Policy News
Analysis and opinion pieces on EU and national policies that matter for the energy transition.
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Energy renovation of buildings in the French recovery plan
An opportunity to be seized and pitfalls to be avoided
While proposals for France’s recovery plans abound, the challenge now is to identify the most effective levers for combining economic recovery with scaling-up of highly performant deep retrofits, which is a prerequisite for moving onto a convergent path with France’s national low-carbon strategy.
A Climate Pact for Luddites
How the Green Deal’s most ambitious element connects everything - including Zoom calls, Ada Lovelace and Frans Timmermans
“Jim, you’re on mute.” “We can see you talking Jim, but we can’t hear you.” “I’ll send Jim a message that he hasn’t turned on […]
4 Steps to Building a Renovation Wave
Key lessons from renovation pilot projects in Europe
The Renovation Wave is the key pillar of the Green Deal. If successful, it can transform Europe’s environmental performance, drastically improve the health and well-being […]
Our analysis of the EU recovery package
Big figures can only have a big impact if the real actors of the economy are involved
Last week, the European Commission published its long awaited proposal for a recovery plan. According to the EU executive branch, this major plan is supposed […]
Future LIFE programme should support governance changes and citizen energy communities at local level
Energy Cities unveils its three proposals on how LIFE can fund cities' clean energy transition
The LIFE programme has been a valuable funding instrument for local authorities to fund best practice, pilot and demonstration projects in the field of energy […]
How can Europe emerge stronger out of the current crisis?
Our letter to the President of the European Commission
Energy Cities’ President addressed a letter to the European Commission President von der Leyen to present our solution, in order to ensure economic recovery and […]
Are gas boilers the new diesel cars?
Why Low Emissions Zones for heating could be the next step in achieving a net zero Europe
I need to buy a new car next year. The Brussels region Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) means that my rather battered and polluting diesel 2008 […]
EU Climate Law should safeguard local action and reform economic governance
Energy Cities proposes three reforms that will make the difference
As representatives of European local authorities, Energy Cities believes the European Green Deal, and more particularly the Climate Law, should provide a springboard for mainstreaming these new sustainable trends and practices.
Condominiums require recognition in the Renovation Wave
Policy recommendations for a better support of multi-apartment house renovations
With their shared envelope and multiple occupants and owners, deep retrofit of condominiums presents particular challenges. These require recognition in policy at the EU and national level in order to develop the ‘enabling environment’ required to accelerate deep retrofit.
There isn’t one renovation wave
A district-level approach is needed to move quickly and deeply
Policies to promote home renovation have often failed in the past because they have taken the obvious, and incorrect, starting point – the home. Instead, […]
