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73 results
ERS Spotlight Electrification and Energy Efficiency
The document examines how electrifying heating systems and improving energy efficiency in buildings can reduce urban emissions, highlighting Copenhagen's achievement of reducing building-related emissions by over 60% between 2019 and 2023. It notes that while such measures reduce emissions at the source, they can increase induced emissions if the electricity grid remains carbon-intensive.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Reflection paper for EUCRA-2
The document serves as a scoping support tool for the second European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA-2). It draws on the experience of the EUCRA-1 core team and expert discussions held between January and May 2025, including input from the European Environment Agency (EEA), the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and DG CLIMA. The paper suggests directions for the policy context, scope, methodology, and chapter structure of EUCRA-2, emphasizing the need for continuity with the first assessment and alignment with international, EU, and national initiatives.
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Document type: Report
Nature-based solutions in municipal stormwater management in Sweden
The report examines the integration of nature-based solutions (NbS) in Swedish municipal stormwater management. It finds that while NbS principles are embedded in most municipal steering documents, the specific term 'nature-based solutions' is rarely used. There is a significant lack of standardized cost data, particularly for operations and maintenance (O&M). While co-benefits like flood risk control and water quality are widely recognized, others such as the heat island effect and carbon sequestration are underrepresented. The report highlights complexities in the division of responsibilities between municipal departments and private landowners and notes that current regulatory frameworks often fail to fully account for the multiple co-benefits of NbS.
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Document type: Report
The co-impacts of climate action in cities
The paper examines the 'co-impacts'—both intended and unintended, positive and negative—of urban climate policies. It argues that current literature and city plans overemphasize positive co-benefits (such as improved air quality and health) while neglecting adverse effects and equity considerations. The authors propose a 'people, planet, and profit' framework to categorize these impacts across various urban strategies, including building retrofits, circular economy initiatives, and transport shifts, to help cities avoid policy backlash and ensure a just transition.
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Document type: Research paper
Lost Winter in Denmark Analysis
Analysis by Climate Central indicates that Denmark experienced an average of three additional weeks of winter days above freezing annually between 2014 and 2023 due to climate change. Denmark ranks fourth globally among 123 analyzed countries for the most additional winter days above freezing. In Copenhagen, climate change added at least 25 winter days above freezing each year compared to a scenario without climate change.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Lagos State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan (LCARP)
The Lagos State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan (LCARP) identifies critical climate risks—sea-level rise, extreme rainfall, and extreme heat—and proposes a $9 billion portfolio of 33 projects to mitigate these threats. The plan emphasizes diversifying financing mechanisms beyond concessional debt to include blended finance, grants, and nature-based solutions, while recommending policy and governance reforms to attract private investment.
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Document type: Report
CITIES FOR A FOSSIL FREE FUTURE POLICY BRIEF
The document positions cities as central actors in the global movement to end fossil fuel dependence, noting that while they are major emitters, they can lead through 'city diplomacy' and local policy. It outlines 21 key recommendations divided into two main categories: enhancing city diplomacy and removing the 'social licence' of the fossil fuel industry, and implementing sectoral decarbonisation in transportation, energy, the built environment, and waste management. The brief emphasizes that urban action must be coupled with national-level pressure to ensure a just transition for workers and marginalized communities.
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Document type: Policy brief
EVALUATING ADAPTATION: AN ANALYSIS OF POLICY PROGRESS IN COASTAL CITIES AND REGIONS
The document analyzes adaptation planning across 136 large coastal cities, finding that over 50% lack formal plans and most existing policies fail to align with actual climate risks. It introduces the ARPA and APC frameworks to measure policy alignment and credibility, noting a significant gap between planning and implementation. Furthermore, it highlights a critical lack of outcome-based monitoring and evaluation, with 95% of indicators focusing on outputs. The brief argues for the integration of 'subaltern' knowledge to improve the social legitimacy and effectiveness of urban adaptation.
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Document type: Policy brief
The State of the Global Climate 2023
The report analyzes the legal framework of Canada's public procurement in the context of international trade agreements, specifically the WTO GPA and CETA. It argues that while these agreements prohibit origin-based discrimination, they provide significant flexibility for incorporating environmental, social, and socioeconomic criteria through performance-based specifications and life-cycle costing. The author concludes that international trade obligations are not a barrier to sustainable procurement and recommends a comprehensive 'Procurement Package' to professionalize the procurement workforce and develop national life-cycle assessment databases to better support clean tech SMEs and climate goals.
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Document type: Report
Governing the circular economy
The document identifies key governance challenges for cities implementing circular economy (CE) models, such as administrative silos, lack of holistic visions, and insufficient data for monitoring. It proposes four strategic pillars for urban policymakers: creating shared visions with inclusive strategies, establishing supportive regulatory and financial instruments (particularly circular public procurement), facilitating multi-level collaboration, and utilizing Urban Living Labs to scale innovations from local pilots to city-wide implementation.
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Document type: Policy brief
Сообщества могут возглавить переход к возобновляемым источникам энергии
The document examines the role of energy cooperatives in the European energy transition, highlighting the Middleground offshore wind farm in Copenhagen as a successful model of community-led decarbonization. It argues that such cooperatives foster 'energy democracy' by combining local financial investment with social capital, though they face barriers like limited capital access and monopolistic competition. The author calls for the European Commission to integrate specific support mechanisms for community energy projects into the EU's legal and investment frameworks to ensure a just and sustainable transition.
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Document type: Case study
The Revolution Will Be Digitized
The document argues that the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution'—characterized by AI, cloud computing, and IoT—is providing the tools necessary to overcome legacy modeling and accelerate decarbonization. It identifies data and transparency as one of six key market catalysts and provides examples of how corporations (Tesla), cities (Shenzhen), and financial instruments (Sustainability Linked Loans) are leveraging data to reduce emissions and capture economic value. The brief concludes with recommendations for policymakers, corporations, and financial institutions to integrate climate-relevant data into their strategic decision-making to mitigate risk and seize a projected $26 trillion economic opportunity by 2030.
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Document type: Briefing
Taking part in society the way I am
The research explores the concept of 'active citizenship' as a differentiating norm in Denmark and Norway, rather than just a descriptive term for civic engagement. Through ethnographic fieldwork in Oslo and Copenhagen, the author finds that while many people align with official policy goals—such as volunteering in local, child-centred, and secular arenas—marginalized individuals often resist these narrow definitions. The study argues that active citizenship is frequently used to create boundaries between 'good citizens' (who are typically imagined as middle-class, able-bodied, and culturally similar) and 'failed' or 'tolerated' citizens. The author advocates for a 'differentiated universalism' that recognizes informal care, faith-based engagement, and transnational activities as valid forms of societal contribution, moving beyond the binary of active versus passive citizenship.
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Document type: Research paper
Keskkonnahoidlikud riigihanked Tallinna linnas
The report assesses green public procurement (GPP) in Tallinn, finding that while 17% of procurements are registered as green, 92% of these rely solely on ISO 14001 certification and do not meet EU GPP definitions. Key barriers include a lack of time, experience, and centralized information. The report recommends establishing a strategic framework, creating a GPP competence center within the procurement sector, and developing product-group-specific model criteria to increase the quality and quantity of sustainable purchases.
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Document type: Report
Decarbonising the Indian transport sector pathways and policies
The report outlines two primary decarbonisation scenarios for India's transport sector: a 'Rail focused' pathway and a 'Road focused' pathway. Both scenarios emphasise that electrification is essential, aiming for nearly 100% electrification of road fleets by 2050. The Rail focused scenario prioritises a massive modal shift toward public transit and rail freight, which significantly reduces the total number of electric vehicles needed. The Road focused scenario assumes continued growth in private vehicle ownership, relying more heavily on rapid electrification and alternative fuels. The analysis identifies four priority action areas: sustainable urban planning to counter urban sprawl, improving non-motorised and public transport, expanding high-quality railway infrastructure, and electrifying all road vehicle fleets. It concludes that achieving these goals will require substantial international financial support and the adoption of global good-practice policies from regions like China, California, and Europe.
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Document type: Report
OVERVIEW OF REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS AND SUPPORT MECHANISMS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION
The report examines climate adaptation frameworks in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), finding that while all nine studied countries have national strategies, only Denmark mandates local-level adaptation plans. Most BSR countries encourage but do not require municipalities to develop specific adaptation strategies, often relying on project-based funding or integrating climate risks into broader spatial and emergency planning. The analysis highlights a strong focus on flood risk management and identifies critical knowledge gaps regarding the comprehensiveness of local risk assessments and the sufficiency of stable funding and guidance for local authorities.
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Document type: Report
Estimating consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions at the city scale
The document explains that consumption-based emissions inventories (CBEIs) capture the full carbon footprint of a city by including emissions from goods and services produced outside city borders. It identifies that for wealthy, industrialized cities, CBEIs are often significantly higher than territorial inventories. The guide details three main estimation approaches: spending data with input-output models, physical data with life-cycle analysis, and hybrid methods. It advises city planners to align their choice of methodology with their specific goals, such as resident education, peer comparison, or local policy design, while emphasizing the importance of detailed categorization to identify high-leverage areas for emissions reduction.
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Document type: Guide
THE EVOLUTION OF BIKE SHARING: 10 QUESTIONS ON THE EMERGENCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND RISKS
The document analyzes the evolution of bicycle-sharing schemes (BSS) across four technological generations, moving from simple free-bike models to sophisticated dockless and electric systems. It provides a comprehensive guide for city officials on planning, regulatory frameworks, financing, and safety, emphasizing the need for proactive governance to manage the risks and opportunities of the 'fourth generation' of bike sharing.
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Document type: Research paper
PLANIFICACIÓN DE LA ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO EN LAS CIUDADES ESPAÑOLAS
The document finds that climate adaptation planning in Spanish cities is in its early stages, with only 11 of 54 analyzed cities having specific plans, most of which were developed in the last three years. While these plans show strengths in international network adherence and risk assessment, they lack binding legislation, dedicated budgets, and sufficient integration of equity and justice. The brief highlights Barcelona, Córdoba, and Murcia as high-performing cities and suggests that the Spanish state and regional governments should provide more technical and financial support, potentially through mandatory planning regulations similar to those in the UK, Denmark, France, and Slovakia.
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Document type: Policy brief
ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP TODAY
The ACT project examines how cultural and religious diversity shapes active citizenship in Oslo and Copenhagen. It argues that normative definitions of 'good citizenship' often overlook informal, private, and religious forms of engagement. The research highlights that socio-economic divisions within cities often create more significant differences in civic participation than national differences between Norway and Denmark. It also explores the role of life events, such as trauma or exclusion, as catalysts for civic action and proposes 'moderate inclusivism' as a framework for integrating religious arguments into public deliberation.
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Document type: Report