Following the Environment Council on 12 October 2026 and ahead of the Energy Council on 29 October 2026, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) joined the call of the Coalition for Higher Ambition, an alliance of businesses, local and regional government networks and civil society organisations, in urging EU ministers to back a strong post-2030 climate and energy framework.
After another summer of record heatwaves, drought and wildfires, the signatories stress that continuing the European Green Deal’s trajectory is both a climate imperative and a strategic investment. A transition built on energy efficiency, renewables and renewables-based electrification, they argue, strengthens Europe’s competitiveness and energy security, lowers and stabilises energy bills, and protects public health.
The letter, addressed to the Irish EU Presidency and Member State ministers, calls for at least 90% net domestic emission reductions by 2040, with limited reliance on international credits. CEMR and other signatories warn that using up to 5% international credits would lock in only 85% domestic reductions, and also call for a credible EU Emission Trading System (ETS) that delivers real, predictable emissions cuts and a strong carbon price signal, with revenues prioritising energy efficiency, renewables and a just transition.
The statement further urges ministers to maintain national climate targets, with priority given to gross emission reductions and separate targets for land-based and industrial carbon removals. Moreover, the signatories consider essential EU renewable energy and energy efficiency targets, backed by a strong Governance Regulation and a multilevel approach that links national plans with local and regional plans and investment needs. Finally, the letter asks for a bold 2028-34 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to close Europe’s decarbonisation and resilience investment gap.
For local and regional governments, which implement climate policy on the ground, predictable targets and genuine multilevel governance are essential to deliver. CEMR will continue to advocate for these priorities as negotiations move forward.
At a time when seasons are shifting and the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly visible, local and regional governments are on the front line of building resilient and affordable heating and cooling systems.
The latest Covenant of Mayors Webinar, held on 23 September 2026, bringing together its community and CEMR members, gave an overview of the latest EU policy developments on heating and cooling and aimed at exploring how to translate the latter into practice.
The discussion highlighted past and upcoming Commission initiatives, inspiring examples from European territories, national policies for the heating transition, as well as the needs and realities faced by local and regional governments (LRGs). The dialogue went far beyond technical solutions, given that heating and cooling impact the environment, public health, social inclusion, economic competitiveness, urban planning and education.
The most suitable solution
Opening the webinar, Andreas Wolter, Member of the Cologne City Council, in Germany and CEMR Spokesperson for Climate and Energy, highlighted the need for an integrated approach to energy planning. He called for decarbonised heating and cooling to strengthen European energy independence, boost long-term competitiveness and achieve climate targets.
He stressed both the need to work with associations to develop practical solutions and the LRGs’ role in identifying renewable and low-carbon solutions and facilitating communities’ access to finance. In addition, he shared examples of successful initiatives such as waste-heat systems and river-water heat pumps. Andreas Wolter underlined the need for stable and predictable funding, along with the need for place-based planning processes.
Towards decarbonised and affordable heating and cooling
Heidelinde Adesam, from DG ENER of the European Commission, presented the links between the EU policy framework on electrification and heating and cooling. With heating and cooling accounting for 50% of Europe’s energy consumption, the sector remains a major concern.
In addition, she showcased the Commission’s Electrification Action Plan, which integrates measures for the heating and cooling transition. The plan focuses on future-oriented clean and affordable initiatives, waste heat recovery, district heating and cooling, financing and planning.
Looking ahead, the European Commission will launch new initiatives in 2027, including an EU Waste Heat Initiative, a Cooling and Heating Action Plan and Local Heating and Cooling Plans Guidance
National perspectives from Portugal, Slovenia and the Netherlands
Paulo Machado, from the city of Guimarães in Portugal, presented the 2026 European Green Capital’s plan to decarbonise the heating sector. He put the spotlight on zero-carbon buildings where heating systems depend on passive measures combined with active measures fully electrified. He also brought up different projects to show that, despite the presence of protected buildings, new construction and renovation projects can consider sustainable heating and cooling as part of the plan.
Mateja Bitenc, from the city of Maribor in Slovenia, presented the process of drafting and implementing a heat strategy and action plan. She illustrated the role of municipalities through Maribor’s municipal cooling action plan, which includes public awareness, protection guidelines, education and training, cool public spaces, and green infrastructure. Among the lessons learned, she highlighted community involvement, tree species selection, and the creation of a municipal working group.
Cilou Bertin, representing VNG, the Association of Dutch Municipalities and a CEMR member, showcased how the Netherlands are working on decentralised heating and cooling planning. She reiterated the crucial role of municipalities for successful implementation. She discussed the need for new decentralised legislation, which presents both benefits (comprehensive approach, implementation of social goals, citizen and business engagement) and challenges (financial conditions, municipal organisational adaptation, transition from private to public, grid congestion).
As discussions turned to the future of EU heating and cooling policy, participants were invited to share their needs and expectations for an ideal heating and cooling EU policy that works in practice.
* The ideas of the participants on what it would take for the ideal EU heating and cooling policy to work in practice.
The recording of the webinar is available here. CEMR will continue to build on this discussion and contribute to upcoming policy debates, including the post-2030 framework, with a focus on supporting effective and sustainable heating and cooling solutions at the local level.
CEMR’s annual Green Day explores how cities and regions contribute to delivering a resilient and competitive Europe
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CEMR hosted this year’s edition of the CEMR Green Day, a discussion in Brussels on how to balance climate ambition and green competitiveness and what this implies to local and regional governments. The event, which took place on 15 October, brought together policymakers, climate specialists and analysts to answer what the EU’s shift from climate ambition to green competitiveness means for towns, cities and regions. Together they explored how resilience, adaptation, resource efficiency, decarbonisation and clean mobility can be embedded in territorial competitiveness.
The panel: How can we balance the EU Climate Agenda’s ambition and resilience
Negotiations on files such as the Industrial Accelerator Act, launched under the Clean Industrial Deal, show how the ambitions of the European Green Deal are increasingly framed through competitiveness, industrial capacity and economic security. For local and regional governments, that shift raises questions about opportunities and risks, and about the conditions they need to turn ambition into implementation.
CEMR Secretary General Fabrizio Rossi opened the session with the reinforcement of the core CEMR message that “the territories will be attractive only if we are working on resilience. There is no competitive Europe without strong, resilient and empowered territories.” Federica Bordelot, CEMR Director of Policy and Impact, moderated the discussion and reiterated that “green transition and competitiveness should go hand in hand, and green transition can actually support competitiveness objectives.”
The panel brought together Arnas Liauksminas from the Lithuanian Permanent Representation, representing the upcoming Council Presidency; Gary Robinson, CEMR Spokesperson for Environment and Councillor of Shetland Islands; Aurélie Beauvais, Managing Director of EuroHeat & Power; Michael Forte, Senior Policy Adviser at E3G; and Kirstine Bille, a member of the Committee of the Regions and of the Municipal Council of Syddjurs.
CEMR Green Day event 2026 speakers
When asked about the plans of the Lithuanian Presidency,Liauksminas highlighted that they will work on the MFF, resilience, water, circular economy or ETS revision. He also added that municipalities are dealing directly with these issues on the ground, but they are not always heard in the debate in Brussels. “We are therefore pleased to cooperate with you ahead of the Presidency”, he concluded.
Gary Robinson, CEMR Spokesperson for Environment and Councillor of the Shetland Islands, mentioned the connectivity issues in the Shetland Islands and stated that “place-based policies start from the strengths of different territories: new technologies in industrial regions, renewable energy in rural areas, or on islands.”
Aurélie Beauvais from EuroHeat & Power presented the case for district heating and cooling. According to Beauvais, “to make it work for municipalities and for Europe, we need to solve the big two challenges of the transition: flexibility and security of supply; and affordability”. “District heating and cooling networks offer a very robust answer to those challenges”, she stated.
Kirstine Bille, member of the Committee of the Regions and the Municipal Council Member of Syddjurs Municipality, reiterated that we need to speak about the green transition because it stays in the background behind competitiveness. “We have an issue with energy security. We have to invest in local renewable energy, look at energy efficiency, work on the transition to a circular economy and ensure efficient district heating” – she added.
Finally, Michael Forte, the Senior Policy Adviser at E3G, drew on recent research from the think tank evidencing that the local and regional governments are the implementors of the EU Climate agenda and resilience practices while being left with little agency of decisive power. He highlighted three conditions that need to be met as a collective responsibility of the European institutions. “We need clear responsibilities, institutional and technical capacity, and the coordination within territories and across levels of government to be much more structured and formalised”, he said.
CEMR Green Day event 2026
Territorial spotlights: competitiveness in local practice
In the second part of the event, members showed how local and regional action already links green policy to economic and social benefits.
A particularly interesting example was Arnhem. This Dutch city has built 17 circular bridges, reusing materials from other bridges, a swimming pool and old sheet pile walls. Circularity is a leading objective of its procurement strategy, supported by its own depot for raw materials. Arnhem is shifting from choosing materials based on design to designing based on the materials available. It aims for 25% circular building in 2025 and 50% by 2030, alongside a 55% cut in CO₂ emissions against 1990 and 50% less use of virgin materials.
Against a backdrop of rising energy costs and growing climate risks, hundreds of mayors gathered in Brussels for the annual EU Covenant of Mayors Ceremony. As part of the consortium responsible of implementing the EU Covenant of Mayors, CEMR contributed to bringing together European leaders and local elected representatives to discuss how to make energy more affordable, strengthen resilience, and protect people’s quality of life across Europe.
Local governments are on the front line of today’s successive crises. Through their climate and energy plans, signatories of the EU Covenant of Mayors have been working for over a decade to transform their energy systems and territories, making them cleaner, safer and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
Their experience makes them essential partners in delivering on the EU’s priorities, from energy security to affordable living and climate resilience. The Ceremony provided an opportunity to discuss in concrete terms how European policies and investment can help cities turn their ambitions into reality.
“We are together on this. I am with you and will work with you. We have a very important duty: to build a resilient, low emission and fair future, and your cities are the place to start delivering.” – Teresa Ribera, European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition
Covenant of Mayors 2026 – Teresa Ribera
As Europe faces a challenging energy and climate landscape, making everyday life safe and affordable has become a shared priority for the EU and its cities. By working together to advance the energy and climate transition, they are helping ensure that a decent quality of life is accessible and affordable for everyone.
This is at the heart of the EU Covenant of Mayors’ new action, Places Made for People, launched at today’s Ceremony: supporting local governments in shaping places where people can live and thrive today and for generations to come.
Local homegrown energy means greater security and affordability
Reducing Europe’s exposure to volatile international energy markets means reducing Europe’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. This requires a faster shift to homegrown renewable energy and electrification. The EU’s Electrification Action Plan sets out the bloc’s ambition to make Europe the world’s first fully electrified continent.
“Europe needs its cities, towns and regions more than ever. To deliver climate neutrality. To reinforce our security, our competitiveness, and our energy independence. And to ensure that the transition is fair, affordable and democratic. In all of these areas, we can only succeed through local action that delivers local results.” – Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Covenant of Mayors 2026 – Dan Jørgensen
Cities have a central role in making this happen on the ground by expanding renewable energy production, developing clean district heating, and supporting flexibility solutions such as batteries, storage and smart metering.
From decentralised energy systems helping Ukrainian cities like Lviv to maintain essential services during attacks, to community energy initiatives in Gabrovo, Bulgaria, local action can make energy both more secure and affordable. By diversifying energy production and involving citizens, municipalities can reduce vulnerability to disruptions and bring the benefits of clean energy closer to communities.
Mayors exchanged views with the European Commission on the significant investments needed to transform local energy systems. In Leuven, renewable energy projects are pooled to make them financially viable. For the roll-out of new district heating and cooling networks, where the business case is often less clear, governments need to step up with public investment to accelerate their development, just as they do for schools and highways. Many mayors are leading this investment and asking for continued support from the European Union.
Protecting people from climate risks starts locally
Keeping energy prices stable and affordable is not the only concern for Europeans. This summer’s heatwaves and wildfires made painfully clear that protecting people from the impacts of a changing climate has become even more urgent. Many cities – particularly vulnerable to extreme heat – are already taking action to cool their urban environments, from adapting public spaces and buildings to offering specific protections to vulnerable residents.
In Matosinhos, €5 million of EU funds is being invested in data collection to better prepare for future risks, involving people in schools, sports clubs and local initiatives. Scaling up these efforts requires both the right tools and sufficient EU funding, with the Covenant of Mayors playing an important role in sharing knowledge and serving as a platform for EU and local alignment.
As the EU prepares its Framework for Climate Resilience, cooperation with local governments will be crucial. Mayors understand the specific risks their communities face and are responsible for many of the services and infrastructure needed to respond to these. However, planning alone is not enough. Local governments need resources and long-term certainty to invest in adaptation and to prepare their cities for future climate impacts.
“The past year has shown that every place is vulnerable, that everywhere we can experience atypical weather, droughts and wildfires… It’s important that we address these challenges not in isolation, but by working together across the continent and across political parties.” – Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth
Covenant of Mayors 2026 – Wopke Hoekstra
Europe’s ambitions need local investment
The EU Covenant Ceremony made one thing clear: cities are already working to advance affordable energy and resilience, protecting populations from energy and climate crises. Maintaining this momentum requires sustained political commitment and investment.
“Our budget is our future. It should reflect our political ambitions – including our climate targets. We need continued funding for climate action. We need to secure that funding at the European level and, just as importantly, ensure it reaches the local level, where it can make a real difference.” – Emil Boc, mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Romania and EU Covenant of Mayors Board member
Covenant of Mayors 2026 – Emil Boc
As the EU shapes its future funding and governance frameworks, the question is how to ensure that cities have the means to deliver on shared European goals. Stable funding, policies that support local investment, and meaningful cooperation between European, national and local authorities are essential to making progress at the pace the current crises demand.
“The new EU Agenda for cities provides a framework for sustainable and urban development, helping cities shape EU policies, making EU support more accessible regardless of the size of the city.” – Raffaele Fitto, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms.
Europe’s Electrification Plan can only succeed with local governments
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The European Commission has presented its Electrification Action Plan, setting out how Europe can accelerate the transition to clean electricity across buildings, industry and transport and reduce costs of future-proof solutions. For CEMR, this is an important step towards a more competitive, secure and decarbonised Europe.
Efficient electrification is no longer a sectoral energy policy – it is becoming a defining element of Europe’s economic and territorial transformation. That is why local and regional governments must be fully involved to make the plan a success.
The Action Plan rightly recognises the need for major investments in electricity grids, energy storage, renewable energy, electric mobility and cleaner heating systems.
CEMR welcomes the Commission’s proposal to support local heating and cooling planning through the European City Facility. The programme will begin with €15 million to help 180 local and regional governments prepare local plans before expanding to support up to 1,000 local plans, ready for investments.
CEMR also welcomes the focus on clean heating solutions, including heat pumps and district heating and cooling, which already play an important role in the transition in many towns, cities and regions. Local governments are leading projects and investments in these solutions and help make buildings and neighbourhoods more sustainable. At the same time, CEMR stresses that support measures and new requirements must work together in a coordinated way.
CEMR also highlights the importance of efficient waste-to-energy use for waste that cannot be recycled. EU legislation should clearly recognise energy recovered from non-recyclable waste and ensure that emissions from the fossil part of waste are allocated fairly to producers and waste generators, rather than to district heating operators or energy users.
While the Commission calls for simplifying permitting procedures for clean energy projects, implementation will occur locally. Every new charging station, heat pump, district heating network, energy storage facility or grid connection depends on local planning, permits and cooperation with citizens and stakeholders. Local and regional governments are therefore not only implementing the transition; they are strategic partners in shaping the transition. Efficient permitting requires locally and regionally grounded solutions and processes with early coordination among stakeholders, rather than uniform EU-wide deadlines.
Europe’s regions also face different challenges. Solutions that work in large cities may not be suitable for rural areas, islands, or industrial regions. Recognising the skills and capacity gap at the technical and administrative level is essential. A flexible, place-based approach is key to ensure that every community can benefit from electrification.
Since Europe’s electrification targets will ultimately be delivered in its cities, towns and regions, the local and regional governments are already investing in the infrastructure needed for the transition, from electricity grids and heating networks to electric vehicle charging stations.
CEMR therefore welcomes the ambition of the Electrification Action Plan and its recognition of the opportunities offered by clean electricity and modern heating and cooling solutions. To make the Plan a success, local and regional governments must have the resources, flexibility and role they need as full partners in Europe’s energy transition.
CEMR will continue to contribute to this work in the months ahead and is awaiting the European Cooling and Heating Action Plan to be announced.
With less than four years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, a new CEMR–PLATFORMA report highlights a clear message from local and regional governments across Europe: sustainable development will only succeed if cities, towns and regions are placed at the centre of decision-making, financing and implementation.
Published by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and PLATFORMA at the occasion of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the 2026 edition of the report European territories localise the SDGs: Cities at the core of the implementation examines how local and regional governments are contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what is needed to accelerate progress during the final stretch to 2030.
The study is based on a survey of 23 respondents from 17 countries, including associations of local and regional governments from 15 EU Member States and two non-EU countries.
Local action is essential for global goals
The report comes at a pivotal moment. As both the UN New Urban Agenda and the Urban Agenda for the EU reach their tenth anniversary, local and regional governments are reaffirming their indispensable role in translating global ambitions into concrete results on the ground.
From mobility and housing to climate resilience and social inclusion, towns, cities and regions are responsible for many of the policies that directly affect residents’ daily lives. According to the report, SDG implementation is not primarily a technical matter but a political one, requiring trust, resources and authority to be devolved to the territorial level.
The publication places particular emphasis on SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, one of the goals under review at the 2026 HLPF. It argues that sustainable urban development cannot be achieved without strong local democracy, effective multi-level governance and meaningful involvement of subnational authorities in national and international decision-making processes.
Six recommendations to accelerate SDG implementation
Drawing on the experience of local and regional governments, the report puts forward six recommendations addressed to the United Nations, the European Union and national governments.
Among its key messages, the study calls for:
Reinforcing multi-level governance as a political priority for the 2026–2030 period.
Placing the subnational level at the centre of SDG implementation, including stronger participation of local and regional governments in global review processes and improved access to development finance.
Reaffirming the importance of the UN New Urban Agenda as the main global framework for sustainable urbanisation.
Ensuring that cities and towns remain central to Europe’s sustainable development agenda through stronger alignment between EU and UN urban policy frameworks.
Recognising the role of territories in the upcoming EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034, with more accessible and place-based funding for municipalities and regions.
Accelerating the localisation of the SDGs by fully involving local and regional governments in the design and implementation of sustainable development policies.
A contribution to the global SDG debate
Beyond policy recommendations, the report showcases good practices from across Europe and explores how local and regional governments are advancing the goals under review in 2026 (SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals). It also includes a dedicated focus on housing and the outcomes of discussions linked to the World Urban Forum, reflecting growing concerns about affordability, inclusion and sustainable urban growth.
As the international community approaches the final years of the 2030 Agenda, the report sends a strong and consistent message: the SDGs will be achieved — or missed — at the local level. Empowering towns, cities and regions with the necessary political mandate, resources and partnerships is therefore not optional, but essential.
In a new position paper, the Local Alliance – a coalition of CEMR, ACR+, Climate Alliance, Energy Cities, Eurocities, FEDARENE, ICLEI Europe, and POLIS – calls on the EU to seize the revision of the Governance Regulation to make National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) truly implementable, investable, and grounded in local realities.
Cities, towns and regions across Europe are already acting — renovating buildings, deploying renewables, transforming mobility systems. Yet the EU’s climate planning framework has not caught up. National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) continue to be drafted largely without the involvement of the local and regional governments that will ultimately deliver them.
The revision of the Governance Regulation, expected from the European Commission in the last quarter of 2026, is therefore a critical opportunity — one the Local Alliance is determined not to miss.
A structural disconnect
A wealth of local data, investment pipelines and climate plans already exists across Europe — from Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans to Climate City Contracts and local heating strategies. Yet this territorial knowledge rarely feeds into NECPs, creating duplication, fragmentation and missed investment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the multi-level dialogues already required under Article 11 of the current Regulation have largely remained disconnected from real implementation decisions or remained tick-the-box level only.
The result is a dangerous two-speed dynamic: high ambition at European and national levels, too little attention to what happens on the ground.
The Local Alliance’s answer: connect what already exists
The position paper calls for the revised Regulation to be built around four mutually reinforcing elements:
a permanent multi-level dialogue platform in each Member State to align all levels of government around NECP preparation and monitoring, taking into account national governance structures and needs;
a territorial chapter in each NECP drawing on existing local plans to show where and how national objectives will be delivered;
territorially informed sectoral pathways linking national targets across buildings, transport, heating, renewable energy, and circular economy with the local realities that determine whether delivery is actually possible;
and investment strategies that take account of local investment and capacity needs.
This is not a call for more bureaucracy. It is a call to make what already exists work together — reducing consultation fatigue, cutting administrative duplication, and turning NECPs from reporting exercises into genuine frameworks for implementation and investment.
Meet the Local Hero: Fabien Pérez, building Marseille a climate-neutral city
Marseille’s path to climate neutrality
Marseille is in the middle of a major ecological transformation — one that began in 2020, when climate action was placed firmly at the centre of the local political agenda. This renewed momentum emerged at the same time as Europe was strengthening support for cities taking the lead on climate neutrality, creating the right moment for Marseille to accelerate its transition.
The city recognised that its challenges were multidimensional. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change or addressing energy poverty were among the urgent priorities. Local leaders understood that climate action could not be separated from social realities.
In February 2026, ahead of the French local elections, we interviewed Fabien Pérez, then Marseille’s councillor responsible for European Funds, to learn more about this experience.
Connecting local vision with European ambition
In 2022, Marseille was selected from 377 candidates to join the 100 cities part of the “EU Mission: Climate-neutral and smart cities”, a moment that Fabien Pérez describes as “the start of a new chapter in Marseille’s ecological transition”.
Two years later, in 2024, the city officially received the “100 climate-neutral cities” label after an evaluation by the European Commission. The distinction not only strengthens the city’s visibility at the European level but also provides access to technical expertise and dedicated funding to accelerate decarbonisation — crucial steps on the path towards Europe’s 2050 climate neutrality goal.
A collective process: building a shared Climate City Contract
One of the cornerstones of this transformation is Marseille’s Climate City Contract, drafted in collaboration with the Aix‑Marseille‑Provence Metropolis, the Region Sud and more than 250 private actors. As Pérez explains, “the Climate City Contract was prepared with citizens, enterprises, associations… a collective roadmap to decarbonise the territory by 2030”.
Behind this roadmap lies a political choice: to move away from a top‑down vision and instead build a shared strategy that tackles various topics such as mobility, building, renewable energy, circular economy and waste, nature in the city, urban agriculture, sea and coastline or education.
The elaboration of the contract also created a new sense of momentum across the territory — a desire to transform the city and accelerate the transition, matched with the need to secure and coordinate the necessary financial resources.
Climate action rooted in Marseille’s realities
Marseille’s ecological transition is shaped by the unique challenges of its territory. Like many European cities, road transport is a major source of emissions. But Marseille also faces additional pressure from industrial activities surrounding the city, emissions linked to air transport or food supply chains, and the geographical reality of being a major port.
Being part of the Mediterranean region also makes this city extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As Pérez explains, Marseille regularly faces extreme weather events, soil fragility, and a coastline that is already evolving — and will continue to change in the coming years. These vulnerabilities have forced the local government to think long‑term and to get ready for tomorrow’s challenges.
Social urgency is another defining factor. Combating energy poverty has become not only an environmental priority but also a way to build social cohesion and support residents in tangible, meaningful ways. “The ecological transition must go hand in hand with social justice”, says Pérez.
From planning to action: relevant projects on the ground
The European label has already helped unlocking new funding for Marseille’s transition. Around €6 million are being invested in concrete, community-centred initiatives, including:
A neighbourhood outreach programme (€600,000), sending ambassadors into key districts to work directly with residents and companies on ecological initiatives.
Jet cities project, supporting changes in employment and skills caused by green transition (€1.5 million).
The “Poséidon” project (€400,000), promoting renewable energy, heat recovery systems and energy‑efficient renovation.
The PeriAsty project (€1.2 million), supporting the transition of Europe’s peri-urban areas towards climate-neutral, sustainable and resilient environments in areas such as mobility.
Additional support via the ELENA mechanism, helping finance large scale retrofits of public buildings and the expansion of renewable energy solutions.
These early projects illustrate how Marseille is moving from planning to delivery — and how European support can help local authorities turn long-term strategies into visible action.
Under the umbrella of the Metropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, the city has been involved in the EU Missions Adaptation to Climate Change, another initiative in which CEMR is involved, with a budget of €999,000 budget for a project combining public and private partnerships to reduce CO₂ emissions.
A Mediterranean city that can inspire Europe
Marseille’s initiative in this field, combined with its geography and identity, makes it a compelling example for other European cities. As a major Mediterranean hub with diverse communities and a complex socio‑climatic landscape, it faces many of the shared challenges that cities across Europe are dealing with.
This is why Pérez emphasises the city’s wider relevance:
“Bring forward representative cities like Marseille, with a Mediterranean port, can inspire other cities in Europe to move towards carbon neutrality”.
Marseille is proving that climate neutrality is not only an environmental imperative, but also an opportunity to rethink governance, strengthen social cohesion and build a shared vision for the future. Its initiative shows how cities are already delivering results aligned with the global objectives of achieving the climate neutrality goal by 2050.
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Marseille is a member of CEMR’s French association AFCCRE.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world. Heatwaves, floods, droughts and extreme weather events are already affecting communities, infrastructure and ecosystems across the continent — with impacts that vary widely from one territory to another. In this context, climate adaptation has become an urgent priority for towns, cities and regions, which are on the frontline maintaining essential services and strengthening resilience on the ground.
The policy paper highlights a clear reality: local and regional governments already implement the vast majority of adaptation measures, yet their role remains insufficiently recognised and supported in EU and national frameworks. The paper calls for a territorial approach to climate resilience, grounded in multi-level governance and built around six key priorities:
Empowering local and regional governmentswith clear mandates and flexibility to act;
Strengthening local capacity through better access to data, tools and peer learning;
Securing predictable and accessible funding for adaptation investments;
Improving preparedness and disaster risk management;
Restoring ecosystems and scaling up nature-based solutions;
Ensuring water resilience through integrated, locally driven water management.
By combining horizontal enablers (governance, capacity and finance) with sector-specific recommendations, the paper demonstrates how empowering towns, cities and regions is essential to Europe’s overall resilience.
Towns, cities and regions at the frontline of adaptation policies
Ronan Dantec, CEMR spokesperson for Climate, underlines: “Today, it is urgent to recognise that adaptation to climate change is pivotal for municipalities and regions of all sizes. Investing in sustainable infrastructure and using our resources more efficiently is not just an option, but an imperative for securing a thriving future for all.”
Climate impacts are inherently local. Even within the same country, risks can differ significantly between urban and rural areas, coastal and inland regions, or northern and southern territories. Towns, cities and regions are therefore best placed to:
Assess local climate risks and vulnerabilities;
Protect vulnerable populations;
Plan and manage resilient infrastructure;
Ensure continuity of essential services such as water, transport and energy;
Deliver nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration.
Their proximity to citizens also allows them to integrate social resilience into adaptation policies, ensuring that no one is left behind as climate impacts intensify.
Preparing for the EU’s upcoming integrated framework on climate resilience
CEMR’s policy paper comes at a key political moment, as the new integrated framework for European ClimateResilience and Risk Management is expected to be adopted by the European Commission in the second half of 2026. It will aim to establish a comprehensive and coherent EU approach to climate resilience and preparedness.
The ongoing public consultation of the European Commission on the future integrated framework, includes a set of questions covering resilience-by-design across EU policies; harmonised and comparable climate risk assessments; funding for adaptation; support for local and regional level, consideration of climate-related health impacts.
CEMR is currently developing a response in cooperation with its expert group, requesting that towns, cities and regions are recognised not only as implementers, but as strategic partners in the design, financing and monitoring of this future framework. The consultation is open until 23 February 2026. CEMR encourages its members to participate and make their voices heard.
Local leaders urge European Commission to set a binding 90% domestic emissions-cut target for 2040
Mayors of Aalborg (Denmark), Athens (Greece), Barcelona (Spain), Braga (Portugal), Copenhagen (Denmark), Freiburg (Germany), Ghent (Belgium), Matosinhos (Portugal), Milan (Italy), Malmö (Sweden), Matosinhos (Portugal), Nantes (France), Oslo (Norway), Tallinn (Estonia), Utrecht (The Netherlands) and Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain) among signatories of joint letter to Von der Leyen and Ribera, coordinated by C40, CEMR, Eurocities and ICLEI Europe
Today, European local leaders have sent a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging the European Commission and Member States to set a binding EU target to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% by 2040 relative to 1990 numbers. The demand aligns with recommendations from the European Commission Impact Assessment on the 2040 target and the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC), which highlight how this target is feasible for Europe.
Coordinated by Europe’s largest networks of local and regional governments –C40, CEMR, Eurocities and ICLEI Europe- the letter reiterates that “climate neutrality is a strategic imperative”, and calls on the European Union to “reaffirm its global climate leadership” ahead of the crucial COP30 climate summit. The signatories stress the need for a “robust, science-based 2040 climate target”.
To achieve the 2050 climate neutrality goal, cities and regions call for a “clear and ambitious framework at the EU level” that will provide “long-term certainty to businesses, unlock investment, and accelerate innovation”.
Highlighting their own efforts, cities and regions state they are already “delivering results faster than anticipated and aligned with the Paris Agreement” but emphasise that they “cannot do this alone”. The letter urges that “national and EU frameworks must reflect the urgency and scale of the challenge and enable faster and deeper action from the local level”.
The signatories also call for the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework to embed decarbonisation efforts, ensuring “that all regions and communities can access the resources, skills and infrastructure they need to succeed in the green transition”.
Finally, the letter underscores the importance of solid “multilevel governance structures and partnerships” to deliver an “ambitious and effective climate agenda”. This, they argue, is essential to “strengthen the EU’s credibility and influence on the global stage” at a “critical moment for international climate diplomacy”.
Signatories of the letter promoted by C40, CEMR, Eurocities and ICLEI Europe, as well as the following leaders from local and regional governments:
Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona and Eurocities Vice President
Matthias De Clercq, Mayor of Ghent and Eurocities President
Sharon Dijksma, Mayor of Utrecht
Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens
Maider Etxebarria, Mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz and Vice-President of ICLEI Europe
Lasse Frimand Jensen, Mayor of Aalborg and Vice-President of ICLEI Europe
Gunn Marit Helgesen, Councillor of Telemark County, President of KS, Association for all Local and Regional Authorities in Norway, CEMR President
Martin Horn, Mayor of Freiburg, in his capacity as the President of ICLEI Europe
Jevgeni Ossinovski, Mayor of Tallinn
Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga
Johanna Rolland, Mayor of Nantes, and President of Nantes Métropole
Luísa Salgueiro, Mayor of Matosinhos, President of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (CEMR member) and member of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy – Europe Political Board
Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan and Vice Chair of C40 Cities
Eirik Lae Solberg, Governing Mayor of Oslo and Vice Chair of C40 Cities
Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Mayor of Malmö and President of ICLEI
