Compass for Climate Action: How Cities Set Emission Reduction Targets

Cities' Climate Goal Strategy

"If you don't know where you are going, it doesn't matter which way you go." This saying also applies to climate action in cities. Measuring emissions (inventory) shows the current situation, but to create change, you need a destination - targets.

So, how and on what basis does a city set ambitious targets such as "Net Zero" or "50% Reduction" and how does it ensure that these targets are in line with global realities?

The 4 Key Components of Goal Setting

According to GPC standards and international frameworks, a robust emission reduction target is built on four main pillars:

Base Year:

Every journey requires a starting point. Cities typically choose a year as their "base year" when their data is most reliable and comprehensive. All future achievements are measured against this year (e.g. "40% reduction from 2015 levels").

Target Year:

The year in which the target is planned to be achieved. It is usually set in two phases, short-term (2030) and long-term (2050).

Target Type:

What does the city want to achieve?

Absolute Target:

Reduce the total amount of emissions by a certain tonnage (e.g. 1 million tons of CO₂ reduction).

Intensity Target:

Reduce emissions per unit (per capita or per GDP).

Neutrality Target:

Achieve a net zero level of emissions.

Boundary: Which emission sources of the city does the target cover? Only energy and transport (BASIC), or including waste and industrial processes (BASIC+)?

Paris Agreement and the 1.5°C Rule

A target needs to be not only "ambitious" but also "scientific". Global networks such as C40 and GCoM require that the targets set by cities are aligned with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C scenario.

This means calculating the city's share of the emissions budget needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. In other words, cities are driven by the principle of "let's do what the planet needs", not "let's do what we can".

Goal Simulation with CimpactPro CITY

Setting targets is easy on paper but difficult in practice. to set a target of "40% reduction by 2030", it is necessary to know how much investment is needed in which sector.

Software likeCimpactPro CITY takes this process out of "guesswork" and puts it into "math".

Simulation Module:

models scenarios such as "If we insulate 20% of buildings or electrify half of the buses, how much would emissions drop?"

Green Roadmap:

Identifies the prioritized actions and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) needed to achieve the set goal.

In conclusion, a well-defined goal is not just a statement of intent, but a binding commitment that shapes the city's investments, policies and future.