How to identify priorities for action in my territory? Defining a low-carbon strategy for 2050

In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France, the C-Track 50 project has enabled the use of the TerriSTORY® online decision-making tool to be tested in a carbon neutrality diagnostic phase in 10 local public authorities.

For AURA-EE, the regional energy agency of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, all municipalities should be able to answer the question: “what are the leverage actions to reduce greenhouse gases emissions in my territory?”, reflecting on their own geographical, socio-economic and environmental characteristics. This is why they have developed TerriSTORY, an online decision-making tool which provides a large and increasing panel of indicators in order to identify priority leverage actions and develop appropriate scenarios based on socio-economic and environmental impacts. The tool also provides didactic content to facilitate the use of these indicators.

In the framework of the C-Track 50 project, AURA-EE has carried out an assessment of the strategies and implementation of the actions of 10 pilot local authorities in terms of reducing GHG emissions and carbon storage, using the TerriSTORY® tool.

The action plans of the selected municipalities will therefore make it possible, by 2050, to save almost 300 GWh per year, to reduce more than 100 000 tCO2 per year (100,000 return flights Paris-New York) and to produce more than 250 GWh per year. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, local authorities will have to mobilise more than 70 million euros of investment.

The agency also conducted a series of interviews in February and March 2021 with 6 local authorities in order to:

• make a quick assessment of the progress of the action plans in the territories;
• choose the key actions to be financed;
• gather their reactions to the components of the methodology used by TerriSTORY® for the choice of key actions.

The municipalities’ strategies contain a variety of themes related to carbon neutrality. Renovation of buildings is a large part of the work plans, but it seems that despite a strong investment in time and resources, it is difficult to achieve the objectives. The focus is now on bio-sourced materials and circular economy, with still few references. The production of renewable energy is at the heart of the action plans with some good projects.  Actions around mobility are important too, especially in peripheral and suburban areas.