Beschreibung
The EU2020 targets identify 3 main areas of activity: a 20 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions- increase in 20 % of energy from renewables and 20 % increase in energy efficiency.Translating EU wide targets into practical initiatives which deliver real change is a major challenge for policy makers. Delivering carbon reduction requires a balance between what is technically possible and what is politically, socially and economically feasible.This is the challenge that LOWCAP will address. The LOWCAP Cluster brings together the results of existing NSRP projects, Build with CaRe , North Sea Sustainable Energy Planning , Care North and Carbon Capture and Storage together with non-partner projects, which share carbon reduction and energy efficiency as themes. The cluster will enhance and extend the outputs of these results through the identification of synergies and ‘high impact’ projects. By creating a 'programme perspective' on key aspects carbon reduction and energy efficiency LOWCAP will demonstrate where tangible progress has been made and where it has proved difficult to progress. The active engagement of stake holders throughout the NSR will ensure that the good results being delivered are communicated widely and contribute to future policy deb ate .The cluster will raise awareness of the positive results being achieved in the NSRP and will identify ‘high impact’ initiatives applicable in the NSR and which contribute to EU carbon reduction targets. ICLEI will play a key role in disseminating results to local authorities across the NSR and will ensure a wide coverage to include regions not covered by the formal partnership . Similarly the NSC Sustainable Development Group provides an important link to the NSR. The NSR 2020 Strategy cites three o f LOWCAP’s partners’ (Care North, CCs and supporting partner ANSWER) projects as examples of actions and cooperation in relation to the priority strategic are a o f climate change . Carbon reduction is a large and complex issue - therefore LOWCAP can only address certain elements. To that end the partners have used the Scottish Government's 'wheel' of low carbon sub -sectors to develop the scope of the project. The partners have outlined the thematic areas to be addressed by the cluster. Key sectors such as buildings, transport and CCS present technological solutions which require political, economic and social acceptance to become reality. Background issues such as life style, behaviour and consumption, land use and finance are common themes which present different challenges.These will be addressed by the cluster, principally through WorkPackage 3, and be presented as part of the policy advice. The cluster cannot cove r all aspects of carbon reduction and energy efficiency. To that end there are several areas which fall out with the scope of the project. These include construction, industry and freight transport. These are of course areas for future consideration.
