Energy Cities is the european association of local authorities in energy transition. The association created in 1990 represents now more than 1,000 towns and cities in 30 countries.

EU Parliament elections ? most important ever?
by Adrian Hiel
23 May 2019 at 12:21am

The European Parliamentary elections at the end of this month may be the most important ever. It's not that the Parliament has gained any extraordinary new powers ? it is because we live in extraordinary times.
Scientists have been clear that we have until 2030 to avoid catastrophic climate change. The next Parliament will sit for the first five of those 11 years. If we don't make significant progress in that time the window for change becomes very small indeed. We cannot waste time on more (...)

Policy brief: Ecological transition = changes (everyday life + approach)
by Claire Roumet
15 May 2019 at 1:31am

Yes, this equation seems strange ? maybe even a little absurd. It's a summary ? a very condensed one ? of the response given by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, to more than two months of intense debate by citizens on four themes, including the ecological transition.
The transition is at the heart of the concerns and social crisis in France. In the President's response, he referred it back to the most relevant actors: the municipal councils. ?The French people have confidence in their (...)

Time to redefine multilevel governance! Join the Mayors Session at ICCA!
by Tatjana Veith
13 May 2019 at 1:36am

We know the energy transition is underway but it is not rapid enough. Academics, civil society actors and policymakers all agree that the transition needs to further accelerate to meet the Paris Agreement. Society and governments need to act now and this involves an active citizenship.
All actors - from corporate energy suppliers to private citizens ? and all levels of governance - from local and regional to national and supranational ? will have to undergo fundamental changes concerning not (...)

EU-US cooperation: Unconventional energy stories from four ?allied cities?
by Alix Bolle
9 May 2019 at 12:01am

?Energy Allies? is the name of a two-year EU-funded project that supports transatlantic experience sharing between EU and US cities. In Europe, the French city of Nantes, former European Green Capital, and the German town of Heidelberg, presiding Energy Cities, exchanged ideas, challenges and expertise with the American cities of Cambridge in Massachusetts and Charlotte in North Carolina.
The first three days of ?learning labs? and workshop activities took place in Cambridge in October 2018 (...)

Unprecedented show of ambition from Mayors across Europe on a shared energy t...
by Adrian Hiel
7 May 2019 at 3:08am

More than 50 Energy Cities members have signed a joint letter to EU leaders for far greater ambition in cutting carbon emissions. The letter calls for a peak in emissions by next year, more than halving emissions by 2030 and a net zero EU by 2050.
In total, 210 cities representing over 62 million citizens responded thanks to a coordinated appeal with the networks C40, Eurocities, Fedarene, CCRE, ICLEI, Climate Alliance and Energy Cities.
It is an inspiring display of intent and (...)

New publication out: Investment needs for the local energy transition
by David Donnerer
6 May 2019 at 3:23am

The locally-driven energy transition is essential to achieve the Paris Agreement's objectives by 2050. This report is showcasing five examples of European cities, that are frontrunners in the local energy transition and which have put a number on their investment needs by 2050, in order to succeed in their transition and undertake ambitious, Paris-proof energy and climate action.
Enabling local authorities to deliver on their ambitions Responsible for 80% of energy use and CO² emissions, (...)

HOTMAPS: a free online software to transform your city's energy future!
by Sara Giovannini
25 Apr 2019 at 1:52am

Currently, Europe is using around half on its energy consumption for heating and cooling (H&C). The sector relies mostly on fossil fuels and it is responsible for about 27% of CO2 emissions. To decarbonise Europe' energy system, our approach to heating and cooling needs to change! A new open source online software for H&C planning
Hotmaps is a free online software that supports planning processes of the energy sector on the local level. It quickly provides you with a first (...)

Innovating financing : 5 handbooks to help cities improve energy performance
by Béatrice Karas
17 Apr 2019 at 12:15am

The PROSPECT H2020 learning programme enables peer-to-peer learning in regional and local authorities in order to finance and implement their sustainable energy and climate action plans. The programme builds upon successful financing schemes implemented in cities and regions in the European Union.
It helps local and regional authorities to benefit from the lessons learnt and the experience of their peers in order to launch their own investment programme.
To complement their peer-learning (...)

Policy brief: "Duty of care"
by Claire Roumet
15 Apr 2019 at 12:18am

By Claire Roumet
Last week I found out that most court cases run by citizens against their governments in the world are based on this common law term [1].
States have the duty to take care of us, and of their future citizens. And a government's inaction against climate change is, as a matter of fact, a criminal offence, as the International Court of Justice in The Hague just reminded through the highly-publicised URGENDA case [2].
This case is the symbol of a wide movement of (...)

Remunicipalisation: yes you can!
by Sara Giovannini
12 Apr 2019 at 7:27am

Inspired by remunicipalisation initiatives all over Europe, an increasing number of local authorities are expanding their role, not just by acting as planners but by operating their own companies and driving the local energy transition. Why is this trend happening? And how can a city set up its own company to supply electricity, gas, heating and cooling? The participants at our remunicipalisation workshop in Ettlingen (Germany) tried to answer these questions.
The workshop, organised by (...)