Green Deal is local!

Through its Green Deal, the European Union is leading the way towards carbon neutrality. Many new regulations adopted within this framework will be implemented at local level. The consequences of climate change are also local: heat waves, heavy rains, floods, landslides… these phenomena are now affecting our daily lives.

When a disaster occurs there are only local civil protection groups, firemen and local politicians that have to face the fear and damage caused. It is certainly not easy to tell a family they have to leave their home.

Many municipalities have faced such situation in August 2023 when an unprecedented storm hit Slovenia. The cost of damage is €9 billion, representing around 70% of Slovenia’s budget.

The municipality of Selnica ob Dravi took matters into its own hands. We are working on new measures to help cleaning the water streams; maintaining the roads – with right angels and drainage system to be more resilient for flooding; organising civil protection groups to be operative even if roads are damaged or without telecommunications. We are looking for public spaces and other locations to welcome people who lost their homes and installing photovoltaics to be independent of the grid.

As long-term action we are building carbon neutral kindergarten. And last but not least, we are making a lot of efforts to inform and educate people of all age to understand the situation and know how to behave.

Many people are asking where to find the money for the action needed. There is a lot of financial mechanisms available for climate projects. Many cannot be implemented at local or regional level because finance ministries have not adopted them at national level. This issue calls for action. The EU must work actively with national financial authorities to be faster in implementing all possible instruments – energy communities, crowdfunding, green bonds etc.

The importance of the Green Deal at local level was also pointed out by the Committee of the Regions. Without using all financial potential, the implementation and work towards climate neutrality will be difficult. Investing in a green, digital, resilient and carbon neutral future is the only solution for sustainable development.

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure is calling for investments in climate resilient projects. Not investing will cost more and more in the future. The future is in the hands of our generation. We have to share the responsibility, knowledge and experiences and cooperate for the good of our planet.

This editorial is extracted from our publication ‘Sustainable Regions in Action‘. Discover more here!