EU Member States jeopardising economic recovery by locking citizens out of decision-making
June 20, 2023
EU Member States are exacerbating economic inequality, eroding democracy and obstructing efforts to create a green, transformative European economy by marginalising citizens in decision-making, a new report by the Citizens’ Observatory for Green Deal Financing reveals (20 June).
No recovery without citizens: why public involvement is key to Europe’s green transformation
June 20, 2023
The report has been written in the frame of the Citizens Observatory for Green Deal Financing project. It brings together the direct experience of nine different civil society organisations and includes seven individual case studies providing information from the ground.
REPowerEU: a closing window for energy democratisation
June 9, 2023
This briefing calls on policymakers to strengthen citizen participation in the energy transition through the ongoing revision of the recovery and resilience plans and drafting of the REPowerEU chapters.
Estonia’s REPowerEU chapter: civil society excluded from decision-making on energy transition investments
June 7, 2023
The European Commission has approved amendments to Estonia’s recovery and resilience plan and its newly added REPowerEU chapter. The country is determined to accelerate the energy transition, but more transparency is needed if it is to succeed.
Energy insecurity: EU funds for fossil gas in Poland and Romania contradict climate goals
June 6, 2023
This report reveals how much EU public money has been channelled toward the expansion of fossil gas infrastructure in Poland and Romania since 2014 as well as what plans these two countries have for using various EU funding sources to finance additional fossil gas projects in coming years.
Garden of Eden or desert? Water retention in the Great Hungarian Plain and the Recovery Facility
June 5, 2023
The 2022 drought demonstrated what experts have known for years, that Europe’s next crisis will be water. Ill-considered water management practices, damming, irrigation, and overuse of subsurface water have damaged entire landscapes on our continent.
Tackling energy poverty in EU Member States
June 2, 2023
This briefing provides an overview of selected energy poverty measures in five European countries (the Czech Republic, Italy, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia) to illustrate different understandings and approaches to tackling energy poverty across Europe.
Selection criteria for energy communities: a practical checklist
May 31, 2023
This briefing includes a set of practical recommendations for developing successful calls for proposals, including suitable selection criteria that can boost the growth of the community energy movement across central and eastern Europe.
Towards energy democracy: launch of new financing tracker for energy communities in the EU
May 19, 2023
The EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 offers a unique opportunity to use public finances to accelerate the energy transition. But to succeed, this transition must be inclusive, equitable and citizen-centred.
Latvia’s REPowerEU chapters – progress made and necessary investments
May 12, 2023
Most EU countries missed the deadline to submit additional REPowerEU chapters to national recovery and resilience plans on time, including Latvia, where few details about the reasons for the delay have emerged. Here are some ideas on how Latvia can make the best use of EU funds to help decarbonise its energy system and support its citizens.
