EmpowerClimate

Background

Municipalities account for a large share of GHG emissions. Establishment of municipal CEM systems are an effective tool in reducing their energy consumption, as they include the deployment of new technologies and of renewable energy sources. Thus, they effectively contribute to a large-scale reduction of emissions. EmpowerClimate expects an annual reduction of five per cent per municipality over the next decade.

Polygon Smart City Workshop in Plzeň, Czech Republic. Photo: (c) Miroslav Šafařík

Project

The project enables municipalities to become active participants in fighting the climate crisis by generating awareness and knowledge about climate change, climate action, and their inherent challenges and opportunities. The establishment of CEMs are an efficient tool in this regard, as they offer a structured framework for monitoring and improving municipal energy performance and efficiency.

To this end, the project follows a threefold approach. First, it prepares and conducts training programmes for at least 14 new climate and energy managers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Second, it establishes CEM systems in three Czech and three Slovak municipalities. The project supports the municipalities in the systems’ maintenance and in the deployment of renewable energy sources. Third, it establishes the “Climate and Energy Management Network”. Within this framework, the project organises two training programmes, a study trip for Czech and Slovak participants to German best-practice municipalities, and two peer-review trips inviting experienced German climate and energy managers to Czech and Slovak cities. Through these means, the network connects municipalities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany.