How can cities effectively contribute towards decarbonisation targets? A downscaling method to assess the alignment of local energy plans with national strategies

Abstract

Following the example of national pledges and strategies to tackle climate change, cities are mobilising themselves towards decarbonisation, playing a key role in the achievement of those commitments due to their relevance within national energy systems. However, despite cities ambitions, there is a need for coordinating the efforts from national and local scales in order to ensure the effective fulfilment of energy and climate goals at both levels. In this paper a method for the transposition of national energy planning to the local level is proposed based on the downscaling, adaptation, and allocation of specific targets and energy measures from the national plan to the city scale. The further modelling of downscaled national energy measures allows to quantify the reach of their impacts, thus supporting the establishment of realistic goals aligned with national ones and achieving the effective contribution of urban areas towards higher climate targets. The methodology is demonstrated through the downscaling and comparison of the measures from the Spanish national energy strategy with the ones included in the energy plan of the Spanish city of Valencia. A mismatch between the two is evidenced with some local measures outperforming the national plan, while others proving themselves insufficient. These results show that urban energy planners should consider the real capacities and competences of the city when setting energy measures and goals in accordance with national ones. A correct downscaling and modelling of the former are key in this work.