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Resolution of Climate Alliance on the EU climate and energy policies in light of the 2030 framework
Resolution of the Climate Alliance General Assembly 2013
In April 2013, the European Commission presented its Green Paper on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies. This document launches the discussion on the post 2020 energy and climate policy framework and will set the ambition for these policies for the next decade.
The Green Paper does not mention at all the local authorities. However, the members of Climate Alliance have been working for a long time to reduce their CO₂ emissions, and the Covenant of Mayors initiative has more than 4500 signatories committed to go beyond the EU energy and climate targets set for 2020. The efforts of local authorities need to be recognized and supported both with adequate policies and financing.
We call for ambitious and binding targets
Binding targets for climate and energy policy are a must. The one 2020 target that is not binding today – the 20 % energy efficiency target – is the only target lagging behind. The stock taking on the national targets (that the Member States were supposed to have delivered by the end of April 2013) is crucial. We believe that a binding target for energy efficiency is needed, in particular if Europe is to go towards energy service markets where we move from making money from selling energy to markets based on energy services.
Renewable energy sources will play a major part in Europe’s long-term decarbonisation efforts. Local energy companies are seen more and more as an important source of this future energy production. Citizens, and local governments, are forming new initiatives to provide locally produced green electricity for their community. There are communities that have set a target for using 100% renewable energy – or aim at becoming carbon free. Support for such policies is needed!
Climate Alliance already has a CO₂ emission reduction target of reducing emissions by 10% every 5 years. An ambitious CO₂ reduction target for 2030 is needed at the EU level in order to achieve the target of 85-95% less CO₂ emissions by 2050. Sector specific reduction targets should also be encouraged when necessary, for example for tackling transport related emissions. However, support for agrofuels, harmful to biodiversity, human rights, food security and the climate, has to stop.
The Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) – and the attempts to make it function – are crucial in light of the discussion on the future climate and energy objectives. The ETS needs to be strengthened and its proper functioning guaranteed. Without an adequate price the CO₂ reduction target will not be accomplished. If the ETS fails, the only way to ensure necessary emission reductions will be a carbon tax.
Coherent targets for CO₂ emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energy are necessary. The CO₂ emission reduction target alone is not sufficient to ensure ambitious climate and energy policies in Europe and to use the existing opportunities to achieve a greener and more competitive Europe.
We call for an adequate framework for 2030 policies in particular linked with financing
Securing long term financing is crucial to help enabling implementation of long term strategies such as Climate Plans and Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) locally. More attention needs to be placed on introducing innovative financing models, and redefining and improving existing funding schemes. Guidance on how to best combine different financing sources and what opportunities exist to fund different climate and energy related actions and projects should be provided.
Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAP) prepared in the context of the Covenant of Mayors could be used as a ‘passport’ for EU funding. SEAP could serve as a quality standard for receiving EU funding, as the evaluation is carried out by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, and ensures that the local authority has a strategy with defined targets and mature projects and actions on sustainable energy.
Finally EU funding and in particular the Horizon 2020, the new framework programme for research and innovation, need to fund also non-technical innovation (such as new ways of working, innovative partnerships), capacity building and new financial mechanisms. Innovations need to be rolled out widely and the Intelligent Energy Europe programme under the “Market uptake of energy innovation” can ensure this. Climate Alliance strongly believes that the outstanding actions of local and regional actors currently financed under the IEE programme should be continued and reinforced within the Horizon 2020.
We call for a collaborative approach for shaping our energy future
Everyone can have a role in the new energy system – and help shaping it. There are more and more people producing their own energy via micro co-generation or building houses that are zero energy or even net energy buildings. Also small cooperatives and community based energy solutions are getting more and more popular.
Local authorities will have a central role in bringing together the private sector and other stakeholders to develop and implement new ideas and innovations in the field of climate and energy, and thus facilitating the transition towards a more sustainable future.
European institutions should consider local authorities as an important ally in both shaping and implementing the EU wide climate and energy objectives – now and in light of the 2030 framework. Initiatives such as Covenant of Mayors should be continued and reinforced with other initiatives supporting local action and providing targeted financing. And the role of local authorities need to be explicitly acknowledged in the 2030 climate and energy framework.
