Arbejdsrapport fra Miljøstyrelsen Nr. 55 2003 – Frivillige aftaler som værktøj til at reducere CO2-udslippet fra trafikken

Voluntary Agreements: a Tool to Reduce Emissions of CO2 from the Transport Sector

English Summary

This report presents an analysis of the potential for making one or more voluntary agreements between the Danish State, the counties and the municipalities with the purpose of reducing CO₂ emisions from the transport sector. Søren Tholstrup, Tholstrup Consult – in cooperation with Jakob Høj, TetraPlan, and Professor Bent Flyvbjerg from Aalborg University - has conducted the analysis for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.

In general, it is argued that a series of voluntary agreements could be a potentially effective tool to organise a labour division between the Danish State, the counties and the municipalities with he purpose of reducing CO₂ emissions from the transport sector.

A series of voluntary agreement - focusing on the use of local means – could lead to an estimated reduction of almost 500,000 tonnes CO₂, if Danish municipalities make a one-time investment of 600 million DKK. Compared to Denmark's CO₂ commitments following the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol – 500,000 tonnes constitute a rather small but still appreciable amount of CO₂.

However, it also argued that, presently, Danish municipalities cannot identify appropriate political and economical incentives to launch a specific CO₂ intiative. Furthermore, it is concluded that the cost-effectiveness of using local means – specifically targeted at CO₂ – is far too low compared to other means such as using the flexible mechanisms outlined in the Kyoto Protocol. In that perspective, it is problematic to politically legitimate measures that focus specifically on the use of local means to reduce CO₂ emissions from the transport sector.

It is also concluded that a narrow focus on CO₂ emissions disturbs the picture. If a more wide focus is accepted - including focus on additional effects such as reduced air pollution, reduced number of traffic accidents and improved health – the cost-effectiveness assessment would look rather different and offer more legitimacy to the use of local means in Danish municipalities. Furthermore, the wider focus introduces effects that will not be achieved, if CO₂ initiatives are based solely on the flexible mechanisms outlined in the Kyoto Protocol.

Specifically targeted CO₂ initives do not have a high ranking on the local political agendas in Danish municipalities. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce a strategy where potential CO₂ benefits can possibly hitch-hike on other benefits from local initiatives aimed at the transport sector. However, the focus on CO₂ emissions must be explicit, otherwise there is a risk of a no-priority situation in local policy-making.

A hitch-hiking strategy should be introduced in both existing and coming local spatial planning activities. One example could be the mandatory local Agenda 21 strategies that Danish municipalities must prepare according to the Danish Planning Act. Another example could be strategic environmental assessments of programmes and plans that are introduced in the European Union SEA Directive. Further examples could be revitalisation of existing local traffic and environmental action plans as well as designing a new generation of traffic plans as part of the local sector planning.

There are examples that indicate that there is a rather large CO₂ potential related to more effective spatial planning – especially spatial planning targeting localisation of housing, industry and other businesses. In that respect the Danish municipalities are becoming more aware of the large CO₂ potential related to more effective spatial planning. This awareness is a precondition for introducing hitch-hiking strategies in local spatial planning.

Over the years, Danish municipalities have launched a number of initiatives with the purpose of reducing CO₂ emissions and other environmental impacts from the transport sector. Interviews with local politicians indicate that a new national CO₂ policy and action plan for the transport sector would be appreciated by the Danish municipalities. In that respect, the interviews with the local politicians indicate that a dialogue on the conditions for one or more voluntary agreements could be initiated.

In the report it is finally argued that if a voluntary agreement initiative - with the purpose of introducing CO₂ hitch-hiking strategies in local spatial planning – is launched, it should be aimed at individual municipalities and preferably in the form of pilot projects. It that respect, economic incentives are important incentives in a pilot project initiative, but economic incentives are not decisive.