Energy efficiency in regional planning: a European mapping in 10 different regions

How to implement energy efficiency policies and measures in regional and local planning? That’s the overall objective of the Regio1st project. To overcome this challenge, the project gathers six pilot-regions (Asturias in Spain, Ireland Southeast, Liguria in Italy, Međimurje County in Croatia, Ormož and Slovenska Bistrica in Slovenia and Western Macedonia in Greece), which led a series of regional workshops to assess it with different local stakeholders involved in climate and energy planning.

Thanks to this first regional activities, and additional interviews with regional stakeholders external to the project (from Île-de-France (France), Lower Austria (Austria), Észak-Alföld region (Hungary) and Mazovia (Poland)), a mapping has been drafted, providing an outlook of the different regional development planning cycles and procedures.

More specifically the report includes:

• A review of the planning context in the six regions,
• A review of the decision-making procedures in each partner region,
• An analysis of the planning procedures followed in each region,
• A review of how multi-level governance is considered in the planning processes;
• A review of monitoring structures.

Particular emphasis was given to the consideration of the Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle in energy planning.

The report has identified a number of areas within the energy planning process that could be improved in most of the countries and regions considered, and a number of challenges preventing the inclusion of the EE1st principle. In addition, it lists a number of best practices at regional level, that can inspire other regions across Europe.

According to the report, a comprehensive and collaborative approach involving policymakers, industry stakeholders, and communities and a sustained effort and commitment from all parties is key for better energy planning process which includes the EE1st principle.

To discover more details on the key findings, read the full report.