The results of using the SYNERGISE+ Tool are displayed in multiple ways, giving different rankings and visual interpretations which guide decision-makers to understanding the wide-ranging effect of their actions. At a start of step 5, the SYNERGISE+ scorecard summarises main results. At a glimpse, users are given insight into main results thoroughly portrayed in step 5. The colours help the user notice what is going well in their SECAP, and what could be improved.
Then, links guide the user to help understand:

• Which projects should be implemented first, and why?
• What is the ranking of actions, and how many of them can be funded with the current budget?
• Which criteria influenced the rank of the highest scored actions?
• What is the cost efficiency, or relative cost of best scored actions?
• Who are "the winners"? i.e. the big picture
• What is the average score per criteria and dimension?
• How healthy are your SECAP actions? How do they fit the city's values?
• Does the SECAP address the high risk climate hazards?
• Which actions can produce synergies when implemented together?

The guide aims to enhance decision-making at two critical stages: planning (helping cities select actions for Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans – SECAPs) and implementation (aiding cities that face budget limitations in prioritising investments based on specific criteria). It is designed to be a comprehensive tool, guiding cities through the range of decision-making options from simple to complex, helping them create a tailored approach that fits their unique needs and preferences.

The tools was designed having the Covenant of Mayors Signatories in mind, however, anyone working with similar local actions (including energy agencies, or enterprises) can find it useful and select only actions applicable to their sector or aim. The terms “cities”, “urban” and “local” are used interchangeably, but the scope of the tool is not limited to cities only. This framework or exercise is focused on urban adaptation and mitigation actions, and it is thus primarily aimed at cities, towns, and regions, or anyone working on local sustainable development. The tool can be adapted to fit different project base, please contact us if you have an important local planning and are interested in adapting it to your needs: H2020prospectplus[at]gmail.com

Have your SECAP or other sustainable plans at hand and make a list of stakeholders you’d like to involve in the decision-making process. They can be representatives of different departments and sectors, i.e. persons responsible for each action or sector which will participate in the decision making and it is advisable to have one representative per department, or per type of actions. You can involve as many stakeholders as you wish, however it is advisable to group them and have one representative set of answers per group/sector/department etc. In that way all groups will be represented equally. Then open the Excel tool and follow the instructions. You can also read the Tool Guide part below for further explanations.