Climate and energy transition

The European Commission published a communication on 9 March setting out a binding post-Copenhagen strategy to 'maintain the momentum of global efforts to tackle climate change", but failed to mention local and regional authorities.

The Commission communication followed the weak and non-restrictive Copenhagen Accord commitments, which were a deception for European local and regional authorities. These authorities had lobbied, alongside local and regional governments from developing countries, for recognition in the final Copenhagen agreement, a result they never obtained.

Thus, CEMR hopes that the Commission will involve and recognise the role of local and regional authorities in the new strategy, keeping in mind that it failed to mention them in its communication. This omission is puzzling when considering that the European Parliament (EP) and Council of the EU have recently recognised the role of these authorities and that the newly ratified Lisbon Treaty changed the definition of the principle of subsidiarity, which now refers to local and regional powers.

Indeed, an EP resolution entitled The EU Strategy for the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, called 'for the EU to promote the engagement of cities, local and regional authorities in the development and implementation of national climate change strategies." The Council also highlighted in its conclusions, at the occasion of the 21 October 2009 Environment Council meeting, 'the role which local authorities will play in implementing mitigation and adaptation actions and calls for recognition of that role in a Copenhagen agreement."

Local and regional authorities do indeed play a decisive role in meeting EU climate targets, and many have already undertaken a number of measures in order to fight climate change. Thus, it is vital that local and regional governments be involved in all steps of Commission climate initiatives, rather than just at the stage of policy implementation.

The communication stipulates that the EU should begin implementing the Copenhagen Accord, using a step-by-step approach, so that it may become 'the most climate friendly region in the world" and 'enhance [...] competitiveness, strengthen [...] energy security, stimulate green economic growth and innovation and by that [...] create new jobs," (Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action). The strategy aims at setting an example for the rest of the world, in preparation for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Cancun, Mexico from 29 November to 10 December 2010.

In the meantime, the Commission will publish by June of this year, ahead of the June European Council summit, an analysis of what steps and policies would be required for Europe to reach a 30% greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. It also plans to publish a document presenting the necessary steps in becoming a low-carbon economy by the year 2050.