As we enter a new year, the European Union is looking forward to a decade of climate and energy action that mobilises cities and lays the groundwork for a just transition to a climate-neutral and resilient continent that leaves no person or region behind.
The year 2019 closed with COP25, which brought together representatives from across the globe for climate change negotiations that many hoped would bring impactful commitments to action. Although internationally these negotiations were not as fruitful as expected, the European Commission took the opportunity to show global leadership by unveiling the European Green Deal, a growth strategy including a commitment to propose a climate law with a goal to be climate-neutral by 2050.
A critical aspect of the Green Deal is decarbonising the energy system, which is at the centre of the European Commission climate policy, as well as its international commitments and agreements. This involves smart integration of renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand response, cross-border and cross-region cooperation and implementing related sustainable solutions. People’s attitudes and investor preferences are changing as awareness of the cost of inaction, versus the benefits of future-proof behaviours and business models, grows.
Cities have become the source of ambition and frontrunners in the clean energy transition. International Urban Cooperation (IUC) programme cities demonstrated this once again during the Global Covenant of Mayors day at COP25 in Madrid.
Why is that?
Cities are often the right size to trial solutions before scaling them up. Moreover, where central governments lack ambition, cities step in with determination. Being close to the citizens, mayors have an advantage in knowing what works, what does not and how to engage their electorate behind projects.
Through innovative participatory processes, IUC cities have mobilised local communities with impressive results – not only in direct energy generation and consumption, but also in heating and cooling, urban transport, waste management, water, and other sectors driving energy flows. The benefits of transition become even more visible when a city opts for integrated urban planning and budgeting that takes into account, for instance, the co-benefits of building renovation and sustainable transport in terms of cleaner air, healthier people and future-proof jobs.
Engaging cities in energy and climate efforts is a valuable complement to intergovernmental climate and energy dialogues and diplomacy. To this end, the IUC programme supports city-to-city cooperation and diplomacy across borders. At the same time, the IUC includes the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), which is made up of regional Covenants in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Most importantly, the IUC delivers results.
IUC achievements so far include: 80 active city pairings made up of cities spanning four continents and about 40 countries; nearly 10,000 signatories to the European Covenant of Mayors who have produced over 6000 mitigation action plans; as well as city-to-city study visits, regional meetings of IUC cities, and three global events to bring IUC cities together with high-level European representatives. These efforts have enabled cities to push climate action forward, share knowledge, and liaise directly with the European governance level. Best practices and achievements are highlighted in IUC Case Studies, which are being updated regularly.
At the end of June 2020, this first phase of the IUC programme will end. Given the programme’s success and importance, the Commission services intend to take the IUC to the next level to continue the partnership. The next phase of the IUC will build on its earlier successes, expand its impact, and continue to support cities working together for sustainable urban development.
Through the European Green Deal, Europe made clear its resolve to become the first climate-neutral continent in the world. However, tackling this challenge will only be effective if other regions of the world also commit to raising their ambitions. Such a commitment must have citizens on board in all regions. Achieving a just transition means dealing seriously with energy poverty, facilitating transition in regions with an economy dependent on fossil fuels whilst also taking on unprecedented mitigation and adaptation efforts.
These goals will all be at the heart of the next phase of the IUC programme and Global Covenant of Mayors, for which the European Commission will increase its support.
Cities have a strong convening power. For this reason, the European Covenant of Mayors will be a central force of the EU Climate Pact, an important element of the European Green Deal. The European Climate Pact will engage cities, regions, diverse stakeholders and communities to develop and commit to pledges to transform Europe into a more sustainable continent. It will reinforce the Commission’s deeply held trust in the transformative power of committed cities and citizens, and in the increasing role of the urban sphere in reaching a just, inclusive, and sustainable transition to a climate-neutral Europe.
– Eero Ailio, Advisor on Energy Transition, European Commission, DG Energy
Header image by Nathalie Nizette, taken at the 3rd IUC City-to-City event.