Climate Leadership: What does it really mean?

As we face the unprecedented challenges of the climate, biodiversity and energy security crisis the need for leadership in society is in the spotlight.  While the policy and regulatory environment (REPowerEU, Fitfor55, Green Deal etc.) is highly ambitious, the challenge is now delivery. 

Climate leadership is now an absolute imperative as decisions that we will make now affect our ability to meet our climate goals in 2030 and 2050.  The concept of climate leadership is one which I have a personal interest in, as it forms a central part of my current research.  Within organisations and society there are many leadership forms and models.  Some that are relevant to the climate agenda include Transformative Leadership (leaders inspire and support people, organisations and society to deliver on innovation and change) or Distributive Leadership (leaders ensure responsibility and authority for change is spread throughout and people are enabled to implement change).  There are many more models but these two seem, to me, to align with the specific leadership approaches needed in the context of climate.  We need transformation across society (and to support people in that transformation) but individual organisations and people need to take responsibility to implement change.

Within the REMARKABLE Climate Leaders Project, climate leaders within local authorities/municipalities across Europe have been profiled to gain insights into their approaches and considerations on leadership.  What has emerged from our current leaders is their personal and professional commitment to the climate agenda and a clear ambition to deliver on ambitious climate action programmes.  As climate leaders, they ensure that climate action is integrated into all decision making but that leadership is a responsibility of everyone.  The project is working with emerging leaders through a Climate Leadership Programme to deepen leadership capacity through municipalities. These leaders are working to develop Climate Neutrality Roadmaps, thus charting a path for the future.

Local and regional energy agencies are also developing new Climate Neutrality services in response to the needs of their regions. Thanks to their role of delivery agents of sustainable policies, they have become key stakeholders to advance the energy and climate transition in Europe. The ManagEnergy European Commission Initiative has precisely been focusing on that, and is now back for four more years to raise the skills and know-how of local and regional energy agencies.

Climate leadership will require challenging decisions to be made but leaders can also grasp the amazing opportunities that the clean energy transition will bring.  New economic opportunities and jobs, cleaner environments (air, water and land) plus local, green and secure energy supply are just some of the many benefits for society if we deliver on our ambitions. 

If we are to deliver on our ambitions we all need to take a leadership role.  For 2023 – what leadership role will you take at home, at work or in society?

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Seamus Hoyne is the Secretary General of FEDARENE as well as the Chair for the Tipperary Energy Agency. He is also the Coordinator of ManagEnergy Service and Dean of Flexible and Work Place Learning at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS – IE)

This interview is part of our publication “Sustainable Regions in Action 2023”. Find out more by clicking here to discover best practices from FEDARENE members as well as an overview of our activities.