EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Tackling climate change at the local level

Tackling climate change at the local level - Belfast

Introduction

A ‘green’ customer loyalty card, a floating climate campus, and an ecological public transport fleet are all new sustainably-focused initiatives that have been taken up by the cities of Belfast, Rotterdam and Madrid, respectively. The three cases were presented at the EUROCITIES workshop, ‘Carbon-Neutral Cities: The Way Forward’, on 12 February during the European Union Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2009.

Problem

Encouraging a change in citizens’ behaviour to benefit the environment and economy is not an easy task. Despite governments using several legal, financial and social instruments to promote sustainable behaviour, the reality is that in most cases, these are not enough.

Description

City Carbon Card

Belfast City Council for several years has explored options to use suitable incentives aimed at influencing behavioural change in a manner that reflects the growing need to address human induced climate change and poor resource management. The ‘City Carbon Card’ is one such tool the city is currently exploring as part of these efforts.

Approach

To bridge this gap, Belfast City Council has over the last year explored the possibility of introducing a ‘City Carbon Card’, an incentive system that seeks to further reduce the environmental impact of citizens’ consumption, improve sustainability and stimulate regional economic growth.

Click here to download the case study - City Carbon Card, Belfast

EU involvement

Organised by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, the European Institutions and major stakeholders concerned with sustainable energy, the EUSEW is the key annual reference point for sustainable energy issues in Europe.

Project start date

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment

Keywords

Environmental sustainability