On March 30, the 2023 Covenant of Mayors Conference brought together high-level representatives of EU institutions and Mayors from cities across Europe. The exchange highlighted how cities’ response to the energy crisis is setting an example for Europe’s long-term efforts in matters of energy and climate, and how the EU and cities can work hand in hand to reach common objectives.
The Covenant of Mayors 2023 Conference gave the floor to nine mayors to showcase what their cities are doing faced with the two big crises of today: the energy and climate crises. Despite the grim circumstances, the event left the audience feeling energized and inspired. The speakers showed us that, when we put our minds to it, in difficult times, we can transform a dire situation into an opportunity for change. And that is exactly what cities in Europe have done.
Cities’ essential role in “Repowering the EU”
Commissioner for energy Kadri Simson started the conversation by emphasising the essential contribution of cities and towns. Beyond this year’s efforts, she discussed more broad and long-term efforts in building a clean, affordable, and secure energy system, once again giving cities a key role, especially with in reaching targets in building renovation and energy efficiency.
“With emergency measures and the REPowerEU, we reacted quickly and decisively to cushion the impact of the energy crisis. However, we also owe these results to each and every European, and to our towns and cities. For example, the Covenant of Mayors Cities Energy Saving Sprint implemented in over 50 cities.” – Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy
The mayors’ stories testified to cities’ vital contribution to reducing Europe’s dependency on Russian gas, all the while minimising the impact of the crisis on citizens and continuing to push towards the EU’s ambitious objectives of climate neutrality.
In support REPowerEU, the Covenant of Mayors’ Cities Energy Saving Sprint campaign provided practical tips to mobilise local governments everywhere in Europe to reduce their energy consumption with a similar approach: multiplying renewables, increasing energy efficiency and accelerating the energy transition.
Mayors and Deputy Mayors of Milan (Italy), Freiburg (Germany), Pedreguer (Spain), Łódź (Poland) and Grenoble (France) presented the diversity of emergency measures that they put into place to face the crisis: from green taxation, to building renovation, promotion of energy communities, education and awareness, transport and mobility… You can hear more about the measures cities have been taking here.
From Energy Saving Sprint to Climate Neutrality: turning short-term action into long-term policy
Despite the miraculous success of Europe in responding to energy demand and filling up gas reserves for this past winter, the situation for upcoming winters is not so clear. REPowerEU efforts need to continue.
To do so, cities must persist in their efforts to reduce energy consumption on the long-term – making the Sprint into a Marathon. However, they cannot continue to lead the way without support from their national governments and the European Union.
Vice President of the Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, highlighted the importance of ensuring multilevel governance in an era of instability and crisis such as now.
“2050 Green Deal objectives will not be achieved if we don't move quickly into implementation. In this context, we need to secure the support to local and regional authorities with funding and innovative investment mobilisation strategies. And I call for a further linkage between the initiatives of the Covenant and the cohesion funds, which are the only instruments available to all the EU's regions, bringing a long-term vision and investment plans for sustainable development, and which are shaped from the bottom-up.” - Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Vice President of the Committee of the Regions
In echo to Tzitzikostas words, Mayors called upon the EU to put pressure on national governments to involve local decision-makers and stakeholders in national climate and energy policy making. They emphasised that cities implement the action, and that without cities, national governments will not reach their targets. Martin Horn, Lord Mayor of Freiburg, Germany, called the European institutions to work with them on pressuring local governments to listen to them.
Besides involvement of local governments at national level, Mayors also called on the EU to consider more direct funding. In the situation that many cities find themselves in blocked by national legislations and lack of funds, one of the best ways the EU can accelerate implementation is by helping cities directly.
"We are concerned about the lack of decisive moves on the part of the Polish government. We need European funds directed directly to local governments and financial incentives for private investors." - Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź, Poland
Getting everyone on board: the essential ingredient
Besides support from national and EU governments, for cities to embed REPowerEU efforts into long-term climate strategy, they also need to ensure the essential support of their citizens.
Local governments are the closest line of government to the people. Popular support is indispensable to make these measures long-term. Thus, the EU’s efforts will only be successful if local governments are themselves successful engaging their citizens.
Mayors and Deputy Mayors from Clermont-Ferrand (France), Stockholm (Sweden), Križevci (Croatia) and Warsaw (Poland) presented the diverse programmes and initiatives that they put in place locally to directly involve citizens in their transitions, which took on entirely new importance with the energy crisis. From energy communities to citizen conventions, youth forums, and energy offices offering advice on energy savings, Mayors made it clear that the only way to tackle the energy and climate crisis, was to do it in a holistic way – a way that is democratic and fair.
“Locally owned resources should be used for local energy communities, to strengthen local communities.” – Mario Rajn, Mayor of Križevci (Croatia)
The EU knows the importance of this dimension – hence the creation of the EU Climate Pact, with the objective of getting citizens across Europe to embrace the transition.
In this ambition, local governments are key allies. By directly implementing the EU Green Deal on the ground and engaging citizens in the process, local government are the ones putting citizens at the heart of the European energy transition.
“We need to start speaking the language that people understand. We talk about benchmarking, Fitfor55… but no one understands that! Let’s translate it to what people understand. We will construct new social housing for people more touched by energy poverty, we will have hundreds more electric buses to take diesel buses off the streets... If you give us some direct funding to do it, we implement it, and people see directly what the EU is doing.” – Rafal Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw (Poland)
The Vice-Minister-President of Flanders, Bart Somers, closed the conference by encouraging municipalities from across Europe to form an alliance, to unleash this potential of mobilising all local actors.
“It is my deepest conviction that the global challenge we are facing, will be solved at the local level.” – Bart Somers, Vice-Minister-President of Flanders.
Through their Local Flemish Pact, the regional government of Flanders has embraced the Covenant of Mayors to multiply and massify climate action at the local level across its territory, by setting concrete and tangible objectives for all Covenant signatories. A total of 293 of the 300 Flemish municipalities have thus signed the Pact, and with it, the Covenant of Mayors.
The Minister announced that in the occasion of next year’s EU Belgian Presidency, the Flemish Government will put cities in the spotlight. You can already mark your calendars for March 12, 2024, for a joint conference between the Belgian Presidency and the Covenant of Mayors.
“It’s time to let the mayors speak”. – Bart Somers, Vice-Minister-President of Flanders
Details
- Publication date
- 4 April 2023