Environment 36

The EU’s ambition to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is taking shape through the European Green Deal and its financing arm: the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM). In its policy analysis, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) acknowledges the value of this tool while calling for stronger local engagement and better alignment with existing cohesion funds.

The JTM, made up of the Just Transition Fund, a dedicated InvestEU scheme, and a public sector loan facility via the EIB, aims to support the territories most affected by the transition to a green economy, particularly those dependent on carbon-intensive industries.

CEMR welcomes:

The creation of new financial tools tailored to the social and economic impacts of decarbonisation, especially the Just Transition Fund, with its €7.5 billion proposal.

Inclusion of the JTF in Cohesion Policy, which ensures the application of the partnership principle and opens space for dialogue with local and regional governments in the design of transition plans.

The focus on NUTS 3 level, allowing targeted support to local realities and better alignment with community needs.

Technical assistance and peer exchange platforms can empower municipalities to replicate successful models and accelerate climate-neutral transitions.

However, CEMR expresses concern over:

Budget uncertainty: With Member States resisting increases to the EU’s overall budget, there’s a risk the JTF will simply reallocate existing cohesion funds, limiting its added value.

Overlap with existing cohesion goals: Much of the JTF’s focus, green investment, upskilling, and digitalisation, is already covered by current ESIF priorities (PO2 and PO4). Its distinct impact must be clarified.

Thematic constraints on cohesion funds: Requirements to reallocate ERDF and ESF+ funds to the JTF may reduce resources available for other local development priorities.

For CEMR, local and regional governments must remain central actors in this transition. Their involvement is key not only in planning and implementation but also in ensuring that no territory is left behind as Europe moves toward a greener, fairer future.

For more information, contact:

Advisor – Environment and mobility

BIZARRO Pedro In Climate, Climate, Covenant of Mayors for Sub-Saharan Africa [closed project], Covenant of Mayors for Sub-Saharan Africa [closed project], Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Press, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes, Publications

Financing climate action in African cities

Innovative approaches to funding sustainable urban transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cities across Sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly vulnerable to climate change, with two-thirds considered at “extreme risk”. Yet, these same cities, particularly smaller and secondary urban areas, also hold significant potential to drive sustainable development. Through the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), local governments are acting by developing Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs) and seeking ways to finance their implementation.

Building on years of support, the CoM SSA initiative is now focused on helping cities move from planning to implementation, particularly by unlocking access to climate finance. This includes support in understanding the finance landscape, preparing robust projects, and building partnerships with funders and investors.

A recent publication highlights solutions adopted by cities to finance SEACAPs, from reducing planning costs through inter-municipal cooperation to using public-private partnerships, risk-sharing mechanisms, and community-based funding models.

Key lessons include:

Diversifying financial sources improves resilience and reduces dependency. This includes crowdfunding, climate funds, local capital markets, and private investment.

Empowering communities through pooled resources, microfinance, and participatory planning ensures sustainability and buy-in.

Using digital technologies helps cities manage climate action more efficiently and affordably.

These examples illustrate that while challenges remain, Sub-Saharan African cities are making progress in creating bankable, inclusive, and resilient climate solutions, paving the way for sustainable urban futures.

For more information, contact:

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

Climate finance in Sub-Saharan Africa

Helping Sub-Saharan African cities access funding to deliver local climate and energy action plans

Sub-Saharan African cities are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Rapid urbanisation has increased their exposure to climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions. To address this, signatories of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) are developing Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs). These plans aim to foster low-carbon, resilient development while ensuring access to sustainable energy.

However, limited access to climate finance remains a major hurdle. Many local governments lack the necessary knowledge and tools to navigate the complex landscape of climate-related funding. A new publication addresses this gap by mapping out available financing instruments, eligibility criteria, and technical considerations tailored to Sub-Saharan cities.

While a range of climate finance sources exists, most are not directly accessible to local authorities, often requiring intermediaries such as national governments or development banks. To close this gap, national institutions must improve coordination, provide direct financial support, and create enabling environments for private investment. Mechanisms like Subnational Development Banks and dedicated national climate funds are also key to improving financial flows at the local level.

Development partners and the international community play a critical role by offering technical assistance for project planning, design, and implementation. With stronger multilevel cooperation, cities across the region can increase their access to climate finance and accelerate the delivery of their SEACAPs, driving both climate resilience and sustainable development.

For more information, contact:

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

Climate action in African cities

Lessons from the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa on energy, adaptation and resilience

The Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) is a landmark initiative launched by the European Union in 2015 to strengthen local governments’ response to climate change, promote access to clean energy, and build long-term urban resilience. With over 200 signatory cities and a strong support network of partners, the initiative has empowered local authorities to develop Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs) based on their own priorities and challenges.

At a concluding workshop held in Cape Town, participants from pilot cities, non-funded signatories, and local experts gathered to reflect on their experiences, share lessons learned, and chart the way forward for climate action at the local level.

A bottom-up approach to climate action
The CoM SSA approach is rooted in the understanding that cities, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, are uniquely positioned to implement climate policies that are both ambitious and inclusive. Through support in planning, training, technical assistance and data collection, cities were equipped to address three central themes: mitigation, adaptation and access to affordable energy.

Energy access remains one of the region’s most pressing challenges, with only 32% of the population having access to electricity. Yet despite low carbon emissions compared to global averages, African cities are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This makes the integration of climate and development priorities not only desirable, but essential.

Key lessons from the ground
The workshop highlighted a set of practical insights for future projects:

Climate planning must be institutionalised across all levels of government to ensure continuity and avoid fragmentation.
Political backing is vital: champions within local councils can significantly boost project success.
Data collection is fundamental, but often difficult. Cities need targeted support to overcome technical and bureaucratic hurdles.
Stakeholder inclusion, especially at the early stages, is key to making plans locally relevant and actionable.
Behaviour change within institutions and communities is as important as infrastructure investment.
Training local officials and developing tailored communication strategies are essential to securing long-term buy-in.
Journalists and the media can play a crucial role in building public understanding, but they also need to be supported and trained.

The transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient cities in Sub-Saharan Africa is urgent, and the CoM SSA programme has laid a solid foundation for this transformation. However, participating cities stressed that they are not ready to continue alone. Continued support for capacity-building, funding, and guidance through the next phases of SEACAP implementation is essential.

To meet global climate goals and reduce inequality, both bottom-up and top-down approaches must work together. Local governments need stronger backing from national authorities and the international community to bridge the gap between policy ambition and service delivery.

Ultimately, the experience of CoM SSA cities shows that climate action in Africa must be collaborative, context-specific, and inclusive, because the future of climate resilience lies in empowering those who are closest to the challenge.

For more information, contact:

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

GRIFFON Axelle In Climate, Climate, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Press, Publications, Water, Water

Water framework and floods directive

Balancing high environmental goals with realistic implementation, funding, and stronger local involvement

The Water Framework Directive (WFD), in force since 2000, is one of the EU’s most ambitious environmental laws, aiming for good status of all EU waters by 2027. While progress has been made, challenges such as climate change, pollution, and increasing pressure on water resources demand a renewed and practical approach. In its response to the EU’s fitness check, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) underline the importance of keeping high ambition while ensuring realistic implementation for local and regional governments (LRGs).

Key Messages

Maintain ambition, improve delivery
The WFD has led to clear improvements in Europe’s waters and should be continued. While full achievement by 2027 may not be possible everywhere, the Directive remains a vital tool. Environmental goals must be preserved, supported by realistic intermediate targets and achievable management cycles.

Adjust without lowering ambition
LRGs stress the need to adapt the WFD to 21st-century challenges such as land-use changes, climate impacts, and new pollutants. The Directive should move towards a more realistic framework, reflecting natural and historical influences on water quality.

Better harmonisation with other EU policies
Water protection cannot be addressed in isolation. The WFD must align with related legislation, including the Drinking Water Directive, Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and rules on water reuse. Agriculture, industry, and transport have major impacts on water quality, requiring stronger links with the Common Agricultural Policy, REACH, and strategies to reduce nitrates, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals in water.

Stronger local involvement and governance
Municipalities, as the level of government closest to citizens and water bodies, must be more involved in water governance. LRGs are best placed to enforce measures, raise awareness, and apply flexible, site-specific solutions. This aligns with SDG 6.5 on integrated water resources management.

Simplification and funding
Implementation of the WFD is often too complex and administratively burdensome for municipalities and water operators. Reporting requirements should be simplified, and EU or national funding must accompany new obligations to ensure effective delivery.

Polluter Pays Principle
A stronger source-control approach is needed. Responsibility for water quality should not fall solely on municipal treatment plants but be shared across all polluters. Applying the “polluter pays” principle will create transparency, fairness, and stronger engagement from all stakeholders.

More flexible derogations
The current rules on exemptions are too rigid, often blocking socially important projects like new wastewater treatment plants. CEMR calls for clearer and more balanced derogation rules, allowing essential societal developments while safeguarding water protection.

CEMR’s position is clear: the WFD has proven its value and must remain ambitious, but reforms are needed to reflect new challenges, reduce administrative burdens, and empower local governments. By ensuring flexibility, proper funding, and shared responsibility, Europe can better safeguard its waters while supporting sustainable development at local and regional levels.

For more information, contact:

Advisor – Environment and mobility

Financing climate action in Africa

New guide helps African cities unlock funding to implement their sustainable energy and climate plans

As cities across Sub-Saharan Africa face mounting climate threats, they are also increasingly expected to lead the response. Rapid urbanisation, vulnerability to extreme weather, and growing emissions underscore the urgent need for robust local climate action. Yet financing remains a critical hurdle.

To address this, a new publication supported by the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) offers a practical overview of climate finance options available to local governments. It focuses on helping cities develop and implement their Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs), a cornerstone of the CoM SSA initiative.

While numerous funding mechanisms and instruments exist, from global climate funds to development grants and blended finance models, many remain inaccessible to local authorities. Complex application processes, lack of technical capacity, and a mismatch between financing requirements and city realities are key barriers.

The publication identifies actionable pathways forward. Among them:

Clearer guidance on eligibility and technical criteria for accessing major funding streams.
Support for project preparation, including technical assistance and capacity building.
The need for intermediary institutions, such as subnational development banks, to channel finance to the local level.
Improved national frameworks to enable direct municipal access to funds and attract private sector investment.
Community-based and innovative financing models, such as cooperatives, crowdfunding, and microfinance, to mobilise local capital.

The guide also encourages governments and donors to strengthen partnerships with local authorities, recognising their key role in meeting national and global climate goals.

Ultimately, the success of SEACAP implementation depends not only on access to finance but also on inclusive planning, local ownership, and sustained political will. Empowering cities with the tools and resources to act will be essential for climate resilience and sustainable development across the region.

For more information, contact:

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

Talanoa for climate action

Inclusive dialogues in Africa driving cooperation to strengthen and raise ambition of national climate commitments

Urban areas contribute up to 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are highly vulnerable to climate impacts. Cities in Africa, already hotspots of climate risk, are therefore central to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Recognising this, the Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues have emerged as an innovative approach to align national, subnational, and international actors in raising climate ambition.

The concept of Talanoa, originating in Pacific Island traditions, emphasises open, inclusive, and participatory dialogue. First introduced in the UNFCCC process at COP23, it provides a safe space for stakeholders to reflect, share experiences, and identify pathways forward. ICLEI, together with the Global Covenant of Mayors and UN-Habitat, launched the Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues in 2018 to bring this ethos into climate policy discussions.

By the end of 2018, more than 60 dialogues in 40 countries were held, including eight in seven African countries, convening local leaders, youth organisations, investors, and development agencies. These dialogues addressed three guiding questions:

Where are we? – assessing current national and local commitments.

Where do we want to go? – linking climate action to SDGs and urban development policies.

How do we get there? – identifying joint models for financing, governance, and implementation.

In Africa, the Talanoa ethos resonated strongly. Participants pointed out similar local traditions of collective storytelling and decision-making, such as oxungt in Namibia. This cultural grounding reinforced the importance of making global frameworks relevant to local realities.

Key lesson: for NDCs to be both credible and ambitious, regular multi-level engagement is essential. National governments must work hand in hand with municipalities, regional authorities, and civil society to mobilise the technical, financial, and policy resources required for implementation.

The Talanoa Dialogues in Africa have shown that inclusive storytelling is not just a cultural tradition, it is a practical pathway to more ambitious climate action.

For more information, contact:

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

GRIFFON Axelle In Climate, Climate, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Press, Publications, Sustainable mobility, Sustainable mobility

Review of clean vehicles directive

Rethinking EU Clean Vehicles Rules: Why CEMR Calls for Flexibility, Funding, and Local Autonomy

Read our key messages

With road transport accounting for nearly a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions, the EU is pushing for cleaner mobility solutions across all sectors. But in its current form, the proposed revision of the Clean Vehicles Directive could undermine the very public transport systems it aims to green. The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) raises serious concerns about the directive’s scope, rigid procurement quotas, and potential to impose disproportionate costs on local and regional governments.

Rather than empowering local authorities, the directive risks creating new financial burdens, administrative complexity, and counterproductive outcomes, such as reduced services or higher fares that could drive citizens away from public transport.

Key messages include:

Public authorities are not the problem. Local public transport is already among the cleanest transport modes. Efforts must focus more on vehicle manufacturers and private transport operators, not just municipalities.

Procurement must remain flexible. While green public procurement should be encouraged, mandatory environmental or social criteria for public contracts would conflict with the subsidiarity principle and public procurement law. Local governments must retain the freedom to balance cost, service needs, and environmental goals.

Technology neutrality is essential. The directive should avoid favouring specific technologies. Instead, a life-cycle emissions approach should guide definitions of “clean vehicles,” including real-driving emissions and biofuels. Special-purpose vehicles such as snow ploughs and waste trucks should be excluded.

Quotas may backfire. Mandatory targets for clean vehicle procurement risk creating a vicious cycle: higher costs for local authorities may lead to service cuts, higher fares, and reduced public transport use, ultimately undermining climate goals.

Funding must follow ambition. The transition to cleaner fleets requires substantial investment. CEMR calls for EU support, including a “golden rule” exempting public transport investment from Maastricht deficit rules, and more targeted funding.

Reporting must be simplified. New national-level monitoring and reporting rules must not overload the over 100,000 local authorities across the EU. CEMR urges a streamlined, risk-based approach to limit bureaucracy.

Ultimately, CEMR opposes the directive in its current form and urges amendments that respect local autonomy, enable cost-effective transition, and support sustainable transport without penalising the public sector already leading the way.

Read position paper here

For more information, contact:

Advisor – Environment and mobility

GRIFFON Axelle In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Press, Publications

EU strategy on climate change

Why Local Governments Must Be Central to the EU’s Climate Resilience Strategy

As the EU evaluates its 2013 Adaptation Strategy, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) highlights a critical gap: climate resilience cannot succeed without fully involving local and regional governments. In its response to the Commission’s consultation, CEMR stresses that municipalities are already adapting to the effects of climate change, but current EU and national frameworks fail to empower them with the resources, recognition, and flexibility they need.

From floods and droughts to infrastructure strain, local authorities are on the frontlines of climate impacts. Yet too often, policies are shaped top-down, with insufficient consultation and support for those who must implement solutions on the ground. CEMR calls for a strengthened multi-level governance model, dedicated funding streams, and enhanced city-to-city cooperation to ensure the EU’s adaptation ambitions translate into effective, community-driven action.

For more information, contact:

Advisor – Environment and mobility

GRIFFON Axelle In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Press, Publications

Permanent platforms for energy dialogue

Integrating local governments into national climate and energy planning through multilevel dialogue

The transition towards a sustainable, decentralised and decarbonised energy system is a collective endeavour. Local and regional governments across Europe are already demonstrating leadership, delivering a significant share of the EU’s climate objectives. Yet, despite their strong track record and growing involvement, their role in shaping national climate and energy strategies remains fragmented. Ongoing negotiations on Energy Union Governance open the door to correcting this imbalance by establishing permanent Multilevel Climate and Energy Dialogue Platforms.

Building on local experience
Cities and regions have proven to be persistent drivers of Europe’s energy transition, with research showing they contribute to more than a third of the EU’s 2020 climate target. Initiatives like the Covenant of Mayors have showcased how local ambition can exceed European targets, but without a formal structure, their contributions risk being underutilised. The European Parliament’s proposal for dialogue platforms would ensure local authorities, alongside civil society and business stakeholders, are systematically involved in drafting, monitoring, and reviewing National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and Long-Term Strategies.

Such platforms would offer multiple benefits: continuous political support, feedback loops between delivery agents and policymakers, shared responsibility across sectors, stronger policy implementation, and the spread of best practices across Member States.

National examples to inspire Europe

Several countries already provide valuable models. In the Netherlands, municipalities and provinces negotiate national energy strategies with the government and social partners, resulting in formal agreements and regional climate plans. France has institutionalised citizen and stakeholder involvement through its Public Debate Commission, engaging the public directly in shaping energy programmes. Sweden demonstrates the value of capacity-building, with national agencies supporting local governments in setting and implementing climate objectives aligned with national goals.

These examples show that permanent platforms for dialogue are both feasible and effective. Institutionalising multilevel dialogue under the Energy Union Governance would not only ensure that the EU benefits from the proven ambition of local authorities but also strengthen the democratic legitimacy and efficiency of Europe’s energy transition. Local governments are ready to contribute, what is needed now is a framework that guarantees their voice is heard at every stage.

For more information, contact: