“The European Green Deal is the most important work of the EU in recent history. And thanks to the support of cities, it’s alive.” - Anna Lisa Bonni, Deputy Mayor of Bologna (IT)
During this year’s European Week of Regions and Cities, seven Covenant of Mayors Europe Board Members and Ambassadors had the chance to meet face-to-face with the recently appointed Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Maroš Šefčovič. This was the occasion to discuss opportunities to work together effectively to make the Green Deal a reality.
"I know you mean business: you have much higher goals and climate targets than national governments." - Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President for the European Commission
Consolidating Support Around the European Green Deal
The European Union’s Green Deal is a transformative agenda that is essential to tackling climate change while ensuring a just transition in Europe. Nevertheless, with recent crises, from Covid to the energy crisis, it has encountered growing resistance, driven by the spread of false information. For this reason, Vice-President Šefčovič underscored the urgency of reinforcing communication efforts surrounding the Green Deal with the help of local leaders. People must see that the Green Deal precisely addresses these crises to ensure better jobs and a brighter future for all.
Cities, being the first point of contact for citizens, play a vital role in engaging local communities and businesses in the Green Deal and getting this message across. Through their concrete actions, such as building renovation and sustainable mobility, cities can directly show citizens how Green Deal measures are having a positive impact in their lives. The engagement of local communities by local politicians can nicely complement the European Commission’s effort to engage the society and the industry sector in respectively “Green Social Dialogues” and “Clean Transition Dialogues”.
Developing Technical Skills for the Green Transition
One of the main challenges of the European Green Deal is the lack of skilled labor for technical implementation, which is particularly hindering progress at the local level.
In Bologna (IT), for example, despite the availability of funds through European programmes like NextGenerationEU, there's a shortage of technical workers that makes it difficult for them to implement actions. This issue is not unique, as seen in Cork (IE), where a two-year waiting period for home retrofitting persists due to insufficient manpower. Beyond technicians, skilled workers are also needed within the municipality to plan, manage and realise the transition at local level.
Vice-President Šefčovič is keen on the idea of establishing NetZero Academies, similar to the Battery Academies he had set up previously, which would provide training for tens of thousands of technical workers in various green industries: from battery manufacturing, wind power, solar panels, to building retrofitting.
Enhancing Multilevel Governance
National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are a critical element of the Green Deal, and their alignment with city contributions is imperative. The Commission will be revising all NECPs submitted before year-end and evaluating if they have fully leverage local level to achieve climate objectives. Mayors call on the European Commission to make sure that local leaders are at the negotiating table with national governments not only around the revision of these plans, but also on a more permanent basis when discussing energy and climate policy going forward.
Simplifying the EU initiative landscape
Cities also expressed the need for a more consolidated and coherent framework of EU support to local green initiatives. The current landscape is fragmented and confusing, as there are too many initiatives coming from different Directorate-Generals, often overlapping. It’s complicated for people working in cities – who are already overburdened – to navigate.
In response, Vice-President Šefčovič recognised the importance of city feedback to determine the most impactful and helpful EU initiatives.
“In order to be successful in the Green Deal, we need to have a streamlined and comprehensive approach.” - Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo (BG)
Stronger Support from the EU to Frontrunner Cities
The meeting involved representatives from four cities part of the EU Mission of Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 (Cork IE, Budapest HU, Bologna IT, Gabrovo BG) and two former EU Green Leaf winners (Valongo PT and Gabrovo BG). These cities called for such initiatives, meant to give visibility to pioneer cities, to get more visible recognition and support.
Mayors urged the EU to collaborate more closely with frontrunner cities, given their front-line positions in implementing the Green Deal. Not only do some national governments barely account for these cities in their transitions, but many times they block their progress. Strong, visible EU support is key to getting them to become a key player in their national field.
"Use us more. We're trying to catch up to get ahead: so, please do whatever you can do to help us get ahead." - Kieren McCarthy, Lord Mayor of Cork (IE)
Further Linking the Green Deal to Cohesion Policy
Following the Vice-President's meeting, the conversation continued with the newly appointed Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Themis Christophidou. This discussion focused on aligning EU Cohesion Policy with local Green Deal initiatives.
Mayors highlighted the importance of Cohesion policy due to its multilayered and shared approach, making it a fundamental instrument for cities. They stressed the need to strengthen cohesion funds and channel it more specifically to support cities in their green and social transitions. Cohesion funds are seen as essential for facilitating place-based policies that respond to climate change and facilitate innovation.
“Cohesion policy should be evolving with its time and answer the needs of the big change towards green and digital transformation." - Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo (BG)
The call was for the Cohesion Policy to more proactively plug into the Green Deal umbrella and connect to cities' climate action plans, linking it with already existing initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors. More direct funding to cities would give a huge impulse for many who already have higher ambitions, and just need funding to show that accelerated and bold action is possible.
“Some cities are beyond the EU goals; cities are hubs of innovation and can push forward goals even with Member States against them at times. We need your support; we need a little push with the help of EU funds to keep working.” - Kata Tüttő, Deputy Mayor of Budapest (HU)
Director-General Christophidou recognises the key role of cities in implementing the Green Deal and offers to have a continuous dialogue with the Board of the Covenant of Mayors.
Details
- Publication date
- 13 October 2023