A pathway to a green and healthy Europe –Transformation towards Energy and Climate Agencies

While climate change mitigation is well understood, adaptation, as well as the overall impacts of climate change, are not. Energy agencies are a proven and successful partner for supporting regions and cities in the implementation of the energy and climate transition, making them an ideal candidate to tackle climate issues.

In order to empower cities and regions to take action, the capacity, scope of work and governance models of the existing energy agencies must be upgraded and adequately redesigned, transforming them into energy and climate agencies. REGEA is at the forefront of this process and has initiated this need of transformation within the framework of the EIT Climate-KIC funded project Transform4Climate together with two other energy agencies: Infrastrutture REcupero Energia Agenzia Regionale Liguria and Cyprus Energy Agency.

REGEA is already hard at work in the area of climate and energy integration together with the cities and municipalities within the region. The two examples which should be highlighted here are the cooperation with the Cities of Karlovac and Zagreb. REGEA is developing the guidelines for the first green spatial plan in Croatia for the city of Karlovac. This process will empower the city to explicitly define the trajectory of its development with mandatory actions in terms of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Once finalised, this green spatial plan will be a catalyst for a systemic change within the city, enabling its transition in line with the EU Green Deal.

In cooperation with the City of Zagreb and its Institute for spatial planning, REGEA is developing a green infrastructure utilisation plan for the City in an effort to steer its post-earthquake recovery in an efficient and environmentally-friendly way. This process will highlight and demonstrate the potential to utilise natural and nature-based solutions to combat adverse climate change effects and synergise with energy efficiency measures. These two examples highlight the potential for climate action we as a community have and can already work on.

Cities and regions have the desire and ambition to become greener, sustainable and more resilient. However, they will need our support to implement this vision. Energy agencies must adapt to the changing times and enforce their roles as the leaders of this movement. By adopting the transition from energy into energy and climate agencies, we will have the capacity to do so and steer the transition and resilience built up in the regions we were established by.

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Take a look at Zagreb’s new article on EU Mission Stories for more information on their adaptation solutions.