Road to the COP30: Local and regional leaders meet with Brazil's EU ambassador

With this year's UNFCCC COP30 climate conference taking place in Brazil in November, Brazil's Ambassador to the European Union addressed the members of the CoR's Commission for Environment, Climate Change and Energy on 5 May to present the COP30 presidency's goals and plans for involving subnational governments. In a separate debate, local and regional leaders underlined the need to secure reliable and affordable energy for all Europeans, following last week's unprecedented power black out in Spain and Portugal.

Parties of the Paris Agreement are expected to submit their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in time for the COP30 that will be hosted in the city of Belém in the Brazilian Amazonia region from 10 to 21 November 2025. Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, Ambassador of Brazil to the EU, stated that Brazil has presented an "ambitious and innovative" NDC, and urged the European Union to do the same. He also recalled that Brazil is a federal state and thus understands the key role of cities and regions in the process.

"In order for COP30 to be a turning point - shifting from negotiations to the implementation of real climate action - support at the local level is fundamental.  I am sure that local and regional mobilization in the EU and in Brazil will drive meaningful progress in the fight against climate change", Ambassador da Costa e Silva said.

Ambassador da Costa e Silva also held a bilateral meeting with ENVE chair Kostas Bakoyannis (EL/EPP) and CoR rapporteur Nadia Pellefigue (FR/PES) to discuss the participation of local and regional governments in Belém. ENVE commission adopted Ms Pellefigue's draft opinion that calls on national governments to involve cities and regions in the new NDCs, especially in the current geopolitical context where multilateralism is under threat and subnational climate diplomacy is playing a key role in advancing action.

"Climate action and competitiveness have to go hand it in hand – that is a strategic necessity for the EU and its regions and cities. In the current situation of global instability, the COPs are more important than ever. Without the Paris Agreement and the COPs since then, we would not be where we are now in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and we would be heading towards an even worse rise in global temperatures”, stressed rapporteur Pellefigue, vice-president of Occitanie region.

Mayor of Bologna Matteo Lepore (IT/PES) was appointed rapporteur for an opinion on  
building the European Climate Adaptation Plan. Mr Lepore also invited ENVE members to a study visit to the Mediterranean Forum of the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, taking place in Bologna on 19 June.

Affordable, stable and clean energy for all EU cities and regions

ENVE members exchanged views with representatives of DG ENER and DG GROW on the recent EU proposals that aim at ensuring energy affordability and security and unlocking competitiveness while pursuing the clean transition. The debate was very timely after last week's unprecedented power outage across Spain and Portugal.

ENVE chair Kostas Bakoyannis (EL/EPP), Member of Athens City Council, said: "The EU is revisiting regulatory frameworks to ensure flexibility and resilience in our energy systems. Recent EU proposals, such as the Clean Industrial Deal, the Affordable Energy Action Plan, and the Preparedness Strategy, present a crucial opportunity to align climate ambition with economic resilience. Our challenge lies in striking the right balance between advancing the energy transition and preserving industrial strength. Ultimately, accelerating the green transition is the only sustainable way to reduce the EU’s energy costs as well as enhance our autonomy and energy security."

Hanna Zdanowska (PL/EPP), Mayor of Łódź and rapporteur of the CoR opinion on the Affordable Energy Action Plan, said: “Last week’s blackout showed that the EU’s energy systems are not yet ready for today’s challenges – and local governments are the first to feel the impact. Most European local and regional authorities cannot deliver the energy transition alone under current legal and financial conditions. This requires significant investment that doesn’t pay off quickly and raises debt levels. That’s why I strongly call for direct, dedicated EU funding for cities in the next multiannual budget. Local authorities must be empowered to co-create a just and effective energy transition.”

William Elofsson (SE/EPP), Vice-Chair of Gävle Municipal Council and CoR rapporteur on the Clean Industrial Deal, pointed out that his draft opinion “emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen local and regional authorities’ roles in the energy transition by expanding supply, addressing grid limitations, and promoting technology neutrality. It also calls for smarter permitting and greater resilience in energy systems to ensure a just and effective decarbonization process."

Members also adopted a draft opinion on mobilising public and private resources for the follow-up on the Clean Transition Dialogues. Rapporteur Åsa Ågren Wikström (SE/EPP), Member of Västerbotten County Council, said: “In times of multiple crises – geopolitical tensions, climate change, and growing protectionism – it becomes even more urgent that we accelerate the clean energy transition. This is not just a climate imperative. It is a question of economic resilience, and independence. Reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels – especially from unstable markets – means building a Europe that is strong, self-sufficient, and competitive. To get there, we need an industrial base that is future-proof, circular, and climate neutral. The Clean Industrial Deal is an important step forward. But we must be clear: transformation happens on the ground – not in Brussels alone. And for us, this is about jobs and development in all our regions."