Energy Efficiency First

The second pandemic year has been the year when in Glasgow the main political decision makers of the world are summoned to strengthen and intensify the global commitment for climate change mitigation, to limit the global temperature rise to maximum 1,5 degrees until 2100.

If they fail to understand the urgency and dimension of a global and consistent action for decarbonisation, humanity is more than certain to face a climate disaster in the next decades, far more dangerous as the current pandemic crisis.

A vast array of European actions and initiatives were launched in the last years such as Energy Union, Climate Pact, Green Deal, etc., all these expressing the EU`s ambition to lead the battle for climate change mitigation at global level.

In fact, more coherency and consistency for a comprehensive change in our lives is needed to come so as to be in accordance with the necessary sustainable development and environmental protection.

We all need to understand that we cannot continue with unscrupulous consumerism and that we must assume a rational use of natural resources and in particular of energy.

In this context, the ”energy efficiency first” principle must be integrated in all our activities and our new investment projects: it must be understood that one Euro invested today in raising energy efficiency of our products and services will produce in the future not only an economical profit but it will also determine a reduction in environmental impact and an improvement in the quality of our lives.

It is up to us, the energy agencies and regions, to be close to our citizens in our territories and to promote the application of this principle together with comprehensive actions to increase the understanding and acceptance of the rational use of energy and resources.

At the same time, we need to assume the role of forerunners and to determine our decision makers starting from local / regional up to national / European level to become more coherent and ambitious in energy policies and legislation; more energy efficiency is a must, indestructibly linked with more innovation and smartness, which leads to the sustainable future of our regions.

This best practice is issued from our publication Sustainable Regions in Action 2022. Read it now to discover many more best practices from FEDARENE members as well as an overview of our activities.