Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CEESEU (Central and Eastern European Sustainable Energy Union)
Reporting period: 2020-11-01 to 2022-04-30
The climate emergency requires coordinated action from all sectors of society in order to meet each country's Nationally Determined Contribution, which are at the heart of the Paris Agreement to cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that result in global heating. The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (CoM) is a voluntary union of cities and municipalities that commit to taking climate and energy action to secure a better future for their citizens. When officially joining the Covenant of Mayors, signatories commit to developing a Sustainable Energy (and Climate) Action Plan (SECAP) within two years. Adopted by each local council, a signatory's action plan describes the steps towards its 2030 targets. A SECAP seeks to attain a reduction of emissions via technological adoption and adaptation (such as refits) of municipal energy consumption, focusing on heating/cooling need, electricity production, industry, transportation, public lighting, residential energy demand, and tertiary aspects such as methane emissions from municipal waste management sites.
To build the capacity of public administrators in Central and Eastern Europe to develop SECAPs that promote increased energy efficiency, sustainable energy, reduced carbon emissions and improved climate change adaptability, helping the region to contribute towards meeting the EU's climate goals. CEE municipalities have lagged behind their Western European counterparts in developing SECAPs due to a number of reasons such as a lack of awareness and interest in the planning process, lack of expertise, capacity and access to resources as well as the need for outreach strategies or procedural changes by EU level actors, such as the CoM, that will better address the unique circumstances of the CEE. To address these concerns, the CEESEU project will:
- Create training materials and train local public administrators in the CEE on developing and implementing SECAPs, taking into account the specific contexts of CEE communities;
- Guide 23 CEE municipalities in engaging with stakeholders and carrying out multi-level governance to develop SECAPs;
- Guide CEE municipalities in financing and implementing SECAP actions;
- Offer guidance to the CoM and other EU actors on how to better reach and serve the needs of CEE municipalities in the development and implementation of SECAPs.
As a result of implementing the CEESEU project, several important longer-term impacts will be achieved:
- 650 GWh of energy savings by the end of the project;
- Improved capacity and skills of at least 645 public administrators in CEE municipalities;
- Better alignment of national and regional development plans with SECAPs in the CEESEU countries and improved national and regional sustainable energy and energy efficiency policies;
- At least 25 million Euros of sustainable energy and climate change adaptation investments;
- The Central and Eastern Europe Sustainable Energy Network will attain at least 2,500 committed members.
To build the capacity of public administrators in Central and Eastern Europe to develop SECAPs that promote increased energy efficiency, sustainable energy, reduced carbon emissions and improved climate change adaptability, helping the region to contribute towards meeting the EU's climate goals. CEE municipalities have lagged behind their Western European counterparts in developing SECAPs due to a number of reasons such as a lack of awareness and interest in the planning process, lack of expertise, capacity and access to resources as well as the need for outreach strategies or procedural changes by EU level actors, such as the CoM, that will better address the unique circumstances of the CEE. To address these concerns, the CEESEU project will:
- Create training materials and train local public administrators in the CEE on developing and implementing SECAPs, taking into account the specific contexts of CEE communities;
- Guide 23 CEE municipalities in engaging with stakeholders and carrying out multi-level governance to develop SECAPs;
- Guide CEE municipalities in financing and implementing SECAP actions;
- Offer guidance to the CoM and other EU actors on how to better reach and serve the needs of CEE municipalities in the development and implementation of SECAPs.
As a result of implementing the CEESEU project, several important longer-term impacts will be achieved:
- 650 GWh of energy savings by the end of the project;
- Improved capacity and skills of at least 645 public administrators in CEE municipalities;
- Better alignment of national and regional development plans with SECAPs in the CEESEU countries and improved national and regional sustainable energy and energy efficiency policies;
- At least 25 million Euros of sustainable energy and climate change adaptation investments;
- The Central and Eastern Europe Sustainable Energy Network
DEVELOP TRAINING MATERIALS ON SECAP PROCESS
--19 surveys conducted with energy experts from energy agencies and institutes. These interviews revealed challenges and barriers they have faced.
--Training materials were developed with strong linkages to best practices available in the field of SECAP methodology and development, municipal stakeholder processes and administrative structures, engagement of political decision makers, methodologies for collection of bottom-up related energy and municipal data and inventories, as well as introducing participants to financing (including grant writing) and implementation strategies.
--Based upon existing content from the CoM, and CEE-specific approaches that must be incorporated, training materials on SECAP implementation were developed, consisting of various topics including: Setting of targets; CoM’s “Urban Adaptation Support Tool”; Climate change mitigation and adaptation actions at the local level; Reporting methods; and Technological solutions.
--Training materials to conduct a session on energy performance and environmental data collection and on SECAP financing, adapted to the circumstances in all the CEESEU partner countries, focusing on traditional bank loans, alternative financing schemes such as Crowd Investing, Crowdfunding, and Energy Performance Contracting.
CONDUCT TRAINING ON SECAP DEVELOPMENT
--The first training bootcamp on “How to Develop Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAP)” was conducted. Due to the COVID-19 related travel restrictions, the training was held online. The three-day workshop tackled a range of issues surrounding the development of SECAPs including the initial preparation process, political participation, and stakeholder engagement as well as the administrative structures of SECAPs and data collection. A total of 28 municipalities from 8 countries had one or more representatives in attendance. Together with partner representatives, 54 people participated (exceeding our target of 30 people). Participants had the opportunity to participate in exercises and develop their own “mini-SECAPs”, downsized versions of the actual SECAPs they will eventually create.
--CEESEU held its second Bootcamp in Tartu, Estonia. The training was attended by 42 project partners and municipal representatives (target: 30) from Germany, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Austria. The three-day programme aimed at transmitting the necessary knowledge to successfully develop and implement SECAPs in municipalities in Central and Eastern Europe.
POLITICAL AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN LOCAL SECAP DEVELOPMENT
--Stakeholder mapping has been completed for 22 municipalities. The energy, social and environmental data needed to develop and monitor SECAPs have been identified. SECAPs have been completed in 4 of the municipalities so far.
--Project partners together with their local communities have engaged with regional/national governments in order to set the stage for future collaboration, especially for the SECAPs’ implementation.
--Partners worked with 21 municipalities to collect all needed data and based on this assessed the baseline energy consumption and climate risks needed to carry out the Baseline Emissions Inventory and the Risk and Vulnerability Assessment.
DISSEMINATION AND CEESEN NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
--Dissemination plan was created
--The CEESEN web platform has been updated in appearance and functionality, and articles/blog posts of interest are regularly being submitted.
--Close to 3000 page visits in 3 months, newsletter sent to 2000 recipients, SM postings sent to close to 6000 followers
--CEESEN as an NGO (in Estonia) has been established, and its development as a functional organisation is continuing.
--19 surveys conducted with energy experts from energy agencies and institutes. These interviews revealed challenges and barriers they have faced.
--Training materials were developed with strong linkages to best practices available in the field of SECAP methodology and development, municipal stakeholder processes and administrative structures, engagement of political decision makers, methodologies for collection of bottom-up related energy and municipal data and inventories, as well as introducing participants to financing (including grant writing) and implementation strategies.
--Based upon existing content from the CoM, and CEE-specific approaches that must be incorporated, training materials on SECAP implementation were developed, consisting of various topics including: Setting of targets; CoM’s “Urban Adaptation Support Tool”; Climate change mitigation and adaptation actions at the local level; Reporting methods; and Technological solutions.
--Training materials to conduct a session on energy performance and environmental data collection and on SECAP financing, adapted to the circumstances in all the CEESEU partner countries, focusing on traditional bank loans, alternative financing schemes such as Crowd Investing, Crowdfunding, and Energy Performance Contracting.
CONDUCT TRAINING ON SECAP DEVELOPMENT
--The first training bootcamp on “How to Develop Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAP)” was conducted. Due to the COVID-19 related travel restrictions, the training was held online. The three-day workshop tackled a range of issues surrounding the development of SECAPs including the initial preparation process, political participation, and stakeholder engagement as well as the administrative structures of SECAPs and data collection. A total of 28 municipalities from 8 countries had one or more representatives in attendance. Together with partner representatives, 54 people participated (exceeding our target of 30 people). Participants had the opportunity to participate in exercises and develop their own “mini-SECAPs”, downsized versions of the actual SECAPs they will eventually create.
--CEESEU held its second Bootcamp in Tartu, Estonia. The training was attended by 42 project partners and municipal representatives (target: 30) from Germany, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Austria. The three-day programme aimed at transmitting the necessary knowledge to successfully develop and implement SECAPs in municipalities in Central and Eastern Europe.
POLITICAL AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN LOCAL SECAP DEVELOPMENT
--Stakeholder mapping has been completed for 22 municipalities. The energy, social and environmental data needed to develop and monitor SECAPs have been identified. SECAPs have been completed in 4 of the municipalities so far.
--Project partners together with their local communities have engaged with regional/national governments in order to set the stage for future collaboration, especially for the SECAPs’ implementation.
--Partners worked with 21 municipalities to collect all needed data and based on this assessed the baseline energy consumption and climate risks needed to carry out the Baseline Emissions Inventory and the Risk and Vulnerability Assessment.
DISSEMINATION AND CEESEN NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
--Dissemination plan was created
--The CEESEN web platform has been updated in appearance and functionality, and articles/blog posts of interest are regularly being submitted.
--Close to 3000 page visits in 3 months, newsletter sent to 2000 recipients, SM postings sent to close to 6000 followers
--CEESEN as an NGO (in Estonia) has been established, and its development as a functional organisation is continuing.
-650 people have been trained via a various methods, including trainings provided to public administrators inside (69) and out (128) of CEESEU municipalities; and via roundtables (453).
-80 public administrators have built their capacity directly via our guidance in the development of their SECAPs. This has resulted in 73 CEE municipalities signing Covenant of Mayors 2030 Commitments (23 from inside CEESEU and 50 from outside). In turn, 22 CoM signatories will ensue from project actions.
The number of public officers with improved capacity/skills for designing and implementing SECAPs (149) has already exceeded the total target of 145.
-80 public administrators have built their capacity directly via our guidance in the development of their SECAPs. This has resulted in 73 CEE municipalities signing Covenant of Mayors 2030 Commitments (23 from inside CEESEU and 50 from outside). In turn, 22 CoM signatories will ensue from project actions.
The number of public officers with improved capacity/skills for designing and implementing SECAPs (149) has already exceeded the total target of 145.