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Sub-National Scale Initiatives for Climate Change Mitigation: Refining the Approach to Increase the Effectiveness of the Covenant of Mayors

Author

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  • Fabio Sporchia

    (Department of Science, Technology and Society, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
    Ecodynamics Group, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Michela Marchi

    (Ecodynamics Group, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Enrico Nocentini

    (Ecodynamics Group, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Nadia Marchettini

    (Ecodynamics Group, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Federico Maria Pulselli

    (Ecodynamics Group, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

Abstract

Climate change mitigation strategies include sub-national initiatives proposed and operated by municipalities. An example of such initiatives is the Covenant of Mayors, the signatories of which are requested to compile territorial greenhouse gas emission inventories to identify entry points for mitigating policies and to be able to monitor their effectiveness over time. However, the current accounting approach presents some limitations, providing an incomplete picture of the territorial emissive status, thus hampering the mitigation potential of the set of measures. The present study shows that the current approach required by the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) guidelines for compiling the Baseline Emission Inventory (BEI) can be complemented with the accounting guidelines proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in order to fill existing gaps and provide a comprehensive picture from a different point of view. The proposed refinement demonstrates that local administrative bodies can count on a tool able to provide detailed and accurate information, stimulate knowledge and awareness, and optimize local mitigation efforts sometimes limited by the application of large scale (national) top-down initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Sporchia & Michela Marchi & Enrico Nocentini & Nadia Marchettini & Federico Maria Pulselli, 2022. "Sub-National Scale Initiatives for Climate Change Mitigation: Refining the Approach to Increase the Effectiveness of the Covenant of Mayors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2022:i:1:p:125-:d:1010784
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Mario Herrero & Benjamin Henderson & Petr Havlík & Philip K. Thornton & Richard T. Conant & Pete Smith & Stefan Wirsenius & Alexander N. Hristov & Pierre Gerber & Margaret Gill & Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, 2016. "Greenhouse gas mitigation potentials in the livestock sector," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(5), pages 452-461, May.
    3. Marchi, Michela & Jørgensen, Sven Erik & Pulselli, Federico Maria & Marchettini, Nadia & Bastianoni, Simone, 2012. "Modelling the carbon cycle of Siena Province (Tuscany, central Italy)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 40-60.
    4. Clarke-Sather, Afton & Qu, Jiansheng & Wang, Qin & Zeng, Jingjing & Li, Yan, 2011. "Carbon inequality at the sub-national scale: A case study of provincial-level inequality in CO2 emissions in China 1997-2007," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 5420-5428, September.
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