A European consensus is formed on achieving fast & fair deployment of RES and grids

There is a generic consensus nowadays on the need to speed up the pace of renewable energy (RES) deployment if we want to achieve climate neutrality. We also constantly speak about the need to have a fair transition, “that leaves no one behind”.

Nevertheless, many municipalties all over Europe are confronted with local opposition to RES projects and have to act as facilitator and mediator between conflicting views and interests. It became important to get to a shared understanding on what fast and fair renewables would look like, to provide municipalities with a concrete tool to support their work and decision making.

Over the past months, together with other committed organisations, associations, companies and civil society groups representing the renewable energy sector, Energy Cities has worked on creating a consensus on what is needed for the European transition to 100% renewables to be fast and fair.

Thanks to the Fast & Fair RES and grids initiative, municipalities in Europe now have a reference framework to help them mediate among local stakeholders. The principles outlined here reflect the commitment of many companies, local governments and civil society organisations to addressing the root causes of local opposition to renewables, ensuring that the transition is fair, transparent, and benefits everyone.

Mario Rajn, VP of Energy Cities & Mayor of Križevci (Croatia)

The result of these much needed discussions, led by our partner ICLEI Europe, are a set of 5 principles covering different topics:

1. Local projects, local influence
2. Local projets, local value
3. Transparency
4. Nature positive
5. Empowering Community-led Initiatives

Informed by the experiences of European municipalities, we believe these principles have a great potential to unite all actors behind the common goal of achieving a fast and fair deployment of renewables and grids.

In the future, we will continue to work with our partners to ensure the principles are properly disseminated and used by municipalities all over Europe.

Learn more at https://fastandfairenergy.eu/