How to report on the mitigation pillar using the JRC offline reporting template

The JRC offline reporting template is essentially an Excel spreadsheet. When reporting on the mitigation pillar, there are three main exercise sheets to complete:

Sheet 1

Baseline Emissions Inventory (BEI)

Sheet 2

Mitigation
Actions

Sheet 3

Mitigation
Report

These sheets are explained in more detail in the sections that follow.

As noted in the JRC template, the two key components of reporting are the baseline emissions inventory (due for reporting within two years of the political commitment to the CoMSSA) and the mitigation actions (due for reporting within three years of the commitment).

Sheet 1

Baseline Emissions Inventory (BEI)

The baseline emissions inventory, as discussed in previous modules, reflects the in-boundary greenhouse gas emissions profile. It sets the baseline for all mitigation targets.

The inventory should be compiled using relevant tools such as the recommended City Inventory and Reporting Information System (CIRIS) tool, which employs a common methodology to ensure comparability, based on the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories (GPC).

The key sectors to include information on are: stationary energy consumption, transportation, and waste.

The sources and requisite activities for these sectors are unpacked in the table below.

Sub-categories have to be filled in, as do the emissions factors for each.

Emissions have to be categorised as direct or indirect – i.e. are the actual emissions released within the city’s boundaries or not.

Finally, the quantity of emissions is of course required.

The BEI sheet of the JRC offline reporting template looks like this:

The data necessary for this sheet includes:

• Key categories
• Sectors (sources alongside)
• Direct/indirect
• Sub-categories
• Emissions factors
• Emissions

Sheet 2

Mitigation actions

Are measures and policies implemented by local authorities to reduce their GHG emissions

May have co-benefits to enhance climate resilience and/or increase access to energy

May have co-benefits that increase inclusivity and policy sensitivity to gender and other social dynamics

Are improved by multilevel governance, and a common understanding at the local level of the BEI and the importance of curbing city’s GHG emissions

Should be preceded by analysis of the legal, physical, social and economic barriers hindering mitigation

Common nodes of influence include:

Public awareness and social engagement

Information campaigns, behaviour change

Buildings

Energy efficiency

Behaviour

Management of technical installations

Urban and land use planning

Densification/diversification (mixed-use development and sprawl containment)

Transport

EASI (Enable, Avoid, Shift, Improve) framework

Bus rapid transit

Transit-oriented development

Active travel

Local (renewable) energy generation

The mitigation actions sheet of the JRC offline reporting template looks like this:

The data necessary for this sheet includes:

• Sector (corresponds to BEI sectors)
• Area of intervention
• Policy category
• Origin of the action
• Responsible body
• Implementation timeframe
• Status and cost of implementation
• Energy savings/renewable energy production
• GHG reduction in near and long-term target years
• Co-benefits

Sheet 3

Mitigation report

This sheet automatically pulls through data from the other sheets into this summary sheet. There are no additional inputs that need to be made on Sheet 3.

Reporting key information required

Basic details regarding the action plan:

Approval date, webpage, methodological notes.

NDC and Business-as-Usual (BAU) projections by long-term target year ONLY APPLY if targets have been set using BAU methodology.

Estimates of GHG emission reductions from actions in target year in relation to BEI selected UNLESS a follow-up inventory has been collated since the BEI or the mitigation targets have been set using BAU methodology.

Information required per action (separated into sectors consistent with BEI):

• Qualitative (own input)
• Title and description

Qualitative (drop-down):

• Area of intervention
• Policy
• Origin of the action
• Responsible body
• Status of implementation

Quantitative:

• Implementation cost thus far and in total
• Energy savings
• Renewable energy production
• GHG reduction

The mitigation report sheet looks like this: