Transatlantic multi-stakeholder dialogue for the local energy transition

Nantes Metropolis committed to fighting climate change in 2006. In 2008, Nantes Metropolis was one of the first French cities to sign the Covenant of Mayors and was crowned the European Green Capital in 2013 by the European Commission. The following year, Air Pays de la Loire was able to track progress by calculating a 23 percent drop in greenhouse gas emissions since 2003. In 2015 and 2016, Nantes Metropolis carried out an assessment of its Climate Plan earning the European Energy Award. In September 2016, it also launched the Climate Chance World Summit of climate stakeholders, as the first host city, registering 4,000 participants.

In 2018, the Nantes Metropolis is updating its Sustainable Energy, Climate, and Air Action Plan – Plan climat air énergie territorial (PCAET). Through this new plan, the metropolis intends to accelerate its climate change objectives and promote changes to working practices. The strategy is based on two components: mitigation, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from energy sources; and adaptation to become more robust while improving quality of life and resilience.

Governmental competencies

For the last ten years, the 24 municipalities of the Nantes metropolitan area have been equipped with energy expertise and a Climate Energy Plan. The plan encompasses compulsory components such as urban planning, transport and mobility, public space, roads, cleaning, public lighting, waste management, energy and the environment, water, and sanitation. In addition the plan also tackles urban topics such as housing, economic development, higher education, research and innovation, employment, and European and international attractiveness. Within the plan are optional elements on request and in consultation with municipalities, including pollution prevention, major transport, telecommunications, sports, construction, development of higher education and research, and land actions.