INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF LITHUANIAN MUNICIPALITIES IN THE SPHERE OF CLIMATE CHANGE The Associacion of Local Authorities in Lithuania

CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN LITHUANIA Main institutions: Parliament formulate climate change policy Government implement climate change policy Ministry of Environment and its executive institutions(The Environmental Protection Agency, The Environmental Project Management Agency, The Environmental Protection Departaments) main institution responsible for development and implementation of climate change policy

Other ministries: (Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health care and etc.) participate in climate change policy development and impelmentation in accordance by their competence Lithuanian Environmental Investment Fund administrator of Greenhouse Gas Emission Allowances Registry Municipalities implement climate change measures National Climate Change Committee coordinate the questions related with climate change policy formation and implementation (advisory institution)

National legislature and strategies in the field of climate change: National strategy (until 2012) for UN framework convention on climate change; National Energy Strategy; National Energy Efficiency programme; National Strategy of Sustainable Development; Housing Strategy; National Waste management plan; Law on financial instruments on climate change management, etc.

Municipal legislature and initiatives: Air pollution reduction strategies; Environment monitoring programmes; Special plans for district heating services’ development; Waste management plans and rules, etc. Successful usage of EU structural support and national support measures Municipal cooperation in tackling climate change – local partners, neighbour municipalities, private sector, international partners Public awareness initiatives

Covenant of Mayors concerns the action at local level within the competence of the local governments. Local governments will be expected to take action in several or all of their possible roles. The local governments signing up to the Covenant of Mayors commit to submit their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) within the year following adhesion. Covenant of Mayors

The Sustainable Energy Action Plan is a key document that shows how the local government will reach its CO 2 reduction target by Since the Covenant's commitments concern the whole geographical area of the city/town, the SEAP should include actions concerning both the public and private sectors It is estimated, that SEAPs with a high degree of citizen participation are the most likely to get continuity in the long- term and to succeed in attaining their objectives. Covenant of Mayors

1243 EU mayors have signed the “Convenant of Mayors”on 16 th of February in the year 2010 The number of Covenant signatories has now risen to Convenant of Mayor is signed by 7 Lithuanian municipalities: Kaunas Panevėžys Anykščiai Pakruojis Šilalė Šilutė Vilkaviškis

It is the leading actor. Panevėžys city municipality has prepared and addopted the Sustainable Energy Action Plan. Main targets: - to promote effective energy consumption in housing sector; - to decrease the urban transport pollution; - renovate the district heating system; - to develop urban gren areas, bicycle and pedestrian routes; - to improve waste management ; - to clean up polluted public and industrial areas; - to promote energy production from waste and renewable sources. Panevėžys city municipality

To implement these obligations Panevėžys city municipality has commited to: - to create legal basis; - to develop financial mechanisms and administrative procedures; - to find additional financial sources; - to inform and educate society. “Our long-term vision will be the challenge for municipality and its enterprises. Nevertheless we expected that during next 10 years the municipality will do a lot of good things for environment and society”

In this year Lithuanian municipalities joined the global initiative “Earth Day”. 29 Lithuanian municipalities have signed this Declaration. on March 27 in 2010 at the electricity was turned of for one hour in the all world. Lithuanian municipalities have actively promoted this idea among local citizen. Most of municipal institutions have joined this idea. “Earth Day”

In 2002 “A Day Without a Car” was organized by 6 Lithuanian municipalities. Year by year this number is increasing. Every municipality chooses its own way to celebrate this event. In 2010 all municipalities plan to organize their own day without a car. A Day Without a Car Vilnius City municipality was the first Lithuanian municipality joined the action “A Day Without a Car” in the year 2000

A Day Without a Car For example: - Alytaus City municipality have orgnized thematic event “Imrpovement of Urban climate”; The main aim of this event was: - to inform the society about the importance of local authorities of the role played by solving problems related with global warming and -to atract the attention of civil society to negative impact of transport to environment and peoples health.

Potential areas for action: - trainings; - international cooperation in best practices’ exchange and - search for common answer to common challenges. Potential fields for action: - Buildings’ renovation and modernisation; - Municipal infrastructure (district heating; public lighting, traffic management and etc.); - Promotion of renewable energy sources; - Development of sustainable transport; - Waste management and intelligent usage and etc.

What does not work well - barriers / challenges: - Lack of consistency in legislature; - Lack of funding; - Lack of human and administrative capacities; - Sometimes negative approach of local politicians; - Insufficient coordination of actions among municipalities; - Insufficient public awareness and support; - Insufficient international cooperation and excange of best practises.

Where opportunities exist to be further explored: Dialogue with national government: national government is keen to listen to local interests, although severely limited in resources. Access to funding: often not the lack of resources, but the lack of information is the key challenge. Need to promote more comprehensive usage of available funding and international cooperation. Public-Private Partnerships: effective way to solve climate change problems City to city cooperation / twinning: simple and effective way. Environment and energy – key priority in Lithuanian town twinning initiatives.

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