Climate-4-CAST Completes First Pilot Phase: Cities Advance Climate Action Data Collection

The Climate-4-CAST project has successfully completed its first pilot phase, marking a major step in supporting cities’ efforts toward climate neutrality. Throughout this phase, the six pilot cities—Tampere, Aarhus, Riga, Östersund, Norderstedt, and Bytom—have prioritized data collection and climate action modelling, with a focus on transportation as a key sector. However, many cities have also incorporated energy systems, municipal consumption, agriculture, and building efficiency into their datasets, further aligning with the Interreg BSR Programme’s energy transition objectives.

Examples of Achievements Across Pilot Cities

• Tampere has integrated into the Climate Action Decision Support (CADS) Tool baseline emissions data across all major sectors, including building heating, transportation, industry, electricity, waste, and agriculture. The city has also modelled six climate actions, such as LED streetlight replacement, transitioning the bus fleet to alternative propulsion, energy efficiency renovations, and expanding renewable energy production.
• Aarhus has prioritized high-quality climate data. The city has integrated seven climate measures into the CADS Tool, including expanding renewable energy production, afforestation, and organic soil management. Aarhus’ efforts have laid the groundwork for an ambitious climate agreement pointing towards climate neutrality.
• Riga has integrated climate actions from the Climate City Contract (CCC) into the CADS Tool. These include data on municipal infrastructure, transportation, and multi-apartment buildings. The city has made progress also in gathering feedback from stakeholders and assessing the emissions footprint of new projects. Riga’s efforts are part of its goal to achieve climate neutrality in its municipal infrastructure.
• Östersund has focused primarily on transportation emissions while exploring other sectors. The city has developed through the CADS Tool models for municipal consumption emissions, including construction, procurement, meals, and road maintenance. Additionally, Östersund is working on internal commuting emissions estimates to support workplace sustainability measures.
• Norderstedt has modelled through the CADS Tool climate actions in stationary energy and agriculture, including the conversion of street lighting to LED and an annual tree donation initiative for citizens. The city has also worked closely with local energy providers and facilitated political discussions on climate policy.
• Bytom has concentrated on electricity and heat production, natural gas consumption, and building emissivity. The city has already achieved nearly 100% replacement of street lighting with energy-efficient luminaires, significantly cutting energy consumption. Bytom has also gathered historical emissions data dating back to the 1990s, providing a valuable long-term perspective on its energy transition goals.

Next Steps: Scaling Up Data and Action

The first pilot phase has provided valuable insights into sectoral emissions and climate action planning. However, the integration of city data into the CADS Tool is still evolving, with many stakeholders yet to fully test the tool—a key focus for the second pilot phase beginning in March 2025.

By combining high-quality data with multi-stakeholder engagement, the Climate-4-CAST project is equipping cities with the knowledge and tools needed to accelerate their climate neutrality goals. As the project moves forward, it continues to foster collaboration and innovation, ensuring that urban climate strategies are both effective and inclusive.

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