Green Digital Charter
FAQ
Green Digital Charter
- What is the Green Digital Charter?
The EUROCITIES Green Digital Charter creates a framework for cities to use ICT as a main driver to improve energy efficiency. The Charter is a joint effort of EUROCITIES, the City of Manchester and Clicks and Links Ltd. It was launched at the EUROCITIES annual conference 2009 in Stockholm.
- What commitments do signatories have to fulfil?
The Charter includes four main commitments:
- Working with other Green Digital Charter signatories to promote the best applications and results of ICT solutions
- Establishing local partnerships to implement the Green Digital Charter ‘s commitments, and to make these central elements of the cities’ wider strategies
- Deploying five large-scale and replicable ICT pilots per city within five years and communicating the impact of these to citizens and local stakeholders
- Decreasing the direct carbon footprint of the ICT sector by 30% per city within ten years.
- What do signatories get in return?
Signatories get access to a vibrant community of practice and strong support in implementing action on ICT & energy efficiency, which exchanges on technical know-how, project opportunities and creates high international visibility. Furthermore signatories are assisted in using a number of reporting and action tools, in particular introducing ICT as efficiency enabling technology in their Covenant of Mayors activities.
- Who are the signatories?
Currently there are 50 signatories. An overview can can be found here.
Signing up to the Green Digital Charter
- Who is eligible?
The Green Digital Charter is open to all local authorities democratically constituted with/by elected representatives, whatever the stage of implementation of their energy and climate policies or their digital infrastructure. More information can be found in the Green Digital Charter Governance.
- How does it work?
To join the Green Digital Charter group, cities should undertake the following process:
- Present the Green Digital Charter to the municipal council;
- Once an official resolution has been adopted by the council, mandate the mayor – or equivalent representative of the council – to sign the Green Digital Charter in text;
- Organise a local signing ceremony in the city, the European Commission, EUROCITIES and local media should be invited;
- After signature, send a copy of the signed Green Digital Charter to the Green Digital Charter contact point;
- Take note of the next steps and options for action, outlined in a confirmation e-mail sent to the local authority council;
- Attend a European signing ceremony organised by EUROCITIES in Brussels to re-sign the GDC in front of media and representative from the EU institutions and thus gain international visibility.
- When to join?
Cities can sign the Green Digital Charter at any period in time, as there is no deadline. European signing ceremonies take place each year in Brussels, where mayors can benefit from international visibility through a public signature.
The GuiDanCe project
- What is the GuiDanCe project?
The main aim of GuiDanCe is to support the coordination and further development of the Green Digital Charter (GDC) initiative.
The project offers a supporting structure which promote and advanc the implementation of the commitments of the Green Digital Charter. The project is led by EUROCITIES, the network of major European cities.
The project started on 1 March 2015 and will finish in February 2018.
- How does the GuiDanCe project work?
GuiDanCe work towards three main objectives:
1. Strengthen the engagement of gdc signatories to create a club of cities that work together towards their GDC commitments.
2. Improve existing tools and services and their impact to GDC signatorie
3. Promote GDC signatories’ activities in and outside the EU
- How is the GuiDanCe project financed?
The GuiDanCe project is financed by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme.
