Brest Metropole calls for climate commitments

Brest by Mathieu Le Gall

After approving its Sustainable Eneregy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) from 2019-2025, Brest métropole wishes to go further in mobilising local stakeholders and citizens.

On 27 November, nearly 120 people representing local companies, associations, municipalities and researchers, responded to Brest Metropole's call for climate committments.

During an online meeting, Glen DISSAUX, Vice-President of Brest Metropole in charge of the Sustainable Eneregy and Climate Action Plan, the local COP* and Agenda 2030, underlined the urgency of acting to limit climate change and develop the territory's resilience. Currently, nearly 900,000 tonnes of CO2** equivalent (teq) are emitted each year in Brest's metropolitan area, i.e. 4.3 teq CO2** per inhabitant. By 2050, the aim is to cut them by a factor of 4 and halve energy consumption. While local authorities must set an example and act as a driving force for change, they can also facilitate the involvement of local players to take up this challenge collectively. Thus, a call for commitment from local actors and citizens is now formally launched in order to amplify the dynamic.

Claire ROUMET, Director of the European network Energy Cities stressed the importance of defining a clear objective and trajectory, structuring local partnerships and working on collective imaginations to invent a carbon neutral city. She highlitghed how Brest Metropole's participation in the project TOMORROW is the perfect opportunity to test new methods to meet this challenge.

Public and private organisations in the territory are now officiallt invited to share their commitments to the energy, climate and societal transition by signing a local climate charter with concrete actions. At the same time, Brest métropole wishes to encourage stakeholders to come together and pool their thoughts and actions, by geographical sector or around thematic areas. This meeting enabled the participants to draw up an initial list of subjects to be explored, such as lighting, mobility, etc. The year 2021 will be devoted to setting up and supporting these groups so that they can define collective commitments.

More information: https://www.brest.fr/l-europe/les-projets-europeens/programme-tomorrow-une-feuille-de-route-pour-la-transition-energetique-4635.html

 

*Conference of the Parties

** These figures do not include indirect emissions linked to goods and services imported into the territory, by integrating them it is common to say that a French person emits 11 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year.

Photo credits: Mathieu Le Gall