How was your latest Covenant year? Fill out the 2023 Survey for territorial Coordinators

After the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2022, the European Union’s energy security – as well as many other sectors – has been put in jeopardy. To emancipate itself from the energy dependency from Russia and to find alternative sources of energy, the European Union launched the “RePowerEU” plan. This will accelerate the switch to renewable sources and further strengthen energy efficiency.  

Within the context of this transition, both Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) and multi-level governance play a crucial role. 

The importance of multi-level governance lies in the fact that it involves the coordination and cooperation of different levels of government, stakeholders, and actors involved in the energy sector. The energy transition requires a collective effort to achieve the set targets, and this can only be achieved through effective collaboration among different levels of government, including the local, regional, national, and EU levels. Multi-level governance allows for the integration of diverse policies, regulations, and strategies into a coherent and effective framework that can accelerate the energy transition. It also enables the sharing of best practices, resources, and knowledge across different levels of government, promoting innovation and sustainability. Ultimately, multi-level governance helps to align different interests and priorities, enhancing the overall success of the energy transition in Europe. 

As per the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs), they provide a roadmap for local authorities to implement measures and initiatives to reduce their carbon emissions and increase their use of sustainable energy sources. These plans encourage local authorities to take a holistic approach to energy and climate action, taking into account the specific needs and challenges of their communities. By implementing SECAPs, local authorities can engage with their citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation. SECAPs also enable local authorities to access funding opportunities and resources to support their energy transition goals. Ultimately, SECAPs are a key tool in achieving the EU's energy and climate objectives while also supporting the development of sustainable, resilient, and liveable communities across Europe. 

This survey will help us investigate and understand: 
 

• The main  and concrete  barriers to the energy transition and the consequent – increased - challenges in this energy emergency, faced by regions, provinces and counties in Europe. 
• The existence of  methodologies or approaches for SECAPs’ development and the support that the Covenant could provide to their enhancement. 
• Multi-level governance practices in Europe and the support that the Covenant could provide to reinforce them.

 
For this reason, this year’s survey focuses on four key strategic topics: 
 

• Energy emergency  
• Regional Climate and Energy Strategy 
• Support to Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) 
• Multi-level governance 

We remind you that Covenant Territorial Coordinators in Europe commit to annually reporting on their activities within the Covenant Community through an online survey. 

Launch the survey!

The questionnaire shall be filled in by the 31st of May, 2023, COB. 
For further information please contact the Helpdesk for Coordinators at coordinators@eumayors.eu