Announcements
Announcements
As the world faces the pressing challenges of climate change, the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions has become increasingly important in spatial planning for regions, cities and areas. To inform local decision-making and understand the climate impacts of spatial planning policies, a combination of territorial and consumption-based accounting (CBA) approaches has emerged as best practice at the subnational level.
Aerial view on border of dense housing area. Photo: Liyao Xie/ Getty Images
This study introduces four European case studies that were conducted using the two quantification approaches (territorial and CBA) to assess the climate impacts of locally relevant planning policies. The case studies represent different scales of spatial planning, different European planning systems, and different situations in terms of data availability.
The study shows that territorial results are not suitable for interregional comparison, but rather for internal monitoring, while CBA allows for comparison and provides a comprehensive picture of the global carbon footprint of residents. However, CBA has indications that are more difficult to link to spatial planning decisions.
Assessing impacts, and in particular interpreting results, requires both methodological understanding and knowledge of the local context. The results of the case studies show that setting climate targets and monitoring the success of climate action through a single net emissions figure can give false indications.
The study shows that the two approaches to quantifying greenhouse gas emissions provide complementary perspectives on emissions at the subnational level and thus provide a more thorough understanding of the greenhouse gas emission patterns associated with spatial planning policies. The identification of the regional differences in emission sources and mitigation potentials are the main functions of subnational greenhouse gas inventories and the impact assessment for spatial planning. Harmonization of the data collection for subnational greenhouse gas inventories and the transparency of underlying assumptions would greatly support the coherence of climate action and the implications to spatial planning.
Project / The objective of QGasSP is to produce a methodology that will allow planning authorities to quantify the influence of spatial planning policies on GHG emissions
Perspective / This perspective argues that Europe must reimagine policy approaches for disaster risk reduction to cope with summers of fires, floods and high temperatures.
Other publication / This report presented a comprehensive picture of the first ten years of work in what is hoped will be a twenty-year study.
Feature / A team of SEI experts published a report on the status of Green Public Procurement in the EU. Lead author Astrid Nilsson Lewis breaks down their findings.
Design and development by Soapbox.
