Empowering local and regional authorities to design clean Energy TRAnsition plans through Capacity and Knowledge building actions
The ENTRACK project is a project funded under the LIFE programme for technical support to municipalities and regions for clean energy transition plans and strategies. It aims to accelerate the transition to climate neutrality by increasing the energy policy expertise of eight small- and medium-sized rural municipalities in the Mediterranean.
Energy production and use are responsible for more than 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, with almost three-quarters of dependence on fossil fuels. Rapid and deep decarbonisation of the energy system is therefore essential to achieve carbon neutrality goals.
To achieve such an ambitious goal, the EU has provided multiple framework agreements. The European Green Deal aims for climate neutrality on the continent by 2050, and with the European Climate Law, new obligations have been imposed on member states, such as increasing the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030 from 40% to 55% compared to 1990 levels.
To move forward in the energy transition, the role of local and regional authorities is crucial: the effective implementation of the necessary actions must take place at local level and, therefore, local institutional bodies should be facilitators of this transition.
In this context, ENTRACK aims to support local authorities in eight rural areas of the Mediterranean in co-designing social energy policies that respond to the real specific needs of citizens, especially vulnerable ones. The project will provide local policy actors at regional and municipal level with the technical-scientific knowledge, skills and methodological approach to design and implement social energy policies and, in doing so, include citizens in their energy agendas, obtaining an important contribution from their active participation.
Objectives:
- To increase the knowledge and skills of local governments in promoting a just and equitable energy transition;
- To facilitate a structured dialogue between European municipalities and regions with different stakeholders to support the co-design of clean and fair energy processes;
- Understand the key factors that determine citizens’ perceptions, needs and priorities;
- Generate policy recommendations for decision-making on the energy transition and, in particular, on the co-design of socially fair energy policies.
Actions:
- Provide training courses to fill the knowledge and skills gaps of the pilot municipalities;
- Establish a community of practice to investigate with stakeholders the key levers and conditions necessary to promote the energy transition;
- Create a group of “climate explorers” who can act as observers and activators of change in each rural region;
- Develop energy modelling tools to assess local energy and climate policies;
- Undertake the co-design of social energy policies within the 8 pilot municipalities.
