Basque municipalities signing the Mayors’ Agreement on Climate and Energy meet to advance their commitments to climate action

17/11/2023

Ihobe and EVE, as coordinators of the Mayors’ Agreement on Climate and Energy, with the support of Udalsarea 2030, analyse the climate action commitments of the member municipalities within the framework of the LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project.

Collaboration between institutions and administrations in the field of climate change is one of the goals of the LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project. In this context and as an impetus to advance climate action from the local level, Ihobe, EVEas project partners, and Udalsarea 2030 promote the Mayors’ Agreement for Climate and Energy.

The working session held on 9 November brought together the organisations responsible for the project with representatives of the member Basque municipalities of the Mayors’ Agreement with the aim of sharing the latest developments of the Agreement Initiative and gathering the progress that these municipalities have made in recent years.

Of the 26 Basque municipalities who signed the agreement, over half have or are developing the Sustainable Climate and Energy Action Plan (PACES) or the Climate and Energy Plan (PLCE). Around half have renewed or plan to renew their commitments and most are due to submit their progress report in 2024.

Ihobe and EVE, through the Urban Klima 2050 project in collaboration with Udalsarea 2030, aim to increase the number of Basque municipalities that have a Climate and Energy Plan with the following goals:

• Promote political commitment to ensure that Basque municipalities move towards climate neutrality and land resilience.
• Promote the implementation of local initiatives that contribute to mitigate and reduce risks deriving from climate change.
• Promote a climate governance model that ensures coherence with other local and supra-municipal policies.
• Facilitating local and regional bodies to empower citizens as active agents in the energy and climate transition.

Since 2008, when the first Basque municipalities joined the Mayors’ Agreement for Climate and Energy, a total of 26 municipalities have joined. Specifically, Abanto-Zierbena, Amezketa, Amurrio, Areatza, Balmaseda, Basauri, Bilbao, Derio, Donostia/San Sebastian, Durango, Eibar, Errenteria, Güeñes, Hondarribia, Irun, Ispaster, Legazpi, Munguia, Muskiz, Oñati, Portugalete, Santurtzi, Sestao, Tolosa, Usurbil, and Vitoria-Gasteiz