About
The Municipality of Cascais covers an area of just over 97 km2 north of Lisbon, and is home to 183,000 residents. The municipality includes areas of outstanding natural beauty, such as the Cascais-Sintra natural park with its mountains and forests, and beaches and dunes, but has also a diverse and very rich built heritage. It is a key tourist destination in Portugal´s centre, in particular the towns of Cascais and Estoril, and hosts international coastal and mostor sporting events, conferences, and all many different leisure activities. With a very lively history, Cascais remains today Portugal´s most cosmopolitan town, with the highest index of ethnic diversity.
Studying climate and impacts
The Municipality of Cascais has been undertaking different studies to under better its impact on climate, and climate´s impact on the Municipality. These studies support and inform policies and projects taken on climate change related issues.
• SIAM: Scenarios Impacts and Adaptation Measures is a major scientific initiative in Portugal which follows IPCC methodologies and forecasts to model possible scenarios for Portugal in the period 2080-2100. Cascais will be the focus of a specific study to examine how climate change may affect water resources, coastal zones, fisheries, agriculture, human health and impacts on tourism, energy, forestry and biodiversity.
• “Energy Matrix”: this municipal-wide study is carried out in partnership with IST (a leading engineering faculty), to assess the potential for energy production from renewable sources, identify energy consumption and flows for residential, industrial, service and transport sectors, and calculates the respective carbon emissions at the municipal and council level. 25 municipal buildings are subject to real-time monitoring of energy flows.
• Carbon footprinting of Municipal Agencies: In 2009, several of the municipal agencies (Cascais Atlântico, Cascais Agenda 21, Cascais Natura and Cascais Energia), undertook carbon studies following GHG Protocol methodologies to understand the carbon footprint of the agencies and their activities.
Policy and Strategy
Awareness both of how activities in the Municipality many contribute to climate change and how climate change is and may impact on Cascais drives policies for greater action in the Municipality, but also stimulates connections to important institutions with similar and ambitious objectives.
• Covenant of Mayors: Cascais was one of the first 100 “pioneering cities” to sign on to this ambitious initiative of the European Commission, and thus to formally commit to reduce CO2 emission even beyond the EU 20% objective (reduce carbon emissions by 2020 by improving energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewables by 20% and 20%, respectively).
• ELAC: Cascais is committed to and presently developing a Local Strategy for Climate Change, which will involve the municipality´s stakeholders in helping to determine main strategic directions for political, economic and development action on climate change.
• ICLEI: Cascais Municipality is a Member and active participant in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.
• Climate Neutral Network: Cascais is a very international municipality, both because of the cosmopolitan nature of its residents and companies which operate from its jurisdiction, but also because of the very significant influx of tourists. The opportunity to be inspired by other CNNet participants, as well as to share our experiences which may benefit other cities and regions, are key motivating factors for joining this network of excellence.
Specific Action:
The Municipality has taken on various projects and initiatives with a view to reducing its impacts on climate and improving the sustainability and “livability” of Cascais:
• In order to make its Municipal agencies carbon neutral, the Municipality is working with GHG / e)mission on an overall carbon management programme to footprint, reduce and offset unavoidable emissions.
• The Municipality organizes or directly supports the organization of several large local, national and international conferences, such as the recent “Global Challenges, Local Solutions” mega-event. These are increasingly emission neutral events.
• A Climate Change Information Centre is being established by the Cascais Atlântico agency together with the Scripps Research Institute
• The Cascais Energia agency implements several innovative projects to promote renewables and energy efficiency in the municipality, including the “Watts Buster” programme wherein Agency specialists go to residents´ homes (in hybrid vehicles) to perform personalized energy audits, and is the local focal point for promoting the European Energie Cités programme and its “Display” project: European Municipal Buildings Climate Change Campaign.
• The Oxigenio project, by Cascais Natura agency, aims to mobilize citizens, companies, public entities to join in the action to maintain and upgrade forested areas around the municipality, including through tree planting. 28000 trees have been planted so far in this project, which aims to promote biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
• “BiCas” project: Cascais has established a free bicycle lending programme, with over 300 units, throughout the municipality and in particular along the coastal areas, to provide residents and visitors with a sustainable and healthy mode of transport while removing polluting vehicles from the scenic routes. Paths and other infrastructure have been developed, and this project is expected to continue to expand.
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