Energy60

CEMR is currently looking for an agency to design, publish and print a study

CEMR is calling for proposals for external services to design and produce a publication and a one-to-two-page document to promote it.

For more information, you can access our Terms of Reference here.

• To be sent to: communications@ccre-cemrg.org
• Deadline: 15 MAY 2024

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

Insights from CEMR Green Day 2024: What will the future green transition look like in European municipalities and regions?

CEMR Green Day 2024 provided a platform for policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to delve into the future of the green transition within the EU and beyond. Held on April 10th, this event fostered a dynamic exchange of strategies, challenges, and opportunities for driving climate action at the local and regional levels.

Tadashi Matsumoto, Head of the National Urban Policy and Climate Resilience Unit at OECD, presented the report “A Territorial Approach to Climate Action and Resilience.” Matsumoto emphasised the need for a coherent territorial approach to enhance climate resilience and bridge regional disparities. He introduced the TACAR policy framework, aimed at prioritizing climate policies at the local level and enabling more effective climate action. The framework’s applicability was illustrated through examples from Bratislava and New York State.

The panel discussion featured insights from diverse stakeholders, including Michaël Quernez, Mayor of Quimperlé; Patrick Princen, First Alderman of Mechelen; Pedro Dias, Policy Director at Solar Heat Europe; and Lucian Pârvulescu from the European Commission’s European Green Deal Unit.

Quernez emphasized the importance of EU funds for supporting local transitions, while Princen shared Mechelen’s successful climate resilience initiatives. Dias stressed the need for empowering LRGs in energy policy, and Pârvulescu outlined the EC’s commitment to supporting local initiatives.

The discussion highlighted the importance of empowering LRGs, engaging citizens in climate action, adopting a territorial approach to address regional disparities, and enhancing dialogue between national and local levels.

“We need to ensure that local governments are actively involved in planning, decision-making, and implementation processes to guarantee the effectiveness of sustainability measures” concluded Marianne Overton, CEMR spokesperson for Climate.

In the second part of the meeting, CEMR experts discussed water resilience and 2040 climate targets. We also discussed CEMR’s forthcoming study on the challenges of the implementation of the green agenda to be published in autumn.

• Recording: CEMR Green Day – The Future of the Green Transition (youtube.com)
• Public Agenda
• Minutes: The Green Transition in the EU and beyond

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

CEMR’s reaction to the European Commission’s 2040 target

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the European Commission’s recommendation* for a 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040—a decisive move providing predictability for Europe’s municipalities and regions in achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) are key enablers of Europe’s climate policies and call for an inclusive exchange with European decision-makers on the 2040 target’s implementation.

At this crucial moment, CEMR underscores the importance of ambitious goals and advocates for EU legislation that can effectively respond to the diversity of Europe’s regional and local contexts, steering clear of a “one size fits all” approach. At the same time, recent polarisations around environmental policies clearly highlight the necessity for integrated involvement from all stakeholders. The sustainable transition must be a shared responsibility, and to prevent it from being politicised, all parties involved should contribute to shaping new regulations post-election.

In this context, Local and Regional Governments (LRGs), holding a significant mandate, are responsible for implementing nearly 70% of climate and energy policies*. To ensure a successful transition, it is imperative that the EU listens to those who understand their territory’s economy best, ensuring a fair approach that fosters the cohesion of our regions.

References:

* https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_588

* NECP_Report_CEMR_2023

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

“Empowering the Future: Study Reveals European Local and Regional Governments as Key Players in Climate Policy”

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is proud to announce the publication of a comprehensive study titled “Powering the Future: Driving Europe’s Climate and Energy Policies through Regions and Municipalities.” 

In the wake of ongoing revisions to national climate policies, this study aims to shed light on the critical role European Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) played in implementing sustainable energy and climate policies. The research period, spanning from June to October 2023, has resulted in a wealth of insights and recommendations for the enhanced integration of LRGs into future legislative frameworks.

Marlon Hilden, CEMR Energy, Climate, Sustainable Finance Officer, emphasised the study’s significance: 

“The findings underscore the critical role of local and regional governments in energy and climate policy implementation. This highlights the imperative need for consulting regions and municipalities throughout the policymaking process.”

• To access the full report “Powering the Future: Driving Europe’s Climate and Energy Policies through Regions and Municipalities,” click here.

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

CEMR Engages in a Vibrant Debate on Europe’s Green Transition at SMARTCITY Expo Barcelona

The Secretary-General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is set to participate in a high-stakes panel discussion at the SMARTCITY Expo Barcelona. The session, titled “Governance-in-Partnership to Achieve an Inclusive Green Transition,” will delve into the pivotal role of local and regional governments in delivering Europe’s green transition goals.
 
Local and regional authorities are at the forefront of Europe’s green transformation, playing an irreplaceable role in achieving autonomy through green energy sources within the EU while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. This ambitious vision is central to the CEMR’s message as they work to create an inclusive, sustainable, and green future that leaves no one and no place behind.
 
The CEMR Secretary-General, Fabrizio Rossi, will discuss Europe’s challenges in garnering widespread support for this green transition. These include the fear of negative social impacts. He will also showcase how region-to-region cooperation and going beyond the traditional urban-rural dichotomy, can lead to more effective solutions for addressing Europe’s challenges in garnering widespread support for the green transition. 
 
In the context of the upcoming EU election, it is also crucial to understand that addressing the potential negative social impacts and inequalities is critical for the future of European democracy and social justice.
 
CEMR has recently become a supporting institution of SMARTCITY Expo Barcelona, the world’s largest urban innovation event, guiding cities towards a brighter future since 2011. The event brings together global leaders from innovative companies, governments, and organisations to promote urban innovation and empower cities to confront today’s pressing challenges.

ROSSI Fabrizio

Secretary General

Buildings directive: a huge deal for local governments

When the European Commission published its proposal for a recast of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive more than a year ago, few anticipated the scope and breadth of its revamp on citizens and local governments.

Now that the directive has been endorsed by the European Parliament, what can we expect from it? And what impact will it have on local governments? We’ve looked into these questions of major importance to municipalities, cities and regions.

The European Green Deal moving forward

The revision of the directive – also known as the EPBD – takes place in the context of the ‘European Green Deal’, which aims to put the EU firmly on the path towards climate neutrality by 2050.

To this end, in 2021, the von der Leyen Commission put on the table its so-called ‘Fit for 55’ package, a mammoth law package of energy and climate laws aimed at reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

It is against this backdrop that the European Commission decided to revise upwards the Union’s energy performance of buildings targets. As stated by the Commission, buildings in the EU are responsible for 40% of our energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. And almost 75% of the building stock is energy inefficient… The renovation awaiting it is immense given the millions of old buildings across Europe.

The transition to zero-emissions buildings

The introduction of the ‘zero-emission building’ (ZEB) definition in the revised EPBD is of key importance, as it refers to the new ‘A’ energy performance class. From 2028 onwards, all new buildings will have to be zero emission. According to the adopted text, new buildings must achieve the highest level of energy performance, thanks to moderate consumption and heating powered by decarbonised energy.

CEMR believes that, while it is important to focus on the energy performance of buildings, reconfiguring the whole energy system is also needed for a net zero future.

Minimum energy performance standards

According to the text, public buildings will have to achieve at least energy performance class E by 2027, and D by 2030 (Commission proposed F and E). In addition, all new buildings occupied, operated or owned by public authorities should be zero-emission from 2026.

This is a big blow for local and regional governments who will now have to renovate in droves. CEMR considers these targets too ambitious and unrealistic, even for the most advanced municipalities and regions.

While increasing the rate of renovations of energy-inefficient buildings is essential, CEMR believes it is unlikely that all class “E”, “F” and “G” buildings will be renovated by 2030.

All measures needed to achieve these targets will be established by each Member State in national renovation plans. To take into account EU countries’ diverse building stocks, the letter G will correspond to the 15% worst-performing buildings in the national stock.

For CEMR, this proposal is questionable since the EU’s energy efficiency classification system is made regardless of the initial situation concerning the quality of the buildings. In the Nordic countries, for example, a large proportion of the building stock scores high on the EU’s energy efficiency scale due to the climatic conditions.

However, in light of the heated exchanges taking place in EU capitals, it is not clear whether the minimum energy performance standards will survive mounting opposition from the Member States.

The ‘neighbourhood’ approach

The ‘neighbourhood’ approach, as opposed to individual buildings, is only mentioned twice in the proposal and therefore falls far short of its potential. This novel approach to buildings sees them as part of a broader neighbourhood rather than isolated units. By doing so, substantial economies of scale can be generated.

In CEMR’s view, the ‘neighbourhood’ approach should be reinforced in the legislation. CEMR however welcomes the possibility for Member States to grant regional and local authorities the possibility to identify “neighbourhoods” for the implementation of integrated renovation programmes.

Next steps

While the Parliament adopted its position by 343 votes to 216, with 78 abstentions, MEPs will now enter into negotiations with the Council to agree on the final shape of the bill.

CEMR will keep on monitoring developments, exchanging with its members and engaging with the EU institutions to ensure a smooth implementation of the directive on the ground. While in the short term, considerable resources will be required, in the medium and long term, the energy performance of buildings will greatly reduce energy bills.

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

Faster permitting of renewables: ‘Local governments must be fully involved at all stages!’

While the Council of the EU adopted a new regulation aiming at boosting the deployment of renewable energies through faster and easier permitting procedures, CEMR calls for the full involvement of municipalities and regions in this process.

CEMR values the adoption of emergency measures to speed up renewables permitting and considers local and regional governments as the driving force for achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal. It however expresses substantive reservations on a number of points.

Reacting to the EU Energy Ministers’ agreement, CEMR’s spokesperson on Climate and Energy, Belinda Gottardi highlighted the necessity to give sufficient time for the processes to find solutions that adequately balance legitimate local and national interests. 

“There is a need to fully take on board municipalities and regions in all steps of the permitting of renewable energies. In most EU Member States, local governments are the competent authorities for granting permits for many of the renewable energies and grid connections”, she pointed out. “They need to manage spatial conflicts to ensure balanced solutions with sufficient local acceptance.”

“Municipalities and regions have a wealth of valuable experience and expertise that act as a key asset in the energy transition. Bypassing them or giving inadequate time in this process could have counterproductive effects and lower citizens’ acceptance.”, she concluded. 

The regulation will now have to be interpreted within the various national contexts, with necessary alterations of the processes to respect the time limits. Clarifications will be needed, notably on how spatial planning and environmental assessments will be affected, and which power plants will be included. 

Background information

On 19 December, EU Member States agreed on the substance of a Council’s Regulation laying down a framework to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy. This regulation is part of a series of Council regulations under Art. 122 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). It addresses the “emergency nature to accelerate the permit-granting process”  for the generation of renewable energies in the ongoing energy crisis, provoked by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The Regulation is of particular interest for CEMR given that in a lot of European countries, local and regional governments are the competent authorities for spatial planning and granting permits for the installation of solar-PV, heat pumps, wind power, other renewable power plants, and grid connections. 

Key contents of the legislation are the concept of the overriding public interest for the production of renewable energy, their grid connection, and shorter permit-granting within specified time periods. The overriding public interest enables new projects to benefit from a simplified environmental assessment under specific EU directives.

Generally, this also applies to the respective grid connections. Solar energy equipment should receive a permit no later than three months or be accepted after 1 month of “positive administrative silence” for capacity below 50 kW or 10,8 kW. Moreover, the regulation introduces a maximum of six months for the permit-granting process regarding the repowering of renewable energy power plants and their grid connection, and three months if the increase is less than 15%. Heat pumps below 50 MW benefit from a one-month deadline and from a maximum of three months for ground source heat pumps. 

Links to CEMR’s positions

• Local and regional governments’ contribution to the European Green Deal
• Fit for 55: enabling local and regional climate transitions
• CEMR’s joint response – consultations on the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED)

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility