Publications 174

Since its launch in 2015, the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) has become a major initiative supporting African cities in their response to climate change and in improving access to clean energy. Funded by the European Union and co-financed by Germany and Spain, CoM SSA is part of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Today, more than 200 cities across 36 Sub-Saharan countries have signed up, committing to long-term climate and energy action through Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs).

Programme Achievements
The final evaluation highlights both the relevance and scale of the initiative. With Africa’s rapid urbanisation, CoM SSA’s focus on local governments is crucial. The programme has successfully engaged hundreds of municipalities, surpassing its target of 200 signatories, and has provided significant capacity building through technical assistance and workshops. Cities especially valued peer exchanges, which created strong networks for sharing experiences and best practices.

Pilot projects showed mixed results: while some cities advanced quickly with draft SEACAPs, others faced delays due to political instability, lack of technical expertise, or limited direct involvement of city administrations. Still, the overall added value of the initiative is clear: it created political ownership, improved local technical skills, and promoted sustainable energy and climate planning at the local level.

Key Lessons and Recommendations
The evaluation also draws important lessons for the future. Greater alignment between local SEACAPs and national climate strategies is needed to ensure impact. Capacity building remains a priority, requiring more technical staff on the ground and support from local organisations to guarantee continuity. Better coordination with other international programmes is recommended to avoid duplication of efforts. Finally, fostering multilingual platforms for experience-sharing among cities will strengthen the CoM SSA community and enhance learning across regions.

The Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa has proven its relevance and value by mobilising hundreds of cities and building local capacity for climate action. While challenges remain, the initiative has laid a strong foundation for Phase III, where scaling up, deepening vertical integration with national governments, and securing sustainable financing will be key. CoM SSA is now well-positioned to continue empowering African municipalities as central actors in the global fight against climate change.

For more information, contact:

BIZARRO Pedro

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

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

Local action driving the green deal

CEMR outlines the crucial role of municipalities and regions in making Europe climate neutral by 2050

The European Green Deal, launched in December 2019, sets out the EU’s ambition to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. While the framework is driven at the European level, its implementation will rely heavily on municipalities and regions. Local and regional governments (LRGs) are already responsible for delivering 70% of climate mitigation measures, 90% of adaptation policies, and 65% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) highlights that empowering these actors is essential to achieving the Green Deal’s goals.

CEMR stresses that LRGs are not only implementers but also innovators, mobilising citizens and setting ambitious targets beyond EU requirements. For example, the 10,000 signatories of the Covenant of Mayors have pledged to reduce CO₂ emissions by 47% by 2030, well above the EU’s current 40% target.

CEMR puts forward several recommendations to strengthen the Green Deal’s delivery:

Recognition and resources: LRGs must be recognised as full partners, equipped with sufficient financial capacity and flexibility to adapt implementation to diverse local realities.
Better regulation and coordination: The EU should enforce existing legislation, improve policy coherence between sectors, and avoid additional administrative burdens for local governments.
Climate and energy: Ambitious targets are welcome but must be matched with adequate resources. Local authorities should be included in decision-making on National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). Renewable energy should be treated equally, whether produced onsite or via networks such as district heating.
Circular economy: Municipalities manage nearly 500 kg of waste per capita annually and are central to recycling, waste reduction, and energy recovery. Their role must be reinforced in shaping circular consumption and production patterns.
Clean mobility: LRGs are at the forefront of decarbonising transport and public mobility, but need financial and regulatory support to modernise infrastructure and introduce innovative solutions.
Financing the transition: Investment is critical. Tools like the Just Transition Fund are welcome but insufficient. Sustainable local investments should be exempt from EU debt rules to unleash their full potential. Innovative funding mechanisms tailored to municipalities of all sizes are also needed.
Global leadership: LRGs can act as ambassadors of the Green Deal through international cooperation, capacity building, and partnerships with local authorities abroad, reinforcing Europe’s climate leadership on the global stage.

Europe’s success in delivering the Green Deal will be determined locally. Municipalities and regions are already leading in climate action, but they need recognition, resources, and flexibility to scale up their efforts. By ensuring LRGs are fully integrated into EU policies and financing, the Green Deal can drive not only a carbon-neutral Europe but also a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.

For more information, contact:

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

GAUDRON Marine In EU budget, EU budget, Governance, Governance, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Local finances, Local finances, Publications, Territorial development

COVID impact on local finances

A Europe-wide snapshot of the pandemic’s fiscal impact on municipalities and regions, and what support is still missing

The COVID-19 pandemic placed local and regional governments at the frontline of public health response in Europe. While ensuring safety, maintaining essential services, and supporting vulnerable populations, these governments were simultaneously burdened with spiralling costs and plummeting revenues. A survey conducted by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) in May 2020 offers critical insight into the financial distress faced by cities and municipalities across 17 European countries.

The survey reveals a dual pressure on local and regional finances: soaring expenditures, primarily for personal protective equipment, sanitation, and social support and sharp declines in revenue due to reduced economic activity. Tax revenues, municipal service fees, and income from the cultural and tourism sectors were severely impacted. For example, Bulgaria saw a 41% decrease in municipal income from its own sources, and Austria faced estimated municipal revenue losses between €900 million and €2 billion.

While local authorities acted swiftly, organising food deliveries, providing accommodation for healthcare workers, and ensuring online education, support from national governments was slow and often insufficient. Although a few countries, like Estonia and Germany, implemented meaningful aid measures, most national support was delayed, limited, or only promised in future budget cycles.

Many governments, like in France and Sweden, pledged support, but uncertainty remains about the long-term sustainability of subnational budgets. Furthermore, the varied structure of local financing systems across Europe means that the financial impact differs widely between countries and even among municipalities within the same country.

The CEMR report makes it clear: without timely and adequate support from national and European levels, local and regional governments risk losing the capacity to invest in recovery and sustainable development. To prevent a prolonged post-pandemic investment slump, EU funds, especially from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, must be made directly accessible to local authorities.

Only by empowering municipalities can Europe hope to achieve its long-term goals for resilience, cohesion, and sustainability. Now is the time for stronger multilevel cooperation and for the EU to acknowledge the central role of local and regional governments in shaping recovery.

Read the declaration here

For more information, contact:

GAUDRON Marine

Advisor – Territorial Cohesion & Local Finances

TSKHELISHVILI Bella In EU enlargement and eastern partnership, EU enlargement and Eastern Partnership, Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy, Local democracy, PLATFORMA, PLATFORMA, Publications, Twinning

Local role in the EU enlargement

Decentralisation and strong local governance are key for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia’s EU accession path

Read full declaration

The decision of the European Council to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova and to recognise Georgia’s perspective once further reforms are met marks a historic step in the enlargement of the European Union. Beyond the geopolitical dimension, the process will require profound reforms at the local level, particularly in decentralisation, public administration, and democratic governance.

The European Commission’s opinions emphasise decentralisation as a cornerstone of EU membership criteria. Strengthening local autonomy, building institutional capacity, and fostering multilevel governance are essential for sustainable reforms in Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. Empowering municipalities and regions will not only improve service delivery but also ensure that EU values and standards are implemented where citizens feel them most directly: at the local level.

Decentralised cooperation plays a decisive role in this transformation. Peer exchanges, partnerships, mentorship programmes, and twinning initiatives provide practical support for reforms while reinforcing democratic practices. These mechanisms are particularly vital in contexts of crisis and recovery, such as the post-pandemic and post-war reconstruction efforts.

Granting candidate status also strengthens local governments’ ability to modernise, adopt new technologies, and access tools that improve governance and resilience. This process will accelerate reforms in public administration, boost citizen participation, and ensure a closer alignment with the EU’s Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals.

The path toward EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia must include a strong local dimension. By prioritising decentralisation and local autonomy, the accession process can deliver long-term sustainable development, stronger democracies, and better services for citizens. Supporting municipalities and regions is therefore not just complementary, but essential for a successful enlargement process.

For more information, contact:

TSKHELISHVILI Bella

Advisor – Eastern Partnership and Geographical Dialogues

BORDELOT Federica In Gender equality, Gender equality, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Latest, Migration and inclusion, Migration and inclusion, Publications

Gender equality: A local matter

Exploring the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025 and what it means for Europe’s local and regional governments

In a significant move for gender equality in Europe, the European Commission has adopted a new Gender Equality Strategy for 2020–2025. As the first high-level communication of its kind in years, this strategy sets out a clear ambition to achieve a Europe free from gender-based violence, stereotypes, and structural inequalities.

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has conducted an in-depth analysis of the strategy, identifying its opportunities, shortcomings, and implications for local and regional governments.

Key developments and opportunities

The Commission’s strategy adopts a dual approach, combining targeted actions with systematic gender mainstreaming, and for the first time, takes an intersectional perspective. The strategy touches on six key areas, from violence prevention to women’s representation and gender equality in the workplace.

Local and regional governments stand to benefit from new funding and networking opportunities, particularly in the areas of gender-based violence prevention, childcare provision, care infrastructure, and women’s entrepreneurship. The establishment of an EU network for preventing domestic violence, EU-wide awareness campaigns, and future updates to childcare targets all offer a space for local actors to lead and share practices.

New investment and support opportunities through the European Social Fund Plus, Horizon Europe, and Common Agricultural Policy also provide avenues for local authorities to implement gender-sensitive services and policies.

Gaps and concerns

Despite these strengths, CEMR highlights areas where the strategy could go further. The role of local and regional governments is not sufficiently acknowledged, and the Commission misses the opportunity to reference the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life, which has nearly 1,800 signatories across 36 countries.

Furthermore, while the strategy rightly focuses on gender balance in the private sector, political representation at the local and regional levels is underdeveloped. There is also no mention of violence against elected women, a critical issue that undermines women’s participation in democratic life.

CEMR’s key messages

CEMR puts forward several recommendations to strengthen the strategy and better support local authorities:

Recognise local and regional governments as strategic partners in implementing, monitoring, and reporting on the strategy.
Include the European Charter for Equality in the EU Platform for Diversity Charters.
Address the underrepresentation of women in politics and promote initiatives supporting female political leadership at all levels.
Strengthen protections for women in public life, particularly against gender-based violence and harassment.
Improve data collection on women’s representation and leadership and fund new studies across all European countries.
Support local gender equality initiatives through EU funding programmes, including the Charter and work on men and masculinities.

A call for greater collaboration

Local and regional governments are not only essential for implementing EU policy, but they are also drivers of innovation in equality. As the level of government closest to citizens, they play a unique role in translating ambition into action.

CEMR urges the European Commission to fully recognise and support this role in the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy, ensuring local authorities have the tools and resources to build a truly inclusive Europe.

For more information, contact:

BORDELOT Federica

Director – Policy & Impact

ROSSI Fabrizio In Governance, Governance, Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy, Local democracy, Publications, Twinning

Europe 2030 – local leaders speak out

Local and regional leaders call for a renewed European model, rooted in unity, democracy, and empowered territories

Europe has always been a bold political project. Born from the ashes of two World Wars, it was built on the conviction that lasting peace and prosperity can only be achieved together. From the beginning, local and regional leaders played a decisive role: mayors and municipalities spearheaded cooperation across borders and called for stronger local democracy through the European Charter for Local Liberties.

Today, facing crises from climate change to migration, from social tensions to war at its borders, Europe once again needs its local pioneers. In 2016, CEMR launched a visionary initiative inviting leaders, citizens, and young people to share their vision of Europe in 2030. The results were clear: citizens want a more cohesive, democratic, and responsive Europe, one that listens and acts closer to their daily lives.

The vision for 2030 is ambitious: empower local and regional governments with greater resources, strengthen cooperation between all levels of governance, and ensure that policies remain people-centered. Local governments already provide over 60% of public investment in the EU, showing that they are key drivers of innovation, social support, and sustainable development.

Contributors stress that decentralisation is essential to building trust in democracy. Nation-states should act as regulators and guarantors of equality, regions should drive economic growth, and towns should remain the heart of community life. At the same time, Europe must stay united in diversity, serving as the guardian of territorial cohesion, welfare, and collective security.

By 2030, Europe will be more global and more urban. Local and regional governments must therefore take a stronger role in international cooperation, through city diplomacy, twinning, knowledge-sharing, and decentralised cooperation, to tackle challenges like climate change and sustainable development.

The message is simple but powerful: to change the world, we must think and act locally while standing united as Europeans. A renewed European model, decentralised, democratic, and open to the world, is the key to regaining citizens’ trust and securing a brighter future.

For more information, contact:

ROSSI Fabrizio

Secretary General

Adapting to climate in Africa

How African cities are assessing climate risks and building resilient futures

As climate change accelerates, African cities face mounting threats to their infrastructure, economies, and public health. Rising sea levels, water scarcity, disease outbreaks, and food insecurity are just some of the growing challenges. In response, many local governments across the continent are taking voluntary steps to adapt and strengthen territorial resilience.

Adaptation is more than reacting to extreme weather, it means preparing for long-term climate impacts and turning risks into development opportunities. This involves adjusting policies, infrastructure, and urban practices to reduce vulnerability and protect communities.

A recent methodological review explores how African cities are assessing the local effects of climate change and using that knowledge to shape their adaptation strategies. Actions range from bioclimatic architecture to reduce indoor heat, to shifting agricultural practices, protecting water resources, and diversifying tourism away from climate-vulnerable coastlines.

Importantly, cities must ensure that adaptation and mitigation plans are aligned. Involving the same stakeholders in both processes supports integrated planning and more coherent climate action.

This work reflects a growing commitment among African cities to lead the way in climate adaptation by studying local risks, acting early, and building more sustainable urban futures.

For more information, contact:

BIZARRO Pedro

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

GRIFFON Axelle In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Just transition mechanism analysis

The Just Transition Mechanism urges stronger local partnerships and clearer funding priorities

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:

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

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:

BIZARRO Pedro

Project Lead – Climate, Energy & Urban Development

GAUDRON Marine In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Local finances, Local finances, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Strong Budget, Strong Cohesion

CEMR urges EU leaders to secure an ambitious long-term budget that empowers local and regional governments

As EU leaders prepare to decide on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) calls for a robust budget and a cohesion policy that keeps local and regional governments at its core.

The need for an ambitious MFF

CEMR stresses that ambitious European goals, sustainable development, the Green Deal, and social inclusion, cannot be delivered without a strong budget. Any further cuts to cohesion policy, such as those recently proposed, would undermine Europe’s ability to meet its commitments. Local and regional governments, as the key actors implementing EU policies on the ground, rely on a timely agreement to ensure a smooth transition to the next funding period.

Just Transition and partnership

CEMR welcomes the creation of a Just Transition Fund to support regions in the shift towards a low-carbon economy. However, these new measures must come with additional funding, not at the expense of cohesion policy. Equally vital is the Partnership Principle, which guarantees that municipalities and regions are directly involved in programming and implementing EU funds. This principle must remain a cornerstone of cohesion policy.

Europe’s ambitions will only succeed if local and regional governments have the tools to deliver them. A strong MFF, safeguarded cohesion funding, and reinforced partnership are the foundations of a Europe closer to its citizens.