Europe has ambitions to become a global leader in the fight against climate breakdown. Transforming the continent’s energy systems and shifting towards climate-friendly alternatives requires massive investments, especially in central and eastern Europe, where outdated infrastructure and a reliance on fossil fuels persists.
The good news is that the EU has the financial means to fund this transformation. The challenge is ensuring that the investments of today are geared towards addressing the climate crisis and Europe’s declining state of nature.
We know that when people have a voice in investment decisions, the results speak for themselves: more acceptance and ownership of spending and a greater chance that harmful and wasteful projects are avoided.
We work to ensure that EU financial flows address the climate crisis and do no harm to people and nature. We do this by involving the public in the design and spending of EU investments.
IN FOCUS
Just transition
Countries across central and eastern Europe are committing to quit coal and shale oil. Now the task is to ensure that the just transition is driven from the bottom up and leaves no one behind as we move towards a sustainable energy future.
Building back biodiversity
Threats facing biodiversity are increasing alongside the drivers of the climate crisis. But investments in climate protection should not come at the expense of those that can help biodiversity. The two crises of climate and biodiversity are interconnected and both must be tackled together, because only by investing in nature can we tackle climate change.
RegENERate: Mobilising Regions for Energetic Re-development and Transformative NECPs
The overall objective of the project is to support the CEE countries’ contribution to the EU efforts towards a net-zero emissions future. The project will contribute to more ambitious and effective climate and energy policies in CEE, backed by a long-term commitment to phase out fossil fuels, improve energy efficiency and promote renewable energy.
Latest news
REPowerEU deal is a blow to a more climate-oriented energy policy in central and eastern Europe
Blog entry | 22 December, 2022Six months after the proposal was put forward, a deal was struck by EU negotiators on the financial leg of the REPoweREU plan, the EU’s strategy to cope with the energy crisis and phase Russian fuels out of the market. National governments will be invited to quickly add new chapters to their recovery plans, which is potentially good news and a chance to further invest in the energy transition. However, Member States must avoid falling into the trap of fossil fuels, which are making a comeback in the palette of investments eligible for EU funds.
Read moreLet the sunshine in: how a coal region in North Macedonia can switch to sustainable heating
Blog entry | 21 December, 2022The government in North Macedonia wants to link the 40 year old REK Bitola power plant to the regional heating system. But cementing the dependence on fossil fuels would be reckless. Instead, a new study finds that fitting houses in Bitola with air conditioning and solar panels could keep people warm, cut air pollution and even shield against increasingly volatile energy prices. Such households forming energy communities, the study shows, could not only lower initial investments but even generate them some income.
Read morePublic participation at stake in participatory processes in the EU
Blog entry | 16 December, 2022The end of 2022 coincides with the conclusion of the preparation of the 2021-2027 cohesion policy. Soon, the European Commission will approve the last partnership agreements and operational programmes outlining the investment priorities and specific objectives for the following years. At the same time, there are other important processes to follow at the European and national levels.
Read moreRelated publications
Tackling energy poverty in EU Member States
Briefing | 2 June, 2023 | Download PDFThis 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
Checklist | 31 May, 2023 | Download PDFThis 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.
Energiaátmenet: a helyi önkormányzatok, hatóságok hogyan építhetik a helyi kapacitásokat és növelhetik az átmenet társadalmi elfogadottságát?
Briefing | 5 April, 2023 | Download PDFThis briefing focuses on enhancing local capacities, including workers’ skills, the participation process and investment opportunities to accelerate energy transition, particularly in Hungary’s three just transition regions.
