Conference Climate Change Adaptation in Municipalities & ComuneClima awarding ceremony (IT/DE)

In the context of the current debate on climate protection measures at municipal level, the South Tyrol Energy Agency and the EUSALP Presidency hosted the conference 'Adaptation to Climate Change in Municipalities' on November 15 at the Noi Teckpark in Bolzano. The evening was also attended by the provincial councillor for the environment and energy, Giuliano Vettorato, who emphasised the commitment of the Province and the municipalities to finding solutions to the current climate crisis. "There is no doubt that the Province can only effectively achieve the climate goals it is outlining with the adoption of the Climate Plan with the fundamental involvement and commitment of the municipalities that are part of it, helping to provide them with the necessary resources to implement the measures to combat global warming, while also taking into account the specificities of each territorial area, in order to ensure a fair transition that is acceptable to all citizens," explained Vettorato during his speech.

During the conference, numerous examples of how climate change adaptation can take place at the local level were presented. Marc Zebisch, for example, geoecologist and head of Eurac Research's Institute for Earth Observation, presented various climate change adaptation measures at the community level. Ariane Weifner, from the Vorarlberg Energy Institute, showed how municipalities can coordinate their efforts to better prepare for local climate change phenomena. South Tyrolean hotelier Michil Costa, for his part, addressed the topic of sustainable tourism in municipalities (see Michil Costa intervention here).

Ten ClimateCertified Municipalities

At the end of the conference, the highlight of the evening was the awarding of the Climate Communities, the most virtuous realities in involving citizens in ecological change and implementing the necessary measures to combat climate change. The 'ComuneClima' programme is based on the European Energy Award and supports municipalities in developing and implementing climate protection measures and verifying their effectiveness. The municipality of Montagna was awarded for its exemplary efforts and was admitted to the programme. The other municipalities that successfully completed the Agency's audit with a certification or recertification from ComuneClima are Lana, Trodena, Appiano sulla Strada del vino, Sesto, Aldino, Caldaro sulla Strada del vino, San Candido and Nova Ponente.

Climate Protection Communities

The municipalities were defined as 'key players in reaching out and involving the population in climate protection'. This initiative is therefore a central element in the implementation of climate protection goals. As in previous years, the certification process showed the manifold possibilities of action of the various local authorities. The measures implemented range from the energy refurbishment of public buildings, the conversion of street lighting to efficient LED lighting, new offers for soft mobility and traffic calming, the construction of biomass plants and district heating networks, to the introduction of systematic energy management at municipal level and various offers to citizens.

New climate community in Molise

The CasaClima Agency, as is known, certifies municipalities throughout the country. Recently, a municipality in central Italy also joined the programme. San Massimo, in the province of Campobasso, aims to promote sustainable development in its municipality, raising awareness among the population about climate change and stimulating change at the local level through active action. The Molise municipality is an example of how ecological change can contribute to increasing the quality of life in the area and can be successfully used in territorial marketing in terms of sustainability.