The Compete4SECAP project’s Quick Access Guide to upgrading from SEAP to SECAP was introduced in a webinar on integrating climate mitigation and adaptation held by the European Covenant of Mayors (CoM) in December 2019. Over 50 participants heard from the CoM, ICLEI – Local Governments of Sustainability (European Secretariat), the Regional Agency for Biodiversity in the Paris Region, Austrian green infrastructure consultancy Grünstattgrau, and the City of Ludwigsburg (Germany). The webinar was moderated by Arthur Hinsch of the CoM Office.

How can cities integrate mitigation and adaptation? This issue is central to the CoM’s ambitions for supporting local climate action, as addressed by two presenters in the webinar. Alis-Daniela Torres, representing the CoM, ran through the Covenant’s new Global Common Reporting Framework and the reporting template that CoM Signatories must fill as part of their commitment to preparing and implementing a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). Besides, Eleanor Chapman, ICLEI Europe, introduced related ongoing work from the European Commission-funded project Compete4SECAP, noting that many established Signatories already have a previous plan (a SEAP), addressing emissions reduction, which now needs to be upgraded to a SECAP, addressing both climate mitigation and adaptation. The Compete4SECAP project has developed a Quick Access Guide to help cities upgrade from SEAP to SECAP and take a step towards integration. As Eleanor stated: “Integration has two key dimensions: firstly integrating working processes, because work on mitigation and adaptation is often divided between different departments and teams, and secondly in better understanding how actions taken in each stream affect one another”.

Missed the webinar? You can watch it online here.

Check out Compete4SECAP's Quick Access Guide for upgrading from SEAP to SECAP here.

For resources on both mitigation and adaptation, check out the CoM's library here.