Analysis of sustainability in the procurement of public works: the influence of the Covenant of Mayors

Abstract

The fight against climate change is a global challenge that must be addressed at all government levels, especially by local governments, whose potential to contribute to this process is widely recognized. Most municipalities in Spain have signed up for the Covenant of Mayors, an initiative of the European Union with three strategies: mitigation, adaptation, and the fight against energy poverty. This study aims to identify the primary measures that town councils associated with the Covenant of Mayors have committed to conducting and to analyze how environmental sustainability is promoted through local public-work procurement. Regulations related to public contracting and sustainability are analyzed to address these objectives, and measures in the action plans of the municipalities associated with the Covenant of Mayors are identified and classified according to their sectors. Finally, the environmental award criteria in public-work procurement are identified and analyzed. The results suggest that the municipalities affiliated with the Covenant of Mayors are primarily focused on energy efficiency. In contrast, public-work procurement files emphasize environmental criteria related to environmental management and energy efficiency, although these criteria receive little weight.