Sustainable Energy Action Plans

The local governments signing up to the Covenant of Mayors commit to submit their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) within the year following adhesion. The Sustainable Energy Action Plan is a key document that shows how the local government will reach its CO₂ reduction target by 2020. Since the Covenant's commitments concern the whole geographical area of the city/town, the SEAP should include actions concerning both the public and private sectors.

In principle, it is anticipated that most SEAPs will include actions in the following sectors:

• Built environment, including new buildings and major refurbishment;
• Municipal infrastructure (district heating, public lighting, smart grids, etc);
• Land use and urban planning;
• Decentralised renewable energy sources;
• Public and private transport policies and urban mobility;
• Citizen and, in general, civil society participation;
• Intelligent energy behaviour by citizens, consumers and businesses.

Reductions of greenhouse gas emissions due to industry delocalisation are explicitly excluded.

Energy efficiency measures, renewable energy projects and other energy-related actions can be introduced in various activity areas of local and regional governments. The Covenant of Mayors concerns the action at local level within the competence of the local governments. Local governments will be expected to take action in several or all of their possible roles:

• Consumer and service provider;
• Planner, developer and regulator;
• Advisor, motivator and a model; and
• Producer and supplier.

Sustainable Energy Action Plans should be presented and debated by the civil society. SEAPs with a high degree of citizen participation are the most likely to get continuity in the long-term and to succeed in attaining their objectives.