To reach the objectives of the Paris Agreement and to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a broad transition to a sustainable, low-emission energy system is needed. The scale of this transition requires integrated solutions and close cooperation across all levels of government and civil society, states rapporteur Witold Stępień (EPP/PL).
The success of an energy transition relies on the capability of cities and regions to manage this change at local and regional levels, closest to the citizens.
Understanding local and regional characteristics, constraints and needs is crucial for this process. Stepien’s opinion calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide local and regional authorities with adequate resources and support to speed up the energy transition, with a particular focus on coal regions, carbon intensive regions and islands suffering depopulation that will be hard hit by job losses in the wake of this transition.
Opinion timetable:
- Exchange of views in ENVE: 4 April 2019
- Adoption in ENVE: 12-13 June 2019
- Adoption in the Plenary: 7-9 October 2019
