SIMPLA promotes the harmonization of energy and sustainable urban mobility plans in Spain.

CIRCE and four Spanish localities have participated in this initiative financed by the European Commission, which has been carried out simultaneously in six European countries.

The SIMPLA (Sustainable Integrated Multisector Planning) project has concluded with significant results in sustainable energy and urban mobility. Over its three-year duration, it has successfully supported various local authorities in Spain, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Austria in harmonizing their Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) (formerly SEAPs) and their Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs).

Through SIMPLA, several municipalities have been guided in promoting sustainable energy and mobility in their respective areas, offering technical advice, specialized training, and active support in implementing various pilot actions.

As part of these efforts, the international consortium that forms SIMPLA has developed a guideline manual that provides a comprehensive range of practical recommendations, templates, international case studies, and easily replicable energy-saving packages, available on the project’s website.

Harmonized plans in Monzón, Benidorm, Córdoba, and León

The Zaragoza-based technology center CIRCE has been responsible for coordinating the work carried out in Spain, supporting the municipalities of Benidorm, Córdoba, León, and Monzón in developing their plans. The implementation of these harmonized plans, which integrate sustainable energy and urban mobility, allows for maximizing synergies between different departments and multiplying their economic, social, and environmental benefits.

CIRCE complemented these tasks with an extensive training package aimed at local authorities to enhance their strategic planning and technical advisory capacities.

Thus, SIMPLA has successfully promoted the reduction of energy consumption, improved accessibility in urban areas, enhanced the sustainability of mobility and transport, increased renewable energy capacity in localities, improved administrative decision-making in the development of such action plans, and extended the production of sustainable and integrated energy policies, as well as planning tools targeting sectors with the greatest potential for energy savings (building, urban freight transport, and urban mobility).

Notably, the harmonization of SECAPs and SUMPs (or their equivalents depending on the country) has been implemented in over 40 municipalities across Europe of various sizes and will be replicated in municipalities in 12 other EU countries.

According to data from the Covenant of Mayors initiative and a study developed by CIVITAS, there are approximately 6,000 municipalities in the EU that have implemented or are implementing a SEAP or SECAP and 1,000 municipalities that have developed a SUMP. With 130,000 local governments in the EU, there is still much to be done.

Following the SIMPLA experience, CIRCE will continue to promote sustainable energy and mobility by supporting any localities interested in developing (or revising if they already exist) a SECAP, a SUMP, or any other strategic plan at the local level in a harmonized manner.