Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy is a European initiative that brings together municipalities and other local governments which voluntarily commit to meeting and exceeding the European Union's climate and energy targets. It is one of the world's largest movements for local climate action and brings the fight against climate change to the level of cities, where much of the world's energy use and emissions are concentrated.

The initiative was launched in Europe in 2008, with a bottom-up approach initially focused on energy and on cutting CO2 emissions. Over time it broadened its scope to address mitigation, adaptation to climate change and access to secure, sustainable and affordable energy together. In 2015 its global dimension was launched, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, which took the European model to cities around the world.

What signatories commit to

On joining, a local government takes on concrete political commitments that it must then translate into measurable action, including:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its territory, with a quantified target for 2030 against a base year.
• Increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through climate adaptation measures.
• Improving access to secure, sustainable and affordable energy for citizens.

These commitments are aligned with Europe's path towards climate neutrality by 2050, combining climate change mitigation and adaptation within a single framework. The specific targets each signatory takes on and the deadlines for submitting its plan are set out in the initiative's current commitment document.

The action plan

The Covenant's central instrument is the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). In it, each signatory starts from a baseline emission inventory, sets reduction targets and defines specific mitigation and adaptation measures, with periodic monitoring of results. Many of those measures revolve around energy efficiency and a wider roll-out of renewable energy across buildings, public lighting, mobility and municipal services.

Why it matters for companies

Although the Covenant binds local governments, their plans shape the environment in which companies operate: energy ordinances, low-emission zones, green public procurement criteria or retrofitting incentives. For a business, knowing the climate plan of the area where its facilities sit helps anticipate requirements and align its own decarbonisation strategy with the city's. Public authorities, in turn, often rely on public-private collaboration to meet their targets.

How Manglai can help

Manglai helps companies and organisations measure their carbon footprint and build a rigorous reduction plan, consistent with the climate goals of their surroundings. With Manglai's carbon footprint software you can calculate your emissions and align your strategy with the transition towards climate neutrality.