Covenant of Mayors
The Covenant of Mayors is a European movement involving local and regional authorities voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources in their regions.
The European Union has set ambitious targets for carbon reduction which are set out in the EU Climate Action and Energy Package. These targets commit Member States to curb their CO2 emissions by at least 20% by 2020.
The European Commission launched the Covenant of Mayors in 2008. The Covenant aims to endorse and support local and regional authorities in the implementation of sustainable energy policies. By committing to the Covenant of Mayors, signatory cities are making a commitment to meet and exceed the European Union 20% CO2 reduction targets by 2020.
Covenant signatories are required to prepare a Baseline Emission Inventory (BEI) and submit a Sustainable Energy Action Plan within one year of signing up to the Covenant outlining the key actions they plan to undertake. The Covenant of Mayors recognises the important role that local and regional authorities have in mitigating climate change. Signatory cities contribute to these policy objectives through a formal commitment to go beyond the EU targets through the implementation of their Sustainable Energy Action Plan.
In the UK, 30 cities have signed up to the Covenant of Mayors and have committed to reducing their emissions by 20% by 2020 including Aberdeen, Cardiff, Hartlepool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Bristol and many more.
A full list of signatories can be found on the Covenant of Mayors website.
The Energy Saving Trust is a Supporting Structure under the Covenant of Mayors and offers support to local authorities in the UK who are signatories as well as to those who are considering signing up to the Covenant of Mayors.
Through the programmes and services we offer, the Energy Saving Trust can support signatories in conducting a CO2 emission inventory as well as in preparing and implementing their Sustainable Energy Action Plans.
Our role as a supporting structure includes:
- Promoting the Covenant of Mayors and providing support to those authorities who choose to sign up
- Assisting local authorities to develop their Sustainable Energy Action Plans
- Supporting the implementation of Sustainable Energy Actions Plans
- Signposting to key resources which could be useful to signatories
- Linking signatories together to enable peer to peer learning
Further details of the Covenant of Mayors, how to sign up and what is required, as well as details of those cities who have already committed, can be found on the Covenant of Mayors website.
Further information
For more information about how we can support you on the Covenant of Mayors please contact localdelivery@est.org.uk
