We want to work together with the European Commission on concrete projects with tangible goals. In this regard we appeal for direct funding to local and regional authorities in the new MFF. Brigitta Pallauf, President of the State Parliament of Salzburg and EPP-CoR ENVE coordinator addressed European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson during an online debate on the role of cities and regions in the green recovery and on the energy transition towards climate neutrality.
Pallauf added that villages, cities and regions can serve as a bridge between citizens and the EU to get them on board in the energy transition.
CoR President Apostolos Tzitzikostas said that making the Green Deal a success depends on engaging and supporting Europe's One million local/regional governments. Stressing on the need to engage villages, cities and regions, Tzitzikostas said “We need to act together to deliver green projects today, not tomorrow. Europe's Green Recovery will happen with and in our regions and cities, or it will not happen at all”.
EPP-CoR ENVE rapporteur, Markku Markkula, had an exchange of views on his opinion "Opportunities and synergies of a precautionary adaptation to climate change to promote sustainability and quality of life in regions and municipalities – which framework conditions are required for this?’ and called for the integration of climate adaptation action and the localisation of #SDGs "It is clear that climate change has affected our forests through fires and caused flooding. We need to tackle these disasters, find common solutions and the means for adaptation to Climate Change. We need new knowledge and we have to rely more on the scientific figures."