Energy poverty and the fight against global warming have starred at the 23rd meeting of the Commission for Environment, Climate change and Energy (ENVE) of the European Committee of the Regions. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris climate agreement locally, along with explicit support for coal regions, were also on the discussion table. Ahead of the European elections in May, the ENVE Chair Cor Lamers stressed the need to 'live up to the expectations of our youth on the climate emergency we live in.'

A stronger focus on sustainable urban development and, at the same time, more attention to urban-rural gaps; regional thresholds to concentrate funds on key priorities instead of thematic concentration at national level; wider flexibility of EU fiscal rules to allow for increasing investment for growth; and a better coordination with other EU policies and investment tools: this is the European Parliament's position on the rules for the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund 2021-2027 and it is fully in line with proposals adopted by the European Committee of the Regions last December.

Local and regional authorities are key actors when it comes to bringing Europe closer to its energy and climate objectives. Energy production at the local level is crucial to foster renewable energy production, spread energy democracy and decrease energy poverty rates. Today, around 50 million households in Europe are struggling to warmth adequately (EPOV). Around €180 billion of additional investments are needed annually to achieve the EU's 2030 targets agreed in Paris, including a 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions (from 1990 levels).

To reduce disparities and deliver more opportunities for all European citizens, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) wants cohesion policy to be easier, more flexible and not used as a sanction or incentive to achieve other goals, other than sustainable development. Improvements and legislative amendments to the European Commission proposals for cohesion policy 2021-2027 are included in four different opinions adopted by local and regional leaders during the CoR plenary session on 5 December.