Joint climate policy of the capital region

Joint climate policy for the capital region formally signed – aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035

The mayor of the capital city and the mayors of the municipalities in the capital region, together with the executive director of SSH, formally signed the capital region's climate policy last week. With this strategy, the municipalities of the capital region aim to contribute by implementing targeted measures that will promote the region's carbon neutrality. The most important outcome of the strategy is therefore an overview of measures likely to deliver results in the fight against climate change. The measures cover, among other things, road transport, shipping, local energy consumption, industry, chemical use, waste management and land use. Through the policy, the municipalities declare their intention for the capital region to become carbon neutral by 2035, i.e. that the calculated total greenhouse gas emissions will not exceed the calculated carbon sequestration.

From the signing of the Capital Region's Climate Strategy today. From left: Dagur B. Eggertsson, Mayor of Reykjavík, Þorbjörg Gísladóttir, Mayor of Kjósarhreppur, Almar Guðmundsson, Mayor of Garðabær, Regína Ásvaldsdóttir, Mayor of Mosfellsbær and Chair of the SSH Board, Þór Sigurgeirsson, Mayor of Seltjarnarnes; Ásdís Kristjánsdóttir, Mayor of Kópavogur; Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður; and Páll Björgvin Guðmundsson, Executive Director of the Association of Local Authorities in the Capital Region (SSH).

Toolkit, new assessment of emissions and evaluation of the effectiveness of measures

In connection with the policy, SSH has signed an agreement with the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources to implement the climate policy, including the hiring of consultants to assist the municipalities in developing actions in line with the toolkit of the Capital Region's climate strategy. Furthermore, in accordance with the agreement, a new assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration in the capital region for the year 2023 will be carried out. Emissions were last assessed in 2019, and the purpose of the new assessment is to monitor individual emissions and sequestration components and to evaluate the success of measures. The Capital Region has entered into an agreement with VSÓ Consulting to carry out the aforementioned tasks.

Major milestone

According to Páll Björgvin Guðmundsson, CEO of SSH, it is a major milestone in the cooperation of the municipalities in the capital region, which form a single residential and employment area, that a joint climate policy is in place. It is the joint responsibility of the region's municipalities to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but at the same time, the implementation of the policy is the responsibility of each individual municipality, in accordance with local circumstances. Furthermore, projects are carried out on a joint platform, such as in transport and waste management. The Capital Region's climate policy is a priority project of the Capital Region's Development Plan 2020-2024, and the projects are funded by contributions from the government, individual ministries, and the municipalities of the Capital Region.

• Copenhagen Climate Policy
• Further information, as well as the climate policy itself, can be found on the SSH website. or to Páll Björgvin Guðmundsson, Executive Director of SSH, on telephone 821-8179.