Policy & advocacy
We analyse, synthethise, and mainstream key EU policy documents. We share the latest EU policy information that impact local communities. We organise meetings and open dialogues between municipalities and EU officials. We contribute to the preparatory work and conversations that occur before EU directives are adopted.
In a nutshell, we give energy to make sure cities’ interests are taken into consideration in EU policies, for local governments to be empowered and build their own energy and climate transition paths.
Meet our awesome policy and advocacy team!
Our latest policy & advocacy actions
Improving the implementation of Climate and Energy Dialogues in EU Member States: Policy Brief
The first policy recommendations coming from the NECPlatform project and experience of setting up multilevel dialogues around the revision of National Energy and Climate Plans in 6 Member States.
The Community Power Coalition
The Community Power Coalition brings together a diverse network of like-minded organisations that share a common goal of promoting the development of citizen and community ownership of energy in the urgent transformation towards a 100% renewable energy system. The Coalition includes associations representing energy cooperatives, networks of cities and local authorities, the renewable energy industry, legal experts and diverse environmental NGOs.
The Community Power Coalition demands a full and timely transposition of the EU Clean energy package through:
- Acknowledgment of citizen and renewable energy communities in national legislation through robust and clear definitions
- Strong inclusion of citizens and communities in national climate and energy planning
- Respect for new rights of self-consumers and energy communities, supported by a strong enabling framework at national level
- Ensure fair access by renewable energy communities to renewables support schemes
- Support a fair and inclusive energy transition, making sure no one is left behind
- Acknowledge value that energy citizens and communities can provide to the energy system
- Continued support from the European institutions for energy communities at European level
- Capacity-building for local authorities to continue supporting community energy projects
Coalition for Energy Savings
The Coalition for Energy Savings strives to make energy efficiency and savings the first consideration of energy policies and the driving force towards a secure, sustainable and competitive European Union. Its membership unites businesses, professionals, local authorities, energy communities, and civil society organisations in pursuit of this goal.
Coalition members represent:
- more than 500 associations, 200 companies and 1,500 cooperatives,
- 15 million supporters and more than 1 million citizens as members of cooperatives,
- 2,500 cities and towns in 30 countries in Europe.
All members of the Coalition for Energy Savings can be found here.
The Coalition for Energy Savings calls on the EU to:
- Commit itself to a binding energy savings target by 2030 in line with the cost-effective potential
- Step up policies, measures and investments in order to stop energy waste
- Put in place and implement a strengthened Energy Efficiency Directive
- Consider the potential for energy efficiency first in all decision-making related to energy to redress the historic bias towards prioritising supply over saving energy.
The Coalition for Energy Savings has existed for nearly 10 years already and in this time, succeeded in advocating for the creation of the EU’s energy efficiency framework, namely the EU Energy Efficiency Directive.
Under the Clean Energy for all Europeans legislative package, the Coalition and its members secured the extension and strengthening of the EU’s energy efficiency framework. The EU energy efficiency target for 2030 was set at 32,5%, and in addition to this, the EU widely introduced the Energy efficiency first principle in its energy legislations.
EUFORES
European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources
Energy Cities is a supporting member of EUFORES, a European cross-party network of Members of the European Parliaments as well as from the EU27 national and regional Parliaments. EUFORES’ core objective is the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
EUFORES is supported by a variety of non-parliamentary members from the renewable energy industry, scientific institutes, energy agencies and NGOs – all strongly committed to renewable energy and energy efficiency. EUFORES has developed a broad spectrum of activities in order to facilitate exchange between its members.
“Coalitions of the Willings” of the Covenant of Mayors – Europe
The Covenant of Mayors – Europe Office has set up thematic coalitions aimed to engage and cooperate with relevant European and international stakeholders. Six thematic coalitions offer room for exchange and collaboration, and foster a coordinated approach between the various stakeholders:
- Energy poverty
- Climate change adaptation
- Heating & cooling
- Community energy
- Urban mobility
- Energy efficiency in buildings.
The Renewable Heating and Cooling Alliance
The Renewable Heating and Cooling Alliance was launched to help ensure rapid, large-scale deployment of local, cost-effective, zero-emission heating and cooling solutions. The Renewable Heating and Cooling Alliance seeks to intensify investment in geothermal, district heating and cooling systems, solar thermal and heat pumps to make buildings and industry fit for a zero-emission Europe before 2050.
