Climate Pact 2.0

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by one-fifth by 2020 compared to 2005 and increasing the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption to 11% by 2020: these were the climate protection goals set by the Luxembourg government at the beginning of the previous decade. Municipalities were seen as indispensable partners, and local and regional energy and climate protection strategies were viewed as key elements for implementing the necessary measures at the national level.

In this context, the “Climate Pact for Municipalities” was launched as a new tool designed to encourage these efforts at the local level. It provides government support for municipalities’ climate initiatives, with the aim of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within their jurisdictions, while stimulating investment, economic activity, and the labor market.

The agreement is formalized through a contract between the government and each participating municipality. Under this agreement, the municipalities commit to working toward obtaining the European Energy Award® (EEA) and to implementing, within two years, an appropriate energy audit system at
the municipal level. For its part, the government guarantees financial and technical support throughout the implementation process.

The municipality of Garnich decided back in 2014 to sign the first Climate Pact agreement, dated December 9, 2013, between the Luxembourg government, the MyEnergy interest group, and the municipality.

The Climate Pact 1.0 was a legally binding agreement between the state and local municipalities. The goal of this pact was to provide technical and financial support to municipalities to help them reduce their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Climate Pact 1.0
went into effect on January 1, 2013, and ended at the close of 2020.

The pact was (and still is) based on the European Energy Award (EEA – www.european-energy-award.org) program, which has been used for years by numerous municipalities, both large and small, in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, and Italy. In Luxembourg, all 102 municipalities ultimately participated in the Climate Pact and thus in this program.

As part of the EEA, the municipality’s current energy and climate situation is analyzed, identifying its strengths and weaknesses. An action plan containing improvement measures is then developed, aimed at guiding municipalities toward a sustainable
policy regarding energy, mobility, climate, and the environment. The main tool of this program was and remains the EEA measures catalog, which originally included up to 79 measures divided into 6 categories (development planning and land use, municipal buildings and facilities, waste management and disposal, mobility, internal organization, communication, and cooperation).

Based on this catalog, the energy and climate protection measures implemented by participating municipalities were (and still are) evaluated and monitored by external auditors. Under Climate Pact 1.0, there were three levels of certification:

• 40% of the total points (Climate Pact label)
• 50% of the total points (EEA Silver)
• 75% of the total points (EEA Gold)

The municipality of Garnich joined the Climate Pact relatively early on and began actively working on the implementation of the program and the EEA catalog in 2014. Thanks to focused and intensive efforts by the municipal council, the municipal administration, and the Climate Pact advisor, the municipality was able to complete its first audit by the end of 2015—in just a year and a half.

In November 2017, the municipality of Garnich achieved the “Climate Pact Silver” level with an impressive score of 70.0%.

She was thus able to successfully obtain this certification in a very short period of time.

Four years later, in 2019, a re-audit was conducted, as required every four years under the Climate Pact 1.0.

In September 2019, Garnich passed this re-audit with an excellent score of 77.1%.

To meet ambitious climate goals, the Climate Pact must evolve in a targeted manner during its new phase from 2021 to 2030. Three areas are highlighted in particular:

• The Climate Pact 2.0 aims to improve the quantification of results. The goal is to enhance data quality and track progress using indicators. To achieve this, data collection must be optimized, and monitoring and control tools must be strengthened. For years, municipalities have been using the EnerCoach software to track the monthly and annual consumption (electricity, heat, drinking water) of their municipal buildings. In the future, other municipality-specific data will be collected and centralized to reduce the workload and improve comparability between municipalities.
• Another key focus is the ongoing improvement of the working environment for municipalities. This includes the development of monitoring tools as well as strengthened
  cooperation with partners such as SIGI, Klimabündnis, CELL, IMS, and EBL. Climate advisors, who have been supporting municipalities since the start of the
  pact, will become more specialized by topic (mobility, energy retrofits, circular economy, etc.) in order to provide more targeted support.
• A third key focus is on strengthening citizen participation. Municipalities will receive greater support to encourage their residents to play an active role in climate protection. Measures such as campaigns, contests, and concrete support mechanisms (such as the creation of energy cooperatives) are planned.

Implementing a local climate strategy involves several steps and measures. First, the municipality must set out its objectives for its future climate policy in writing. These objectives must be consistent with national goals and cover as many climate-related issues as possible.

To ensure this, the municipality’s efforts are primarily guided by the methodology outlined in the Climate Pact, which is based on the European Energy Award (EEA):

• In particular, it calls for the development of a “municipal climate protection vision” that includes both quantitative and qualitative goals. This vision is based on the EEA measures catalog, which comprises approximately 65 criteria divided into six areas: land use planning, municipal buildings, resource supply and management, mobility, internal organization, and communication and cooperation.
• While this vision sets out broad objectives, detailed plans must be developed for priority areas. Based on a thorough analysis of the current situation, these plans define not only objectives but also concrete solutions and measures to be implemented. The goal is to avoid a proliferation of isolated initiatives and to ensure a structured approach in terms of strategy, timing, and financing.

Concepts need to be developed, in particular, in the following areas: climate change adaptation, resource management, mobility, energy, and green space management. The topics of digitalization and communication, although addressed separately, are cross-cutting and apply to all of these areas.

• To ensure a structured approach, activities must be organized into a work plan that is regularly updated (at least once a year), including responsibilities, key milestones, and budgets.
• All six areas must be addressed in a balanced manner, although municipal infrastructure plays a special role due to its direct potential to reduce CO₂ emissions and costs, which can be measured through energy accounting.
• Although the EEA catalog focuses primarily on municipal initiatives, the medium-term goal is to extend climate action to local organizations, businesses, and households. An initial benchmarking exercise using comprehensive indicators makes it possible to assess the municipality’s current situation and identify opportunities for improvement.
• The actions taken are evaluated through audits based on the EEA catalog, which must also serve as a reference for future measures.

Finally, additional incentive and awareness-raising measures help promote climate protection throughout the municipality, with the aim of engaging all residents and enabling the entire community of Garnich to actively contribute to the fight against climate change.

In addition to the guiding vision, a written strategy must be developed for the various relevant thematic areas to serve as the basis for future work under the Climate Pact. This strategy will help identify areas for action and concrete measures to be implemented in order to advance climate protection overall and address climate change adaptation.

To guide the municipality’s future climate policy, a “Leitbild Klimaschutz” (climate protection vision statement) defines the municipality’s position on issues related to energy policy and climate protection. This vision sets out the goals, measures, and projects aimed at sustainable energy management. The objectives were developed taking into account local potential and expected demographic trends, with sustainability as the primary criterion for all actions.

The first version of the “Leitbild Klimaschutz” was developed in 2015 by the climate team and policymakers, and subsequently implemented. Four years later, it underwent a thorough review. Since then, minor changes have been made. In 2023, it was fully adapted to the new requirements of the Climate Pact 2.0 and is now known as the “Leitbild Klimaschutz 5.0,” featuring quantitative targets aligned with the national climate protection strategy.

The guiding vision “Municipal Climate Protection 5.0” forms the basis for the municipality of Garnich’s comprehensive commitment to climate protection. The municipality strives to take proactive action in all areas where measures can be implemented to ensure the long-term protection of the climate and the environment, as well as to strengthen resilience. This aligns above all with its duty to preserve natural living conditions and ensure a sustainable supply of energy and sanitation services for its residents.

In addition, the planning and implementation of these measures are carried out in collaboration with numerous stakeholders at various planning levels. The goal is also to engage economic stakeholders and civil society groups in order to address the challenges of climate change collectively and more effectively.

Garnich's main areas of focus:

• Development Planning and Land Use Planning
• Municipal buildings
• Procurement and Resource Management
• Mobility
• Internal Organization
• Communication and Cooperation

Related documents:

• Climate Protection Charter 5.0
• Garnich Charter – 2023 Summary
• Garnich Climate Plan – Summary 2023
• Garnich's Resource Management Concept – Summary 2023
• Garnich's Digitization Concept – Summary 2023
• Garnich Energy Plan – 2023 Summary
• Green Space Management in Garnich – 2023 Summary
• Garnich Mobility Plan – Summary 2023
• Garnich Communication Strategy – 2023 Summary
• LEADER 2025 Regional Charter

The main effects of human-induced climate change include:

• A steady rise in average temperatures, accompanied by longer growing seasons, changes in the life cycles of plants and animals, an increase in species extinction, rising water temperatures, and changes in oxygen levels;
• Rising sea levels and ocean acidification;
• An increase in the number of hot days and more frequent heat waves;
• Longer periods of drought due to higher temperatures and increased evaporation, leading to water stress for flora and fauna and a drop in groundwater levels;
• A surge in forest fires;
• More frequent and heavier rainfall, leading to more flooding (especially in winter);
• An increased risk of mass movements, rockfalls, landslides, and rockfalls due to the absence of snow cover, freeze-thaw cycles, permafrost thaw, and the reduced protective function of forests.

In addition to these natural consequences, climate change also poses risks to society and the economy, compelling the global community to take action. The municipality of Garnich will also have to address these challenges at the local and regional levels, with impacts on the daily lives of its residents.

To address these challenges, municipal authorities are committed to taking measures aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change on the local population and strengthening the municipality’s long-term resilience. In this context, the municipality has developed a climate adaptation strategy,
which includes a concept and associated planning, in order to integrate the foreseeable impacts of climate change into municipal and regional planning and decision-making processes from the outset.

To protect the environment and human health, the harmful impacts associated with waste generation and management must be minimized as much as possible, in accordance with the European Waste Framework Directive.

The goal of a sustainable resource management strategy is to conserve natural resources, keep them in the economic cycle for as long as possible, and ensure the protection of people and the environment during production and waste management.

Our economic system, which remains linear and is based on the “take-make-dispose” principle, is not sustainable. The extraction and processing of resources are responsible for more than 90% of global biodiversity loss and more than half of global greenhouse gas emissions
. According to the latest data, Luxembourg’s resource consumption is equivalent to that of eight planets, and Earth Overshoot Day is reached there as early as the end of February each year. Climate change and biodiversity loss are key indicators of our planet’s health, both of which are already in a critical state.

These findings show that, within the Earth’s ecological limits, new approaches to production and consumption must be found. The issue of reducing resource consumption and making smarter use of waste has already led to
numerous solutions, including the concept of the circular economy, which has been incorporated into many national, regional, and international strategies. The transition from a linear economy to a circular economy is therefore a central objective in resource management, including in Luxembourg.

The overall goal is to reduce the environmental impact of resource use and improve resource efficiency, with a focus on waste reduction. The reuse of products through cleaning or repair should be encouraged. The focus is on three principles:

• Sufficiency: reducing production and consumption;
• Consistency: establishing a production cycle and promoting reuse;
• Efficiency: reducing resource consumption while maintaining product quality and quantity and improving resource efficiency.

To put the circular economy into practice, all stakeholders must be involved, including local governments. These governments must develop a municipal resource management plan, which the municipality of Garnich has already done.

In nearly every aspect of life, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is becoming increasingly important. The use of digital technologies promotes and accelerates sustainable transitions at various economic, environmental, and societal levels. At the same time, digital transformation is creating new realities, offering numerous opportunities in daily life, and presenting significant potential for improving economic and social well-being. Digitalization processes not only influence other sectors (communication, mobility, energy, etc.), but are also an essential prerequisite for ensuring sustainable, resilient, and inclusive municipal development.

A municipal digitalization strategy aims to enable municipalities to effectively address future challenges and establish a process of continuous improvement to offset structural disadvantages in regional development. Digitalization will continue to transform many areas of government, the economy, and civil society by connecting municipal infrastructure (energy, buildings, transportation, water, and sanitation) through integrated development strategies.

Digital transformation requires, in particular:

• the definition of objectives and strategies;
• the establishment of institutions, transparency, and citizen participation;
• the generation of data and services;
• the provision of resources;
• strengthening skills and collaboration.

As part of sustainable and resilient community development, comprehensive energy planning is of particular importance. Local policymakers are working to reduce future energy consumption in the municipality and its neighborhoods, while increasing energy efficiency through systems and appliances that offer maximum performance.

Goals are easier to achieve where the municipality directly controls infrastructure, such as city hall, the municipal fleet, or street lighting. However, it can also influence the behavior of its residents through incentives, regulations, and information campaigns (communication, awareness-raising, and motivation).

For municipal energy planning, quantifiable goals have been established (see Climate Protection Strategy), such as: reducing specific heat and electricity consumption, lowering CO₂ emissions, increasing the share of renewable heat generation, and installing solar panels.

The municipality of Garnich is implementing an active energy plan based on a balance between:

• Sufficiency: reducing energy consumption;
• Efficiency: using energy more efficiently;
• Consistency: generating the necessary energy through renewable sources.

Given the growing challenges in the areas of mobility and transportation in Luxembourg, coordinated planning at the national, regional, and municipal levels is essential. The main objective of the National Mobility Plan (PNM) 2035 is to make more efficient use of existing infrastructure.

The road network is already reaching its capacity limits in many places and cannot be expanded indefinitely. A multimodal approach would make it possible to transport more people with fewer vehicles, especially in congested areas.
Infrastructure must be planned in an integrated manner, as part of a comprehensive multimodal strategy, rather than in isolation.

Solutions tailored to local conditions, developed in cooperation with municipalities, are needed. The municipality of Garnich is working to make future mobility more diverse, efficient, and sustainable:

• reduce long trips (sufficiency);
• prioritize efficient modes of transportation (efficiency), such as electric vehicles and carpooling;
• gradually shift the remaining travel to environmentally friendly modes (public transportation, cycling, walking).

In the context of climate change and the increasing loss of biodiversity, the creation of green spaces in urban areas—especially in densely populated areas with a high proportion of impervious surfaces—is becoming increasingly important.
green spaces not only provide a habitat for flora and fauna, but also serve as local recreational areas, influence quality of life and the local microclimate, and can be used for food production.

Sustainable, biodiversity-friendly, and climate-resilient management of green spaces holistically encompasses all ecological, economic, and social aspects related to the planning, maintenance, and operation of green spaces. The main objectives
are:

• create and preserve biodiversity;
• plant native species suited to the site;
• preserve nutrient-poor soils, particularly for dry or poor grasslands with high biodiversity;
• avoid the use of fertilizers and pesticides;
• implement appropriate stormwater management;
• limit soil sealing or promote soil de-sealing;
• ensure proper maintenance (mowing, watering, fertilizing), including training for the relevant employees.

Even in rural areas, municipalities are responsible for implementing measures to improve the quantity and quality of green spaces within their jurisdictions, in cooperation with local stakeholders on various projects.

For Garnich, a green space management plan has been developed, proposing the implementation of various measures to ensure the sustainable development of green spaces.

Communication is a cross-cutting task that touches on all areas of climate protection, such as climate change adaptation, resource management, digitalization, mobility, and urban planning. Constructive communication is essential for
effectively planning and implementing climate-related measures at the municipal and regional levels. It is particularly crucial for engaging the public as well as other stakeholders from politics, business, and civil society, ensuring
effective collaboration.

The communication plan developed for the municipality of Garnich serves, in particular, as a guide for elected officials and municipal staff in their communication activities under the Climate Pact. In addition to informing and raising awareness among various stakeholders, these communication activities are primarily aimed at encouraging all stakeholders to participate in the process of shaping public opinion and making decisions at the municipal level.

The concept includes both internal and external communication measures. The goal of external communication is to inform the public about political and administrative activities, to make these actions understandable, and to maintain a dialogue with the public as well as with stakeholders in politics, the economy, and civil society.