Align European legislation and funding with the -55% GHG target by 2030 and giving cities the means for the ecological transition

While we are still wishing each other a happy new year and sharing good king cakes with very different recipes across Europe, Energy Cities proposes in a briefing to come back on the 2021 energy and local transitions milestones in order to tackle 2022 with a clearer mind.  

2021, a very busy year with : the recovery and a new budgetary period with the innovative “Next Generation EU”; innovations also from the Horizon Europe research programme and the ambitious “100 neutral cities by 2030” mission; but also major political highlights with the proposal of the “Fit for 55” package by the European Commission, which aligns the energy directives (Efficiency, Buildings, Renewables, Gas) to achieve a 55% reduction of GHGs by 2030.  

This is an opportunity to highlight the extent to which energy is at the heart of political and social debates between coalitions, electoral programmes and the crisis in fossil fuel prices with dramatic social and economic consequences.   

2022 promises to be just as rich in political and energy news, starting with the French Presidency of the European Union before the Czech Republic takes over in the second half of the year. It is difficult to imagine future political developments, but Energy Cities has clear lines on what is desirable for local transitions and is on the outline of its political agenda. The attached briefing therefore looks at the main priorities and dates for 2022.