Climate and energy

 

Ambitious EU policy

Climate Alliance members are committed to implementing local climate action on the ground. Their actions support the European Union in reaching its energy and climate goals for the coming decades. They involve a wide range of stakeholders in the transition to a sustainable and decentralised energy system while boosting their local economies and helping to make the EU more resilient.

As EU institutions determine the framework in which local authorities and their national governments operate, EU strategies such as the Energy Union and EU legislation such as energy efficiency and renewable energy directives influence the daily work of our members.

Climate Alliance advocates for ambitious EU climate and energy policies that promote a sustainable, decentralised energy system based on local potentials. Maximum energy savings and efficiency must form the foundation of our energy system while remaining energy needs are covered by renewable sources. Policies that foster these principles on the EU level will help improve framework conditions for local climate action.

Local authorities as catalysts

Local authorities act as catalysts in this field. They set up the organisational and financial structures needed to launch climate action, for example, in the form of deep energy retrofits and renewable energy projects. They also are leaders in ensuring that their territories are fit for the consequences of climate change.

Effective work on these critical issues at the local level requires both an improved regulatory framework for local authorities as well as their inclusion in the development of the climate and energy strategies. It also entails adequate financial support tailored to the needs and realities of local authorities – an area to which Climate Alliance is dedicated.