Climate Pact: a tool for strengthening local authorities’ resilience

Much more than just a set of measures, the Climate Pact helps local authorities to structure their energy and climate transition for the long term. As a climate adviser to nine Luxembourg municipalities, LSC360 supports them in developing strategies tailored to their specific circumstances, drawing on a range of expertise and involving local stakeholders. From climate risk prevention to the development of energy self-sufficiency, the objective remains the same: to build communities that are better prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Tina Bayart, Carolina Da Cruz and Carine Kolber – respectively Project Manager, Climate Pact Technical Coordinator, and climate adviser and Group Secretary-General – explain.

Tailor-made support

Whilst the Climate Pact is sometimes perceived as a series of targets or a catalogue of measures, the teams at LSC360 emphasise that it is, above all, a genuine governance tool. This enables local authorities to structure their energy and climate transition whilst aligning with the objectives of the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC). The Climate Pact, developed by the relevant ministry and the Klima-Agence based on the European Energy Award (EEA) framework, thus serves as a guiding principle to support local authorities in their transformation. LSC360 is currently supporting nine Luxembourg municipalities as a consultant within the framework of the Climate Pact. This expertise also extends to other local authorities through specific projects focusing on energy renovation, the circular economy, climate resilience and spatial planning. “Our work always begins with a comprehensive assessment of the municipality. First and foremost, we need to understand where the municipality stands in order to advise it more effectively later on. This covers energy, mobility, biodiversity, communication and citizen participation. This self-assessment then enables us to define priorities and draw up a coherent roadmap,” emphasises Carolina Da Cruz. This initial snapshot serves as a basis for identifying the most relevant levers for action and building a strategy tailored to local realities, as no two municipalities are alike. Administrative organisation, the involvement of elected representatives, the functioning of technical services, citizen engagement and geographical constraints are all factors that directly influence how the Climate Pact is approached. For example, some local authorities focus their efforts on greening public spaces, whilst others prioritise mobility issues or flood prevention. “This diversity is a source of strength that calls for a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all method,” explains Carine Kolber.

A cross-cutting approach to support local authorities

The role of the climate adviser is, above all, to coordinate initiatives and mobilise the necessary expertise. When a project requires specific expertise, LSC360’s specialists can step in: spatial planning, transport, energy efficiency, landscape architecture, the circular economy or even regional development. This structure enables the organisation to offer local authorities comprehensive support, rather than tackling each issue in isolation. Mobility, energy, biodiversity and spatial planning are closely interlinked. Integrating them into a shared approach enables us to develop strategies that are more coherent, more effective and better suited to local realities,” explains Carine Kolber.

Anticipating rather than reacting

In a context where extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and are forcing a paradigm shift, resilience no longer simply means reacting when a disaster strikes, but preparing local areas to limit the impact on the environment and the population. The floods of 2021, for example, had a profound impact on Luxembourg’s local authorities and accelerated awareness of the issue. “Local authorities have recognised their vulnerability. Since then, several such events have recurred in certain areas, and this issue is now fully integrated into planning considerations,” observes Tina Bayart. The solutions rely on better water management right from the design stage of public spaces: reducing soil sealing, creating retention basins, preserving natural floodplains, and restoring watercourses to their natural state to allow more space for water rather than systematically seeking to channel it. As for combating heat islands, experts are following the same preventive approach. Planting trees suited to the future climate, developing green spaces, greening buildings or prioritising materials that limit heat build-up are now standard practices to be incorporated into new development projects. “ It is always simpler and less costly to prevent problems than to have to rectify them later”, points out Tina Bayart.

Strengthening the energy resilience of regions

The energy crisis following the war in Ukraine has also highlighted the importance of strengthening the resilience of regions. “The challenge goes far beyond simply reducing consumption, as the primary aim is to ensure the continuity of essential services in the event of a major disruption: waste management, administrative operations, providing support for the population or communication during a crisis. All these functions must be able to continue, even in the event of an energy shortage,” explains Carolina Da Cruz. However, each local authority has its own vulnerabilities and specific characteristics. The support offered by LSC360 involves analysing the resources available in the area to identify the most suitable solutions: solar power, wind power, biomass, geothermal energy or district heating networks. “We also support local authorities in applying for grants to help bring these projects to fruition,” says Carolina Da Cruz. The success of the Climate Pact also depends on the involvement of residents and local stakeholders. The green transition cannot be driven by the local authority alone. “Citizens, businesses, organisations, young people and economic stakeholders must be involved in the projects. Furthermore, climate teams, citizens’ forums and participatory processes also help to create these spaces for dialogue,” says Carine Kolber. The aim is to develop a shared understanding of the challenges and to foster local initiatives capable of sustainably strengthening the region’s resilience.

Governance: the key to success

After more than ten years of the Climate Pact’s existence, the teams at LSC360 have observed a significant increase in the maturity of local authorities. “Recent climate events, energy crises and new funding schemes have gradually raised awareness amongst local decision-makers. Resilience has now emerged as a genuine governance issue,” observes Carine Kolber. For LSC360, a resilient local authority is not one that escapes crises, but one that is capable of anticipating them, maintaining its essential services and quickly regaining a new equilibrium. This capacity relies as much on investment as on the quality of organisation: contingency plans, resilience strategies, coordination of services, the involvement of elected representatives and citizen participation. All these measures form the various pillars of this approach. To support local authorities in this process, LSC360 organised an initial series of workshops on territorial resilience last May. A second, more in-depth phase will be organised by the end of the year to explore the topics further and identify priorities for action. “Local authorities can implement a wide range of measures. But without a vision, without coordination and without monitoring, they risk losing effectiveness. Governance remains the true foundation of resilience,” concludes Tina Bayart.

Article published in Lëtzbuerger Gemengen 274

Photo: Alain Bianco