Resource Efficent Europe Survey, Answers from City of Arnsberg (Stadt Arnsberg)

Resource Efficent Europe Survey, Answers from City of Arnsberg (Stadt Arnsberg)

EU local and regional authorities contributing to the

Mid-term review of Europe 2020

Assessment of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative

Three years after its launch, the Committee of the Regions will take stock of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative at a conference to be held on 2-3 September 2013 in Vilnius. This conference will be the sixth in a series of 7 CoR events and monitoring initiatives on the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014. More news on this conference may be found on the CoR's website[1].

By participating in this survey, you will:

 ensure that your views are taken into account in the debate held during the conference;

 contribute to the 4th CoR Monitoring Report on Europe 2020, to be published in October 2013;

 contribute to the CoR's consultative activity in this area over the coming months;

 contribute to the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014.

If you wish to participate in this survey, Please complete this questionnaire in any eu language, using the spaces provided, and return it in text format to:

by 28 June 2013

For more information on this survey and for details of how to join the

Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to:

The questionnaire is available on this website in all official languages of the EU

You can find more information on Resource Efficient Europe, as seen from the local and regional authorities' viewpoint, in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities[2]. General information on Europe 2020 may be found on the strategy's official website[3].

Contributor information[4]

Name of sender: / Karin Glingener.
Contact details:
(address, telephone, email) / Arnsberg municipality, Mayor's office
Rathausplatz 1, D-59759 Arnsberg
Tel. +49 2932 2011394
Email:
On behalf of:
(name of local or regional authority) / Arnsberg municipality
Type of organisation / City/Town/Municipality Region
County/Province Association of local and/or regional authorities
Other (please specify)
Country: / Germany
Member of the EUROPE 2020 Monitoring Platform: / Yes No
Covenant of Mayors signatory: / Yes No
Covenant of Mayors Territorial Coordinator / Yes No

Policy challenges and responses at regional and local level

BOX 1 – Resource Efficient Europe: basic information
Resource efficiency means using the Earth's limited resources — metals, minerals, fuels, water, land, timber, fertile soil, clean air and biodiversity — in a sustainable manner. Increasing resource efficiency can secure growth and jobs by stimulating technological innovation, boosting employment in the fast developing 'green technology' sector and opening up new export markets. It can also benefit consumers through more sustainable products.
The Resource Efficient Europe Flagship Initiative was adopted in 2010, as an integral part of the Europe 2020 strategy under the sustainable growth pillar, to "help decouple economic growth from the use of resources, support the shift towards a low carbon economy, increase the use of renewable energy sources, modernise our transport sector and promote energy efficiency"[5]. It sets out a framework to help ensure that long-term strategies in areas such as climate change, energy, transport, industry, raw materials, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity, water and waste management, land use and regional development all deliver results in the area of resource efficiency[6] in order to:
 boost economic performance while reducing resource use;
 identify and create new opportunities for economic growth and greater innovation and boost the EU's competitiveness;
 ensure the security of supply of essential resources;
 fight against climate change and limit the environmental impact of resource use.
The Flagship Initiative was outlined in four long-term roadmaps with a 2050 horizon, respectively on climate[7], energy[8], transport[9] and resource-efficiency[10], issued in 2011, and a number of other policy initiatives with a 2020 perspective[11], covering the following aspects:
  • Promoting sustainable consumption and production by setting “appropriate” price signals, providing consumers with relevant environmental information, establishing minimum environmental performance standards and putting in place incentives to reward efficient businesses;
  • Turning waste into resources through more targeted recycling and re-use, separate collection and energy recovery, with landfilling to be virtually eliminated;
  • Supporting more research and innovation focusing on resource efficiency goals;
  • Phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies, getting prices right and shifting from taxation of labour to environmental taxation;
  • Better valuation of natural capital and ecosystem services by public authorities and businesses;
  • Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services;
  • Promoting better management of water resources;
  • Improving air quality standards;
  • Better management of land-use, soils and marine waters.
The Committee of the Regions adopted its opinion on "A resource-efficient Europe – flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 Strategy"[12] in October 2011.
A European Resource Efficiency Platform (EREP)[13] has been set by the European Commission in order to provide high-level guidance to the European Commission, Member States, local and regional authorities, and private actors on the transition process towards a more resource-efficient economy.
In December 2012, the EREP issued its "Manifesto for A Resource-Efficient Europe"[14], identifying the following actions:
  1. Encouraging innovation and accelerating public and private investment in resource-efficient technologies, systems and skills, as well as SMEs;
  2. Implementing, applying and adopting smart regulation, standards and codes of conduct that a) create a level playing-field, b) reward front-runners and c) accelerate the transition, and d) take into account the social and international implications of our actions.
  3. Abolishing environmentally harmful subsidies and shifting the tax burden away from jobs to encourage resource-efficiency;
  4. Creating better market conditions for products and services that have lower impacts across their life-cycles, and that are durable, repairable and recyclable, inspiring sustainable life-styles by informing and incentivising consumers;
  5. Integrating wider policy areas, such as in the fields of transport, food, water and construction.
  6. Adopting policy goals to achieve a resource-efficient economy and society by 2020, setting targets that give a clear direction and indicators to measure progress relating to the use of land, materials, water and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as biodiversity.

1)What are the main challenges currently facing your region/city in terms of (i) the more efficient use of resources, (ii) the shift towards a low carbon economy, (iii) energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, (iv) the modernisation of the transport sector, (v) the change in producers' and consumers' behaviour (see Box 1)?
Multiple answers possible.
Xmore efficient use of resources
☐shift towards a low carbon economy
Xenergy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources
☐modernisation of the transport sector
☐change in producers' and consumers' behaviour
Please explain.
......
2)Which of the aims of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative (listed in Box 1) are most relevant in view of the challenges currently facing your city/region?
Multiple answers possible.
XBoost economic performance while reducing resource use
☐Identify and create new opportunities at local level for economic growth and greater innovation and boost the EU's competitiveness
☐Ensure the security of supply of essential resources
XFight against climate change and limit the environmental impacts of resource use
Please explain.
......
3)The CoR opinion[15] on Resource Efficient Europe focuses on i) low-carbon, resource-efficient transport and energy systems; ii) sustainable consumption and production; iii) zero-waste economy; iv) efficient use of raw materials (minerals, forests and biomass); v) biodiversity, ecosystem services and land use.
Has your city/region adopted policies in the following fields of resource efficiency? Which actions has it applied (innovation/investments, regulations, modifying subsidies, others as identified by EREP in box 1)?
Multiple answers possible.
☐low-carbon, resource-efficient transport
Xlow-carbon, resource efficient energy systems
☐sustainable consumption and production
☐zero-waste economy
Xefficient use of raw materials (minerals, forests and biomass)
Xbiodiversity, ecosystem services and land use
Please explain.
Climate protection scheme of Arnsberg municipality
Arnsberg municipality has set out a proposal for an integrated strategy for future energy and climate protection in the form of an integrated climate protection scheme, with a view to becoming a sustainable, low-carbon municipality.
European Energy Award
Arnsberg is applying for the European Energy Award® (EEA). To this end it has set up an energy and climate team composed of representatives from the municipality and municipal entities, as well as external consultants. The energy team is the "driver" of energy policy efforts and is responsible for implementing European Energy Award measures in Arnsberg. The energy team has members representing environmental interests, urban development, utilities and waste management, mobility and real estate.
A preliminary survey and assessment have been done of current energy-policy efforts. This analysis will form the basis for an energy-policy work programme with input from measures under the integrated climate protection scheme.
Geothermal energy pilot project: a highly innovative and complex undertaking with a view to a sustainable energy supply
The geothermal plant is successfully supplying hot water to the Nass leisure pool. The target objective of a water temperature of 55°C at the surface has been achieved. This hot water ensures that the leisure pool can offer visitors a comfortable ambient temperature. No harmful CO2 is produced because the energy is not transported from far away, and it is constantly renewable. The energy revolution is a reality here. A maximum energy reserve of over 2 million kWh/a can be used from a depth of 2.835 metres.
Solar atlas for Arnsberg
The solar potential atlas provides information about the solar energy potential of rooftops in the municipality. This information is available to the general public online.
The suitability of a rooftop for producing solar energy depends on five factors:
  • the surface area of the roof
  • orientation
  • angle
  • shade cast by surrounding buildings and vegetation
  • mean solar radiation of a given roof

Berliner Platz wood-fired district heating plant

On the former premises of the old swimming-pool at the Berliner Platz school site, a central wood-fired heating plant has been built which will supply heating to a total of 13 school buildings in the district of Hochsauerland and Arnsberg municipality from the 2012/13 heating season. A heating network of 2 174 metres produces more than 5 100 MWh of heat energy per year, saving an estimated 800 tonnes in CO2 emissions annually.
District heating for Arnsberg department of public works

The new office building of the Arnsberg department of public works is being heated with the help of the adjacent Perstop company. On the roof of Perstop a heat exchanger is used to heat a closed water circulation system with hot exhaust air, and this is transported through insulated pipes to the heating system of the department of public works. There the heat is discharged into the central heating system and distributed throughout the building. This system has provided adequate heating for the offices since 2009, without the need to use additional fossil fuels. The improvement in energy performance is apparent: by the end of 2011 a total of 849 MWh (or kWh 849 000) of heat was needed for the property, saving around 213 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) compared with using an individual heating system powered by natural gas.

Möhnebogen hydroelectric plant
In August 2000 Möhnebogen Hydroelectric was founded to build and run the Möhnebogen hydroelectric plant. The company is 51% privately owned, with Arnsberg department of public works holding a 49% stake. Electricity is fed into the network of RWE AG. Price: EUR 09.67/KwH. In 2008 about 500 000 kWh was fed into the network of RWE AG.
Renaturation of waterways in the town of Arnsberg
A total of 10 km of river water has been renatured in Arnsberg. All the targets were met in terms of improved water quality, ecology, landscape planning, flood protection and tourism standards.
Thanks to its renaturation measures in the River Ruhr, Arnsberg municipality was runner-up for the 2009 Water Development Prize. This federal prize is awarded by the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA). The DWA is a country-wide association of over 14 000 experts and leading figures from municipalities, universities, engineering companies, public authorities and companies.
Association of bike-friendly cities and municipalities (AGFS)
Arnsberg now has a total of 38 km of separated bike paths, 34 km of bike lanes and 35 km of bike-friendly roads and paths that form part of the cycling network, as well as in 30-km per hour zones. There are eight urban bike routes covering 9 km, and over 20 one-way streets open to cyclists in both directions. With the official visit of the transport minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Arnsberg was designated a bike-friendly town and became a member of the Association of Bike-friendly Cities and Municipalities (AGFS).

Arnsberg municipal authority on the way to electromobility

Arnsberg has acquired four electric-assisted bicycles (Pedelecs) for official journeys - a further step on the path towards being an environment-friendly town. Pedelecs can be ridden like normal bicycles without extra propulsion; with propulsion they can reach a maximum speed of 25 km/h. So they combine several advantages. Acquisition of the bikes, which was sponsored by RWE, is enabling the municipality to promote its plans for encouraging cycling, improving health and reducing carbon emissions. It is also saving money by shifting journeys from cars to bikes.
Many other measures have been taken. For more information, go to:
4)The Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative recognises and promotes the interdependency of environmental, economic and social policies.
Have the policies adopted by your city/region (as stated in your answer to question 3), been interlinked as part of an integrated framework? If yes, please describe in brief, highlighting their mutual interlinks and potential synergies.
Many of the measures described are part of Arnsberg's climate protection scheme or of the municipality's application for the European Energy Award (see point 3 above).
5)The Resource Efficient Europe Flagship Initiative contributes to the process of reaching the headline targets set under the sustainable growth pillar of the Europe 2020 Strategy for energy and climate change:
  • Greenhouse gas emissions 20% lower than 1990 (or even 30% if the conditions are right)
  • 20% of energy from renewables
  • 20% increase in energy efficiency
To what extent are these targets feasible based on your local situation?
20% GHG X Highly feasible ☐ Fairly feasible ☐ Not feasible
20% RES ☐ Highly feasible X Fairly feasible ☐ Not feasible
20% EE ☐ Highly feasible X Fairly feasible ☐ Not feasible
Please explain.
......
6)The Covenant of Mayors[16]. – currently counting over 4,500 signatories - is a voluntary commitment by local and regional authorities to meet and exceed the EU 20% CO2 reduction objective through increased energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources.
Beyond energy and climate change, regions and cities have an important role to play in fostering resource efficiency. They can invest in green buildings, sustainable water and waste management, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting cleaner modes of transport and oversee the protection of ecosystems.
Do you consider this type of dissemination and networking platform to be a useful initiative? If yes, would your city/region be in favour of expanding the approach of the Covenant of Mayors framework to other key areas of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative, such as biodiversity and land use, waste and water management or air pollution, provided that relevant EU targets are identified?
X Biodiversity and land use
☐ Waste management
X Water management
☐ Air pollution
☐ Others
Please explain.
 limiting new land-take (prioritising brownfield over greenfield development)
 renaturation of waterways as part of implementing the Water Framework Directive
7) The Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe (see Box 1) sets out the following milestones to be reached by 2020 for the three key sectors which are responsible for 70-80% of all environmental impact:
  • Food - 20% reduction in the food chain’s resource inputs,
  • Buildings – all new buildings to be nearly practically zero-energy and highly material efficient; 2% renovation rate per year for existing building stock; 70% of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste to be recycled.
  • Mobility - an average 1% annual reduction in transport GHG emissions starting from 2012.
To what extent are these milestones appropriate to your local situation?
Food ☐ Highly appropriate X Fairly appropriate ☐ Not appropriate
Buildings ☐ Highly appropriate X Fairly appropriate ☐ Not appropriate
Mobility ☐ Highly appropriate ☐ Fairly appropriate X Not appropriate
Please explain.
Mobility: as this is a rural area, cars are still the main form of transport.

How is the Resource Efficient Europe relevant to your city or region?

8)Which of the policies of the Roadmap to Resource Efficient Europe (presented in Box 1) are most relevant to your specific local/regional situation?.
Multiple answers possible.
☐ Promoting sustainable consumption and production
☐ Turning waste into resources
☐ Supporting more research and innovation in the area of resource efficiency
☐ Phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies, getting prices right
X Better valuation of natural capital and ecosystem services
X Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services
X Promoting better management of water resources
☐ Improving air quality standards
X Better management of land-use, soils and marine waters
Please explain.
See description of water renaturation project in the town of Arnsberg (in point 3).
9)Which of the actions under the European Resource Efficiency flagship initiative, as identified in the EREP's manifesto (set out in Box 1), are the most difficult to achieve in your city/region?
Multiple answers possible.
☐ Innovation and investment
☐ Regulation
☐ Subsidies
☐ Products and services
☐ Policy integration
☐ Targets for policy goals
Please explain.
......
10)Overall, what are the strong and weak points of the Resource Efficient Europe Flagship Initiative, as seen from your regional/local standpoint?
......
11)Would you recommend any specific changes to the Resource Efficient Europe Flagship Initiative, in the context of the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy in 2014?
Please explain
......

Are your country's policies relevant to your city or region?

Top View