Low-Energy City policy handbook part A

In Part A, it explains the way local authorities organise themselves to start and run a political and organisational process to set sustainable energy policies. This part of the handbook presents the results of the development of Local Energy Roadmaps 2050 in the eight IMAGINE pilot cities.

The energy transition is driven by the necessity to decrease the energy vulnerability of the cities and of their inhabitants. This demands a fundamental transformation of our societies; in fact, a new civilisation.

What’s a local energy roadmap?

Strictly speaking, a roadmap is a detailed plan to guide progress towards a goal. The European Commission already issued specific roadmaps on energy, such as the Energy Roadmap 20501 or the Roadmap for moving to a low-carbon economy in 20502. Unfortunately, these roadmaps do not take into account the role of local authorities nor do they tackle the energy approach from a decentra-lised perspective.While the cities committed to the Covenant of Mayors are sending a clear signal by taking action to achieve (and go beyond) the 3×20 EU objectives, local authorities are starting to develop their own energy roadmaps in order to prepare the transition towards a sustainable energy system.