PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
As a low-lying country, Denmark is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Its major cities are situated along its coastline, exposing 2.4 million inhabitants (out of 5.9 million) to sea level rises and storm surges. 29% of Denmark is exposed to rising subsurface water, and the country is also affected by heavy rains and river flooding. In 2022, the impact of heat and drought was also added to the national risk assessment and is expected to pose an increasing threat.
In addition, Denmark produces high levels of emissions (45 515 kilo tonnes (kt), according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2021) from the agriculture and land use, transport and energy sectors. Despite high ambitions, studies into climate mitigation in Denmark have cast doubts about the viability of achieving the national 2030 target of 70% emissions reduction and several analyses have demonstrated the need for additional municipal action if the 2050 targets are to be met.
This combined situation calls for immediate action also aimed at building long-term and much more robust climate resilience. By 2024, all Danish municipalities had adopted Local Climate Action Plans (LCAPs), focusing on the transition to a climate-neutral and climate-resilient society before 2050. The LCAPs focus on introducing measures for climate change mitigation (CCM), climate change adaptation (CCA), and on creating synergies between CCM and CCM as well as enhancing their added value.
However, the LCAPs also identify several major barriers that are hindering the uptake of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. These are linked to the intrinsic nature of climate action which is highly complex, and often requires systemic changes. Barriers to the full implementation of the LCAPs themselves are linked to governance, lack of finance, the difficulty of engaging civil society and building capacity at municipal level, as well as technological, innovation and research issues.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the LIFE Action for Climate Transition (LIFE ACT) project is to catalyse an accelerated nationwide implementation of the LCAPs by the municipalities through a coherent set of measures to achieve climate neutrality and climate-resilience by 2050 - climate resilience being municipalities’ ability to withstand and cope with the impact of climate change in a sustainable, fair and democratic manner with minimal damage to societal well-being, the economy or the environment.
The project aims to play a pivotal role in strengthening CCM and CCA management, build capacity and setup a solid governance model involving the relevant competent authorities and stakeholders at local, regional and national levels. LIFE ACT will directly target the LCAPs of 27 municipalities, including around 300 employees.
The project’s specific objectives are listed below:
- To accelerate the implementation of the 27 LCAPs and improve the quality of climate action measures, i.e., mainstream climate action across sectors, reap inter-municipal benefits, and ensure synergies and values are added with due respect for a just transition. This will be done by removing barriers, consolidating inter-municipal benefits, establishing synergies and added values between CCM, CCA and other areas relevant to climate action, mainstreaming CCM and CCA into relevant municipal plans, and applying best available technology (BAT) in the LCAPs.
- To provide capacity building for municipalities in CCM and CCA planning, building and retaining a solid governance structure and ensuring that municipal staff is upskilled in emerging climate practices to address future climate action needs. This will include introducing novel methods of stakeholder and citizen engagement, and the use of data, digitalisation and tools to inform decision-making and improve the implementation of CCM and CCA actions.
- To solve complex climate issues through multiple helix partnerships of all relevant stakeholders (including local politicians) to increase the level of knowledge and address conflicts of interest, thereby obtaining a better understanding of the impacts of climate change to allow knowledge-based decision-making, and generating citizens’ awareness of their own responsibilities and options for action related to CCM and CCA.
RESULTS
The project’s expected results are:
- acceleration of the implementation of the Local Climate Adaptation Plans of the 27 municipalities that are members of the consortium, and mainstreaming of CCM and CCA into their spatial plans and at least 3 sector plans per municipality
- enhancement of the governmental structures of the 27 municipalities, and significant improvement of the application of the newest data, methods and technology by the municipalities and the stakeholders involved in the project
- reduction of 65% of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2030, compared to the base year (2018, 2019, 2020), and reduction of 75% CO2e in 2030, according to the base year of 1990, achieved by the 27 municipalities that are beneficiaries in the project
- at least € 211 million of complementary funding raised for LCAP implementation
- over 2 900 km (30%) of Danish coastline is more climate-resilient by the project end
- development, improvement or adoption of at least 20 decision support tools and methods including novel citizen and stakeholder engagement methods, improved data for decision-making, e.g. to assess the impacts of heat and droughts in CCA, a uniform methodology for calculating consumption-based CO2e emissions and a coherent monitoring system regarding the progression of the LCAPs
- at least 2.5 million citizens are directly informed about LIFE ACT and its objectives, considering the population of the 27 partner municipalities as well as dissemination and replication activities
- establishment or improvement of local partnerships, resulting in a large outreach and general awareness raising of local associations, companies, utility companies and citizens, and at least 95 local organisations
- establishment of international cooperation on best practices of different governance models for accelerating climate actions
- replication of best practices in 71 municipalities outside of the LIFE ACT project, including adjustment of the governmental structures and improving the inter-municipal and regulatory framework to address climate change related challenges.