The 10th meeting of the Green Deal Going
Local working group took place on 13 May with the
Russian invasion of Ukraine reshaping energy
geopolitics worldwide while threatening a global
food crisis. In that context, facilitating access
to funds for cities and regions to tackle such
challenges is a key priority for the European
Committee of the Regions. Together with the
European Investment Bank’s climate roadmap, the
urgency is on phasing out fossil fuels, providing
support to local and regional authorities to
accelerate the implementation of the green
transition locally and deliver cleaner and more
affordable energy to all citizens.
Opening the meeting, the Deputy Mayor of Budapest
Kata Tüttő
(HU/PES), chairwoman of the
ENVE
commission and of the
Green Deal Going Local
working group stressed that:
“The war in Ukraine has dramatically increased the
need for more secure, clean and affordable energy
sources, in a world facing a climate emergency. The
REPowerEU plan should not only be about phasing out
our dependence on Russian fossil fuels, but also a
way to speed up the implementation of the European
Green Deal and maintain our high climate ambition.
We need to empower cities and regions as they are
at the frontline of the energy and climate
transitions.”
On empowering cities and regions through targeted
finance,
Nancy Saich, European Investment Bank's chief
climate change expert
, presented an outline of the Climate Bank roadmap,
stressing that
“the current energy crisis has accentuated our
priority to support projects in three areas: energy
efficiency in buildings, renewable energies and
energy storage.”
The Bank's target to direct 50% of its financing
towards climate and sustainability projects by 2025 is
combined with a Paris-aligned policy that ensures the
other 50% is aligned with the international climate
agreement. Specific financing programmes for cities and
regions include credit lines for smaller municipalities
through framework loans.
Alison Gilliland
(IE/PES), Lord Mayor of Dublin and CoR rapporteur of
the opinion
Towards a structural inclusion of Cities and
Regions in UNFCCC COP27, stressed: “
We all want the unjustified war in Ukraine to end
but the resultant energy crisis cannot take away
the urgency to fight the climate crisis and must
not undermine our climate goals. We must remain as
ambitious as before in view of COP27 and the
European Green Deal must remain our long-term
compass. It is time that massive investments and
measures to speed up renewables, energy efficiency
and savings, and sustainable alternative fuels are
prioritised and fully coupled together. A just
energy transition is crucial now more than ever!”
Hanna Zdanowska
(PL/EPP), Mayor of Łódź, declared: “
The war in Ukraine should not delay the
implementation of the European Green Deal. However,
the European Commission and national governments
should take into account the enormous financial
burdens faced by cities involved in direct
humanitarian aid. In Łódź, we have welcomed 120,000
Ukrainian refugees and we rapidly need 20
additional schools and kindergartens. We call on
the European Commission and Member States for
immediate financial support.”
Members also discussed
Trees for Life, the CoR call to action to contribute to the EU’s
pledge to plan 3 billion additional trees by 2030.
Vincent Chauvet
(FR/Renew Europe), Mayor of Autun, said:
“Trees for Life needs to reach beyond European
capitals. To succeed in Europe's reforestation, we
must consider protecting and restoring existing
natural habitats and not only ensure the greening
of urban areas. We need to invest first in
sustainable forest management, to maintain the
added value of existing forests and boost forests
natural regeneration.”
Bern Voss
(DE/Greens), member of the Schleswig-Holstein State
Parliament, declared: “
The climate crisis, the war on Ukraine, the rising
prices of fossil fuels and the health crisis with
its negative effects on supply chains represent the
major challenges of today. We must learn to solve
these crises together. Shifting to renewable
energy, energy efficiency and energy savings make
us independent and less vulnerable. These
future-proof and cost-effective solutions will also
create the basis for the reconstruction of
Ukraine.”
János Ádám Karácsony, (HU/ECR), Deputy President of Pest County Council and CoR rapporteur of the opinion on clean air, stressed that: “Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the EU's approach to climate policy needs to be revised and become multidimensional. We must protect our environment and keep our air clean and ensure that our policies are not only sustainable, but also sensible and do not place unnecessary burdens on citizens and businesses."
József Kóbor
(HU/EA), Member of the local government of Pécs, said:
“We are paying a huge price for our dependence on
Russian fossil-fuel imports. We need bold actions
to protect vulnerable consumers, hard-hit by high
energy prices, massively invest in
renewables
and increase
energy
efficiency.”
The city of Pécs is one of the 100 cities
selected
to take part in the
EU Mission
for 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030.
Members discussed
DiscoverEU, a programme that combines sustainable mobility and
youth policy, with over 160,000 free train passes
having already been granted.
MEP István Ujhelyi
(HU/S&D), Vice-President of the of the European
Parliament's
TRAN
committee, said:
“Together with cities, we can make this programme
even a bigger success”
and called on CoR members to join the DiscoverEU
mentorship programme.
Background:
In 2021, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR)
and EIB Group
renewed
and reinforced their long-standing cooperation with the
adoption of a new joint Action Plan.
Through Green Deal Going Local, the European Committee
of the Regions is committed to supporting cities’ and
regions in the EU’s transition towards
climate-neutrality.
Green Deal Going Local
is a flagship initiative of the European Committee of
the Regions that aims at placing cities and regions at
the heart of the EU’s climate-neutral transition. It
includes several calls to action, such as
Trees for Life, a
survey to collect the views of cities and
regions on the challenges and opportunities of
implementing the European Green Deal locally, and a call for all local and regional authorities to
share their climate commitments.
Contact:
David Crous //
David.Crous@cor.europa.eu
// +32 (0) 470 881 037