The Climate Action Recap for the province of Utrecht calculates per climate sector which climate solutions reduce and sequester the most CO₂-eq towards 2030. The assessment follows the Drawdown methodology and was carried out by the Drawdown Europe Research Association (DERA) in partnership with Climate Cleanup, commissioned by the province of Utrecht (report: 4 November 2021).
Utrecht emits 7.65 Mton CO₂-eq per year (2018). Sixteen calculated solutions offer a combined potential of 6.04 Mton per year by 2030: a 79% reduction. The largest opportunities: timber construction (1,120 kton), electric vehicles (870 kton) and peatlands (620 kton). The full analysis is in the PDF downloads; the citable insights hang as cards under this project.
Insights from this project
From this project Citable insights
Figures, observations and recommendations from Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan . Free to use under CC BY 4.0, with attribution.
All insights INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Utrecht emits 7.65 Mton CO₂-eq per year across five climate sectors The province of Utrecht emits 7.65 Mton CO₂-eq per year, spread across the five climate sectors of the Dutch Climate…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Utrecht: 6,040 kton CO₂-eq reduction and sequestration potential per year The climate solutions assessed for the province of Utrecht add up to a potential of 6,040 kton CO₂-eq per year…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Climate solutions can cut Utrecht’s emissions by 79% by 2030 If the province of Utrecht pursues all nineteen calculated solution variants in full, annual emissions fall by 79% by 2030:…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Mobility is Utrecht’s largest emission source at 3.16 Mton Of the five climate sectors, mobility emits the most in the province of Utrecht: 3.16 Mton CO₂-eq per year.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Road traffic emits 2.86 Mton CO₂-eq in the province of Utrecht Exhaust emissions from road traffic account for 2.86 Mton CO₂-eq per year, by far the largest single emission source in…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Utrecht is the second Dutch province with a climate solutions assessment After Gelderland, Utrecht is the second Dutch province to commission a Preliminary Climate Solutions Assessment based on the Drawdown methodology.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE The largest emissions do not automatically call for the largest solutions The Utrecht assessment reveals a striking reversal: industry has the smallest emissions of the five climate sectors (0.57 Mton) but…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Pareto approach: 80% of greenhouse gases cut with 20% of the solutions The Preliminary Climate Solutions Assessment applies a Pareto analysis: 80% of the greenhouse gases in a region can be reduced…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Utrecht aims to be CO₂-neutral as soon as possible, by 2050 at the latest The province of Utrecht has sharpened its climate ambition to "CO₂-neutral as soon as possible and by 2050 at the…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Set up one central PDCA cycle for Utrecht’s climate policy Climate policy has found a place within the various sectors of the province of Utrecht, but this has produced fragmented…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Engage stakeholders in dialogue on each climate solution Moving to action requires cooperation with many stakeholders inside and outside the provincial organisation.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Do not get stuck in talk: the climate challenge demands action above all The key advice from the Utrecht assessment is not to get bogged down in deliberation.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Electricity in Utrecht: 890 kton CO₂-eq emissions per year The electricity sector emits 890 kton CO₂-eq per year in the province of Utrecht.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Energy generation Utrecht: 1,030 kton CO₂-eq reduction potential per year Four calculated solutions give the Utrecht electricity sector a combined reduction potential of 1,030 kton CO₂-eq per year by 2030:…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Rooftop solar Utrecht: 240 kton CO₂-eq reduction potential by 2030 Rooftop solar panels can deliver the province of Utrecht an emission reduction of 240 kton CO₂-eq per year by 2030.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Solar parks Utrecht: 330 kton CO₂-eq reduction potential by 2030 Solar parks are the largest electricity solution for the province of Utrecht at 330 kton CO₂-eq per year.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Onshore wind Utrecht: 160 kton CO₂-eq reduction potential by 2030 Onshore wind turbines can deliver the province of Utrecht a reduction of 160 kton CO₂-eq per year by 2030, based…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Green gas Utrecht: 300 kton CO₂-eq reduction potential by 2030 Green gas can deliver the province of Utrecht up to 300 kton CO₂-eq of reduction per year by 2030.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Green gas is a bridging solution with short-cycle CO₂ Green gas from biomass works with short-cycle CO₂: biomass stores CO₂ while growing, combustion releases it, and new planting absorbs…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Each TWh of renewable generation replaces over 102 million m³ of natural gas The four electricity solutions in the Utrecht assessment share the same basis: renewable energy replaces the current gas-fired plants, with…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Combine rooftop solar, solar parks, wind and green gas for 1 Mton of reduction The four calculated electricity solutions together deliver the province of Utrecht more than 1,000 kton CO₂-eq of reduction per year…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Built environment Utrecht: 1.9 Mton CO₂-eq emissions per year The built environment is the second climate sector of the province of Utrecht at 1.9 Mton CO₂-eq per year.
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Built environment Utrecht: 770 kton CO₂-eq reduction potential per year Five renovation solutions give the Utrecht built environment a combined reduction potential of 770 kton CO₂-eq per year by 2030:…
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan INSIGHT · KLIMAAT EN STRATEGIE Utrecht is the third most densely populated province at 916 inhabitants per km² Only Zuid-Holland (1,380) and Noord-Holland (1,084) are more densely populated than Utrecht at 916 inhabitants per km².
↗ Climate Solutions for Utrecht: Sector Action Plan