New Guidebooks to Help Municipalities Develop SECAPS are Available

A new series of guidebooks developed by the Joint Research Council of the European Commission provides guidance on developing Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs). Aimed at signatories of the EU Covenant of Mayors, the guidebooks are aligned with three of its key pillars: 

• Climate change mitigation
• Adaptation to climate impacts
• Energy poverty alleviation 

The main guidebook is a high-level roadmap that builds on previous editions to provide updated methodologies and insights from across Europe on the topic of SECAPs and climate policies.

Five Technical Guidebooks Offer In-Depth Guidance on SECAPs

To support the main document, the release of five additional technical guidebooks provides guidance on different aspects of SECAPs to further assist municipalities pursuing climate action. Each technical document supports the previously published EU Covenant of Mayors SECAP guidebook by addressing a specific aspect of SECAPs. 

The guidebooks are on the following topics: 

• Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory
• How to Develop a Risk and Vulnerability Assessment
• How to Develop an Energy Poverty Assessment
• Planning Mitigation, Adaptation and Energy Poverty Actions
• Financial Instruments for Mitigation, Adaptation and Energy Poverty Actions 

Each of these guidebooks was developed to help municipalities of any size develop SECAPs, regardless of their experience in the process. As municipalities play a critical role in mitigating and adapting to climate change, designing ambitious SECAPs that are evidence-based and inclusive is more important than ever. With tools like these new guidebooks, the Covenant of Mayors is equipping municipalities in Europe to take bold climate action. 

Whether you have previous experience developing SECAPs or are new to the process, download the guidebooks to enhance your municipal climate planning! 

Source: EU Covenant of Mayors