1. Parallel Session - 2 Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club Sustainable Energy Action Plans and/or Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans

2. Agenda Welcome Covenant of Mayors in a nutshell
Sustainable Energy Action Plans
SEAP examples Tallinn - Villu Pella
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans - Maija Rusanen
SEAPs and SUMPs
Discussion and networking: Sustainable transport Initiatives in the Baltic Sea Region – perspectives on SEAP and SUMP
Wrap up
Task: Think of the best example of sustainable transport from your city – we will talk about it later

3. Some policies and initiatives towards sustainable Europe
Rio Conference 1992
LA21 Action Plans
Aalborg Charter 1996
Aalborg commitments 2004
Covenant of Mayors 2008
EU Sustainable Development Strategy 2006
EU 3x20 Goals
RFSC 2008
Climate policies
Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities 2007
Managing Urban Europe Initiative 2006
The Sustainable development policies have been built up through many strategies and initiatives. After years of LA21 agendas and Aalborg Charter and Commitments it was clear that more practical guidance and support is needed as there was lots of paper produced but lesser actions implemented. That was when the MUE was initiated and the IMS developed. As there challenges are growing and more initiatives, say signals, are rising there is a clear need for integration and common coordination for finding synergies and building support structures to implement the EU policies on local level.
RFSC: Reference framework for sustainable cities

4. Covenant of Mayors?
A commitment towards Europe’s energy goals for 2020
In March 2007 the EU’s leaders endorsed an integrated approach to climate and energy policy that aims to combat climate change and increase the EU’s energy security while strengthening its competitiveness. They committed Europe to transforming itself into a highly energy-efficient, low carbon economy.
To kick-start this process, the EU Heads of State and Government set a series of demanding climate and energy targets to be met by 2020, known as the " " targets. These are:
- A reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions of at least 20% below 1990 levels
- 20% of EU energy consumption to come from renewable resources
- A 20% reduction in primary energy use compared with projected levels, to be achieved by improving energy efficiency.
The EU leaders also offered to increase the EU’s emissions reduction to 30%, on condition that other major emitting countries in the developed and developing worlds commit to do their fair share under a global climate agreement. United Nations negotiations on such an agreement are ongoing.
In January 2008 the European Commission proposed binding legislation to implement the targets. This ‘climate and energy package’ was agreed by the European Parliament and Council in December 2008 and became law in June 2009.
The 5 targets for the EU in 2020
1. Employment :75% of the year-olds to be employed
2. R&D  : 3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in R&D
3. Climate change / energy
greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right) lower than 1990
20% of energy from renewables
20% increase in energy efficiency
4. Education :
Reducing school drop-out rates below 10%
at least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education
5. Poverty / social exclusion :at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion

5. Covenant of Mayors in a nutshell
The Covenant of Mayors is the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities,
It is a voluntarily committing for increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources on their territories.
By their commitment, Covenant signatories aim to meet and exceed the European Union 20% CO2 reduction objective by 2020.
In March 2007 the EU’s leaders endorsed an integrated approach to climate and energy policy that aims to combat climate change and increase the EU’s energy security while strengthening its competitiveness. They committed Europe to transforming itself into a highly energy-efficient, low carbon economy.
To kick-start this process, the EU Heads of State and Government set a series of demanding climate and energy targets to be met by 2020, known as the " " targets. These are:
- A reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions of at least 20% below 1990 levels
- 20% of EU energy consumption to come from renewable resources
- A 20% reduction in primary energy use compared with projected levels, to be achieved by improving energy efficiency.
The EU leaders also offered to increase the EU’s emissions reduction to 30%, on condition that other major emitting countries in the developed and developing worlds commit to do their fair share under a global climate agreement. United Nations negotiations on such an agreement are ongoing.
In January 2008 the European Commission proposed binding legislation to implement the targets. This ‘climate and energy package’ was agreed by the European Parliament and Council in December 2008 and became law in June 2009.
The 5 targets for the EU in 2020
1. Employment :75% of the year-olds to be employed
2. R&D  : 3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in R&D
3. Climate change / energy
greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right) lower than 1990
20% of energy from renewables
20% increase in energy efficiency
4. Education :
Reducing school drop-out rates below 10%
at least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education
5. Poverty / social exclusion :at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion

6. To join the ever-growing movement, local authorities should undertake the following process:
1) Present the initiative to the municipal council ;
2) Guarantee that a formal decision to sign up to the Covenant has been adopted by the council, through an official resolution
3) Mandate the mayor - or equivalent representative of the city council - to sign the adhesion form;
4) Send an electronic message to the to inform the Commission about the decision to join the initiative
5) Take note of the next steps, outlined in a confirmation sent to the city council.
The Sustainable Energy Action Plan – which local authorities are to submit within a year of their adhesion – is the roadmap that will guide them towards this final destination of reduced CO2 emissions, outlining the major milestones to get there and the passengers to be taken on-board.
A series of strategic requirements associated with the Plan ensure that the Covenant fosters specific and tangible results: the elaboration of a Baseline Emission Inventory (BEI) helps signatories determine the sectors which consume and pollute the most, indicating where the bulk of action should be concentrated. The BEI must cover at least three of the Covenant’s four key sectors – (1) transport, (2) municipal & (3) tertiary buildings, equipments and facilities, and (4) residential buildings –, and at least two of these should be included in the corresponding SEAP. Finally, considering that actions and results are core to the Covenant of Mayors initiative, signatories who fail to fufil their commitments are temporarily suspended from the initiative, until they can prove otherwise. In addition, the actual implementation of the SEAP is ensured by the biannual submission of a monitoring report.
Although these steps might seem demanding, they play a crucial role in helping the city move towards an integrated, sustainable approach to town planning, in which energy and climate considerations play a decisive part and bring new local development opportunities

7. One size does not fit all. But…
The 3 steps will have to be taken by all 4479 cities who have signed up for the Covenant of Mayors 
4479 cities will do the same as your city to fulfill the obligations connected to COM

8. Introducing The Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club Sharing valuable experiences

9. Baltic Sea Region Union of the Baltic Cities: 37 signatories
Denmark 30
Union of the Baltic Cities: 37 signatories
Estonia 2
Finland 7
Germany 65
Latvia 13
Lithuania 11
Norway 7
Poland 33
Sweden 51
219 signatories in the Baltic Sea Region.
Signatory member cities (37)
DK: Århus, Guldborgsund, Naestved, Vordingsborg, Kolding, Koege
FI: Helsinki, espoo, turku, tampere, Lahti
EE: Rakvere, Tallinn
LV: Jēkabpils, Jelgava, Riga, Tukums, Liepaja
LT: Kaunas, Panevėžys, Vilnius
PL: Gdynia, Ustka
SE: Botkyrka, Halmstad, Karlskrona, Karlstad, Kristianstad, Linköping, Malmö, Örebro, Oskarshamn, Växjö
DE: Greifswald, Rostock
NO: Bergen, Kristiansand
None from Russia

10. The Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club
The Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club is an open platform where all relevant challenges and opportunities can be shared with like minded across the Baltic Sea Region.

11. The BSR Covenant Club is for YOU…
…if you are a UBC member city that has signed the Covenant of Mayors and seeks to exchange experiences with colleagues from other cities
…if you are a municipality interested in signing the CoM and seeking for experiences with those commitments from others
…if you are a municipality who works actively with energy and climate issues and seeks inspiration and exchange of experience with others
…if you are an organisation, association, company working in the field of energy and climate and are related to the Baltic Sea Region, seeking for getting in contact with local authorities

12. BSRCC Mailing list Mailing list: Latest news from the region
Upcoming events
Supporting events
- ect.

13. BSRCC Website
On:

14. Workshops
Discuss various issues related to the different steps of the Covenant of Mayors
Sharing the different difficulties of the different steps. Feedback to JRC and COMO.
This time: SEAP SUMPs and sustainable transport
Inform quickly about the UBC Meeting.

15. To join the ever-growing movement, local authorities should undertake the following process:
1) Present the initiative to the municipal council ;
2) Guarantee that a formal decision to sign up to the Covenant has been adopted by the council, through an official resolution
3) Mandate the mayor - or equivalent representative of the city council - to sign the adhesion form;
4) Send an electronic message to the to inform the Commission about the decision to join the initiative
5) Take note of the next steps, outlined in a confirmation sent to the city council.
The Sustainable Energy Action Plan – which local authorities are to submit within a year of their adhesion – is the roadmap that will guide them towards this final destination of reduced CO2 emissions, outlining the major milestones to get there and the passengers to be taken on-board.
A series of strategic requirements associated with the Plan ensure that the Covenant fosters specific and tangible results: the elaboration of a Baseline Emission Inventory (BEI) helps signatories determine the sectors which consume and pollute the most, indicating where the bulk of action should be concentrated. The BEI must cover at least three of the Covenant’s four key sectors – (1) transport, (2) municipal & (3) tertiary buildings, equipments and facilities, and (4) residential buildings –, and at least two of these should be included in the corresponding SEAP. Finally, considering that actions and results are core to the Covenant of Mayors initiative, signatories who fail to fufil their commitments are temporarily suspended from the initiative, until they can prove otherwise. In addition, the actual implementation of the SEAP is ensured by the biannual submission of a monitoring report.
Although these steps might seem demanding, they play a crucial role in helping the city move towards an integrated, sustainable approach to town planning, in which energy and climate considerations play a decisive part and bring new local development opportunities

16. The actions
A Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) is the key document in which the Covenant signatory outlines how it intends to reach its CO2 reduction target by 2020.
It defines the activities and measures set up to achieve the targets, together with time frames and assigned responsibilities.
Covenant signatories are free to choose the format of their SEAP, as long as it is in line with the general principles set out in the Covenant SEAP guidelines.

17. A successful SEAP(1)
Build support from stakeholders: if they support your SEAP, nothing should stop it! Conflicting stakeholders’ interests deserve special attention.
Secure a long-term political commitment.
Ensure adequate financial resources.
Do a proper CO2 emissions inventory as this is vital. What you do not measure you will not change.
Integrate the SEAP into day-to-day life and management of the municipality: it should not be just an other nice document, but part of the corporate culture!

18. A successful SEAP(2) Ensure proper management during implementation.
Make sure that your staff has adequate skills, and if necessary offer training.
Learn to devise and implement projects over the long term.
Actively search and take advantage of experiences and lessons learned from other cities that have developed a SEAP.

19. SEAP Guidelines
The main target sectors to go beyond the 2020 targets include:
buildings,
equipment/facilities
urban transport.
The SEAP may also include actions related to:
local electricity production (development of PV, wind power, CHP, improvement of local power generation),
local heating/cooling generation.

20. Practical experiences with SEAPs:
Thank you for now
Practical experiences with SEAPs:
With:
Villu Pella, Tallinn Energy Agency