Local and regional leaders from across the EU have joined with Members of the European Parliament in calling for more concrete actions to protect citizens from the impact of all-time-high energy prices in the EU.
Speaking at her first meeting as chairwoman of the
ENVE
commission and of the
Green Deal Going Local
working group of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the Deputy
Mayor of Budapest,
Kata Tüttő
(HU/PES), stressed that
“there is no time to rest on our laurels, as 2022 is a decisive year
for the green transition. We must keep our sights high and our
commitments firm. From the European Climate Law to the ‘Fit for 55’
package, cities and regions must work together with the EU institutions
to achieve the European Green Deal's objectives, but also to tackle new
forms of energy and mobility poverty in the transition towards climate
neutrality as to make sure no people are left behind.”
In a
2019 CoR opinion
,
Kata Tüttő already alerted that
“energy prices for household consumers cannot be left to market
self-regulation.”
Concerns over the socio-economic impact of all-time-high energy prices were
widely shared by the participants of the
9th meeting
of the Green Deal Going local working group, which focused on the European
Commission's
Fit for 55
package. CoR members and MEPs converged on the urgent need for greater
energy efficiency – which as well as helping to substantially reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions also has a significant impact on citizens’
energy bills.
As owners and managers of large building stock, regional and local
authorities have a major role to play in improving energy efficiency,
stressed
Rafal Trzaskowski
(PL/EPP). The Mayor of Warsaw and CoR rapporteur on amending the Energy
Efficiency Directive reminded the “
need for an ambitious Energy Efficiency Directive to achieve a climate
neutral Europe and fight energy poverty”,
stressing that
“Energy efficiency in households and public buildings are key to reduce
energy bills as prices are skyrocketing.”.
The CoR member of the Political Board of the Covenant of Mayors
added
“We must increase energy efficiency regardless of energy sources”,
welcoming the new EU Taxonomy yet calling on the European Commission to
grant direct funds as a condition
“for cities and regions to successfully implement energy efficiency
targets.”
Lord Mayor of Mannheim
Peter Kurz
(DE/PES) proposed that cities and regions directly manage part of the
revenues from the Emission Trading System (ETS). The CoR rapporteur on ETS2
and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) added:
“The CBAM and ETS2 are crucial elements of the ‘Fit for 55’ package.
CO2 pricing has proven to be an effective political instrument on the
alternative-free path to decarbonisation. But we need to make sure that
we compensate its impact so no citizen nor region is left behind.”
Peter Liese
(EPP), European Parliament rapporteur on the Emission Trading System (ETS),
warned that serval Member States were not sufficiently using EU budget
sources and ETS revenues on energy efficiency projects while
Pernille Weiss (EPP), EP shadow rapporteur on the Energy Efficiency Directive, stressed the
need to reach balanced ambitions and deploy tools that are adaptable to the
specificities of every territory, qualifying cities as the “leading role models in the energy transition”.
More direct intervention from Member Sates’ central governments is also
crucial for CoR member
Mirja Vehkaperä
(FI/Renew Europe): “
People are frustrated by rising energy prices and, in particular,
increases in electricity transmission charges. In winter, a lot of
energy is used for heating and transport. National governments need to
take the responsibility to counterbalance such increase in energy
prices for citizens”,
said the member of Oulu City Council.
The need to reduce GHG emissions and meet the EU's climate targets should
not be blamed for energy price increases, stressed
Bernd Voss
(DE/ The Greens). The member of the Schleswig-Holstein State Parliament
said:
“The energy price crisis is not caused by the EU's climate ambitions,
but by our dependence on fossil fuels and their increasing prices. In
the short term, we need targeted support for vulnerable citizens to
keep them mobile and their homes warm. Cost-effective energy and EU
energy independence will only be achieved by rapidly developing
renewable energy production in the EU."
Increasing energy production from renewable sources is key to facing the
current energy crisis, argued
Andries Gryffroy
(BE/EA). The member of the Flemish Parliament and CoR rapporteur on the
Renewable Energy Directive revision was clear:
"Boosting local renewable energy production is necessary to help the EU
achieve net zero emissions but is also a way to reduce the dependency
on third countries for the import of fossil fuels and their high and
volatile prices. In order to guarantee a sustainable, fair and
affordable transition for citizens and business, new legislation should
be simple and flexible enough to take into account the specificities of
each region, while safeguarding the principle of technologic
neutrality."
According to Eurostat, 31 million Europeans live in energy poverty.
Tjisse Stelpstra
(NL/ECR), regional minister in Drenthe Province, stressed that the
climate-neutral transition must be “inclusive, just and not bring additional burdens to EU citizens”,
adding,
“it is our responsibility to ensure that heating homes, cooking and
using electricity remain affordable for all."
The European Commission’s Stefano Grassi, head of cabinet
of Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, stressed the leading role the public
sector should have in delivering energy efficiency, adding that the EU's
€140 billion
Social Climate Fund
will target support for energy efficiency in both the buildings and
transport sectors for the most vulnerable.
Cabinet member of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans Olivia Gippner stressed that fairness and Member States’
burden sharing are the guiding principle in every ‘Fit for 55’ file. “Cities and regions are needed at all costs,” Gippner said,
stressing local and regional authorities are instrumental for enabling
frameworks as much as for identifying energy poverty to better target the
EU’s new Social Climate Fund.
The Members of the European Parliament that joined the debate also included
Mohammed Chahim
(S&D), rapporteur on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism CBAM, and
Paolo Borchia
(ID), ITRE shadow rapporteur on the Renewable Energy Directive.
Background information:
‘Fit for 55’
is the European Union plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by
2030. The package includes the revision of several Directives along new
ones and was proposed in July 2021 by the European Commission. Click
here
to access the European Parliament legislative train schedule.
In October 2021, the European Commission presented a ‘toolbox’ of both
short- and medium-term measures that national governments can roll out to
protect consumers against rising energy prices. More info
here
.
The green transition takes a central place in the
8th Cohesion report
presented yesterday. The report recognises the extraordinary challenges
that LRAs face with climate change and the need for strategic adaptation
and additional investments in infrastructure and human capital with a focus
on the territorial impact and challenges. The added value of a placed-based
approach is recognised, such as smart specialisation strategies along the
model of the Just Transition Mechanism. The CoR reactions are available
here
.
The CoR rapporteurs on the 'Fit for 55' package are:
-
Peter Kurz
(DE/PES), Mayor of Mannheim, rapporteur on Making ETS and CBAM work for
EU cities and regions
-
Rafał Trzaskowski
(PL/EPP), Mayor of Warsaw, rapporteur on Amending the EED to meet the
new 2030 climate targets
-
Andries Gryffroy
(BE/EA), Member of the Flemish Parliament, rapporteur on Amending the
RED to meet the new 2030 climate targets
-
Csaba Borboly
(RO/EPP), President of Harghita County Council, rapporteur on Towards a
socially fair implementation of the Green Deal
-
Joan Calabuig Rull
(ES/PES), Regional Secretary for the European Union and External
Relations of the Government of Valencia, rapporteur on the New EU Forst
Strategy for 2030
-
Adrian Ovidiu Teban
(RO/EPP), Mayor of Cugir City, rapporteur on Towards zero emission road
transport: Deploying alternative fuels infrastructure and strengthening
CO2 emission performance standards
-
Åsa Ågren Wikström
(SE/EPP), Member of Västerbotten County Council, rapporteur on the
Revision of LULUCF and ESR