitly focus on urban areas Several matters can go under the climate challenge heading EU Funds “for” climate change in cities – Railways

Conclusions Patchwork geography of local climate challenge policies Difficulties in having an overall picture Few cities appear to be really committed Sectoral views and scarce financial resources: different thematic strategies are perceived as alternative investments Investments and actions are mainly linked to economic and social concerns Opportunities: something is moving Increasing interest and policy tools and resources made available by central and regional governments Cities can use these tools withing an integrated approach It is a question of management capacity and governance