Herning Climate Policy Plan

Municipality of Herning - Denmark

TIMESCALE - 1.5 years

CONTRACT VALUE - €67.100 by the Municipality of Herning.

PARTNERS

• The Municipality of Herning
• Ramboll Consultants

DESCRIPTION

Ambitious climate plan

As the first municipality in Denmark, Herning has agreed upon an ambitious climate policy which contains mapping and status, sceneries and concrete actions together with aim for eliminating greenhouse gasses. It has been done for the both the municipality and for Herning as a company.

The strategy focuses on:

• Climate in the energy sector
• Climate in the development of cities and traffic
• Climate in the industry
• Climate in agriculture

Herning wants to eliminate the lowest amount of CO2 and greenhouse gasses pr. citizens in 2009 in Denmark.

The aim is:

• 2015: 25% reduction of CO2 compared to 2007
• 2015: 15 % reductions of all greenhouse gasses compared to 2007
• 2030: 35% reductions of all greenhouse gasses compared to 2007

Herning wants to be:

• In front with renewable energy and climate solutions
• Increase the employment of renewable energy and minimising the use of energy at citizens, industry and the Municipality of Herning
• Increase the amount of renewable energy to 50 % in 2025
• Increase internal and external commitment for a common effort
• Increase the promotion of industries for renewable energy like hydrogen
• Increase adaptation to climate changes

To day citizens in Herning are eliminating 8.4 ton of greenhouse gasses. In avarage citizens in Denmark eliminate 14 ton of greenhouse gasses.

BARRIERS & CHALLENGES

Herning anno 2009 is a district with a lot of agriculture. The agriculture is responsible for 47 % of the total greenhouse gas emission in the district of Herning. These facts make the aim in the climate plan very ambitious, because the technologies for reducing greenhouse gasses from agriculture are not evolved yet. At the same time the dialog with agriculture in Climate Network Herning opens up for pilot projects witch may evolve solutions for the challenges agriculture has with climate changes.

55 % of the heat production and 68 % of the energy production in Herning are based upon renewable energy, primarily wood. The aim is to increase the amount of renewable energy used for central heat and power plant stations to 98% in 2009.
Also insulation and other solutions will be central for reducing the greenhouse gas elimination. The innovative project H2College may be a pilot project witch could increase knowledge for that reduction.

Finally 25 % of the total greenhouse gas emission in Herning are caused by transportation. In order to reduce that amount Herning is involved in developing hydrogen cars, trains busses and tank-stations. At the same time the Municipality of Herning is trying to change the behaviour of citizens in Herning in an EU-project called Trendy Travel and concerns bicycling. Hopefully this will have a positive effect.

LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Historically Herning has always been in front when talking about energy-, environment and climate solutions. The climate plan has been adopted in order to stay in that position and with ambitious political aims in Denmark. At the same time the Ministry of energy and climate in Denmark has made an opportunity for municipalities to get the title of being EcoCity. This pronouncement will allow districts to get special focus up to UN's Cop 15 conference in Denmark December 2009. Herning has just been awarded with this title with only 5 other municipalities in Denmark.

PROJECT TARGETS

1. Heat production: in 2030 100 % renewable energy. Will be achieved by collaboration with energy and heat producers.
2. Herning will decrease the amount of individual warm producers by claiming CO2 reducing heat power.
3. In 2030 Herning will reduce CO2 with 30.000 ton more than the national for Denmark from buildings. Will be done by campaigns, new technology in own buildings and increased energy efficiency demands in new buildings.
4. Establish 60 MW new wind power in 2030. Will be achieved by planning and investigating wind power at sea.
5. Reducing the greenhouse gasses with 14.700 ton beside the national aim in 2030. Will be achieved by Climate Network Herning, dialog and campaigns.
6. Reducing the amount of fossil fuel. Will be achieved by 10 % of El/plug-in hybrid cars in 2030 and 5 % hydrogen cars and 10 % Bio fuel cars in 2030.
7. In 2030 5 % of the private traffic will be collective. Will be achieved by faster collective traffic, by economic incitements and campaigns.
8. Decreasing the amount of fossil fuel. Will be achieved by intelligent traffic systems, campaigns and the planning og infrastructure in cities.
9. Reduce greenhouse gasses from agriculture with 1 % pr. Year to 2030. Will be achieved by collaboration with the agriculture, campaigns and national research.
10. Involving citizens, industries and the municipality in anchoring of the climate changes.

INNOVATIVE PRACTICE

During the process of making the climate plan the Municipality of Herning made a Climate Camp with more than 100 local companies and held a mini seminar with politicians and local companies. In that way energy and heat production, the industry, transport sector and others already now know what the aim is. At the same time they have had the opportunity to give their opinion and share their knowledge in order to make the aim in the climate plan a success.

LESSONS LEARNT

The climate plan for Herning has set a standard for the national mapping of greenhouse gasses. By achieving mapping and status the Municipality of Herning has been able to agree on aims witch are achievable and realistic. At the same time the dialog with partners in the process will make it easier to achieve the ambitious aim in the climate plan.

CONTACT DETAILS

Line Thastum, The city of Herning, ngolt@herning.dk

Everyone in the Northwest has an important part to play in tackling climate change. Click here to find out what your business, household, community or school can do to help.