Taking energy efficiency to a new scale: the climate change action plan in Nord-Pas de Calais region

Bertrand Lafolie, Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais
Kenya Tillerson, International Consulting on Energy

Keywords

region, local energy policies, climate change, policy-making

Abstract

Through the experience of a new climate change action plan in the French region "Nord-Pas de Calais", the paper highlights the urgent necessity as well as the inherent difficulties for energy efficiency strategies to penetrate everyday practices and policies in order to reduce emissions in line with national and international commitments.

Nord-Pas de Calais takes pride in two decades of sustained promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Nevertheless, observation shows that regional consumption grows at roughly the same rate as does national consumption.

The paper will present the history of energy efficiency in the region and relate the steps in elaborating a new climate change action plan that moves away from a focus on innovative projects towards the integration of easily replicable practices in business as usual. It then discusses some of the practical roadblocks that are faced in attempting to change the scale of achievements. Surprisingly, the main barrier met with until now seems not to be lack of interest and motivation towards energy efficiency from the general public but the way energy efficiency practitioners traditionally work and think.