22 June 2017, Localising the Energy Union

The breakfast was organised by CEMR, a CITYnvest partner with other European networks, including Climate Alliance, CITYnvest coordinator, at the European Parliament, where Ronald van Meygaarden chair of the CITYnvest Advisory Group presented the policy recommendations based on the CITYnvest experience.
The event was hosted by MEPs Claude Turmes and Theresa Griffin, Rapporteur and Shadow rapporteur on the Governance dossier of the Clean Energy for All Europeans Package.
 Local and regional leaders representing five major networks of local governments met with Members of the European Parliament to drive home the importance of local level involvement in EU energy and climate policy. Known as the Urban 5, these networks point to the local level’s power to provide jobs, its proximity to the people and its swift ability to deliver change as essential components for energy transition success.

 
Prior to the policy debate in the European Parliament, the Urban 5, comprised of Climate Alliance, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Energy Cities, EUROCITIES, and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability – outlined their position in a joint policy statement.
 
The paper targets EU policy makers as they negotiate the Clean Energy Package and EU budget and calls for a governance framework that empowers local governments to contribute to the energy transition. One important pillar of such a framework would be better access to finance for cities, towns, and regions to foster investments in local renewable energy. The right to self-produce and consume electricity is also cited as a way to encourage broad participation in the energy transition.
 
European local governments further call for a planning and reporting system that addresses barriers to delivering the Energy Union at the local level as well as for ambitious 2030 and 2050 energy and climate targets. This would put Europe on a path to meet its international commitments whilst improving the quality of life of its people.
 
MEP Theresa Griffin echoed the importance of the local level and the Urban 5’s calls, stating, “Citizens, cities, local governments and regions are the backbone of the energy transition. The Energy Union should provide an adequate framework to promote their full participation as this will enable us to respond to key challenges including the question of energy poverty.” 
 
The political leaders present reiterated that delivery of the objectives of the Energy Union and the Paris Agreement will require engagement of the people in the transition process, shifting them from energy consumers to energy producers.
 
"Multilevel governance is the future of clean energy deployment in Europe. Regions and cities will play a crucial role to capture the multiple benefits of the energy transition: price lowering, citizen empowerment, local production, new jobs, cleaner air," agreed MEP Claude Turmes.
 
At the end of the successful event, MEP Claude Turmes invited the local and regional leaders of the Urban 5 to regular exchange meetings on crucial issues related to EU energy and climate policies. The next meeting is envisaged to take place by end of September 2017.
 

External news

20 June 2017, Committee of the Region, Brussels (Belgium), Energy Day conference on Local and Regional perspectives of the Winter Package

Within the EU Sustainable Energy Week framework, the Committee of the Region (CoR) Energy Day conference aimed to disseminate the CoR's work on the latest policy issues related to the European Commission's proposals on energy policy adopted on 30th November 2016 as the "Winter Package" for the Energy Union.
The CoR rapporteurs wished to share their ideas and present their draft opinions with a broad range of representatives from relevant organizations and stakeholders, such as the CEMR and ICLEI.
Mr Thor-Sten Vertmann, Counsellor for Energy, Head of Section of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia gave a keynote statement on the priorities of Estonian Presidency on the clean energy package. The presidency will focus to deliver the Electricity Market proposal as a driver for renewables and energy efficiency and on the Energy Union Governance proposal.
The three rapporteurs, Mr Bruno Hranić on the Energy Union Governance and clean energy; Mr Michiel Rijsberman, on Energy efficiency and buildings and Ms Daiva Matonienė on Renewable energy and electricity market presented their drafted opinion, to be formally adopted by the CoR at its plenary session in July 2017. Mr Bruno Hranić called on the Member States and the European Commission to ensure appropriate support for cooperation between sub-national authorities. Mr Michiel Rijsberman noticed that subnational initiative can be even more ambitious than national level on Energy efficiency and buildings performance, e.g. going beyond the 30% Energy efficiency targets by 2030 of the EU Commission proposal. Ms Daiva Matonienė underlined the importance of financial engineering by using public funds to attract private sources, quoting JESSICA as an example of public funds successfully implemented in Lithuania for private building renovation. She also mentioned for renewables the importance of transmission of grids, as well as integrated market and regional cooperation.
A relevant local example was provided by Furio Honsell, Mayor of Udine (Italy) who commented the opinion on energy efficiency, recommending  the adoption of an EU methodology to measure EE and the consultation of sub-national level on energy initiatives, like educational programme as their responsibility lie at local level. He questioned the provision of increasing infrastructure for of electric charge for vehicles, as alternative mobility should be foreseen instead of cars.
ICLEI showed how local and regional governments lead the way in energy transition, via initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors, now also at global level. ICLEI recommended continuous dialogue with civil society on energy policies,  on the long-term costs and benefits of the energy transition, and on their fair distribution. Also, the social consequences of the energy transition must be adequately addressed by strategies to help mitigate adverse effects on jobs and on socially weak households.
Climate Alliance recommended Cohesion policy funds for local governments to achieve capacity building on large scale for a local renewables energy project and the need for a tailor made approach on energy issues (energy poverty and unemployment in East countries like Bulgaria and Romania).
The Chair, Ms Sirpa Hertell, Deputy Chair of the Commission for Environment, Energy and Climate Change (ENVE) concluded that actions at local level can be even more ambitious than at national level and that it is of primary importance to reduce EU dependence on an external energy supply and to moderate private energy competition.