Regional Plans for Climate Adaptation and Implementation of Energy Policies

The conference co-organised by the Covenant of Mayors, the Abruzzo Region and the FEDARENE proposed a “follow-up” regarding the Paris Agreement particularly focused on climate adaptation and mitigation measures. The event was held in both English and Italian, and was moderated by Piero Pelizzaro, Climalia.

First session Sustainable Adaptation Plans

Welcoming speeches from Iris Flacco, Head of Service of Territory Resources and Mining (Abruzzo Region), and Sabatino Belmaggio, Head of Service Energy Policy, Air quality, National Environmental Information System (Abruzzo Region) provided some introductory data about the Abruzzo Region.

• Alessandra Sgobbi, European Commission, DG Climate Action, presented the EU adaptation strategy and shed light on the new developments of the Covenant of Mayors..
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• Maurizio Pernice, Director, Italian Ministry of the Environment, Directorate General for Climate and Energy describes the overall national adaptation actions taken in Italy.
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• Mario Mazzocca, Under Secretary for Environment of Abruzzo Region and current FEDARENE Vice President for Climate Change gave an overview of the regional climate adaptation plans.
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• Julien Hoyaux (Agence Wallonne de l’air et du climat – AWAC) provides the Walloon Plan air-climate-energy

Second session: Tools, methodologies and examples at local and regional levels on how to develop an adaptation

• Julien Hoyaux, Agence Wallonne de l’air et du climat – AWAC,  presents the adaptation tool for municipalities
• Patrick Biard, Rhônalpénergie-Environnement gave examples coming from the Region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
• Massimo Gattolin, Città Metropolitana di Venezia, shared his insight from the Metropolitan City of Venice
• Giulio Conte, Ambiente Italia, presents the adaptation approach of Bologna

Third session: local and regional energy efficiency policies and their financing

Paul Kenny, Tipperary Energy Agency, presented to the audience the top 7 Best Practices selected in the framework of PUBLENEF – Support Public Authorities for Implementing Energy Efficiency Policies. The selection was based on level of efficiency obtained, type of technology, type of financial mechanisms, project delivery structure, cost-effectiveness, and level of reproducibility. The good practice assessment was performed by all PUBLENEF partners and will enable national, regional and/or local implementing bodies to explain and share the critical success factors for their good practice experiences for developing and implementing EE policies (including policy planning and evaluation).

Marie-Laure Falque-Masset, ARENE Ile-de-France,  presented an assessment of national, regional and local needs for EE policy implementation and improvement. This assessment was developed in the framework of PUBLENEF – Support Public Authorities for Implementing Energy Efficiency Policies.

Nicola Labia, Italian national energy agency ENEA,  presented the skills building project called BRICKS.

Financing energy efficiency and the implementation of a support-facilitation services for energy efficiency investments in Municipalities was debated by five panelists, experts with experience in ELENA and MLEI project:

• Graziano D’Eustachio, AGENA Teramo, MLEI, PARIDE
• Massimo Gattolin, Città Metropolitana di Venezia, ELENA, Amica-e
• Julije Domac, REGEA, ELENA, Newlight, County of Zagreb and Krapina Zagorje
• Antonio Di Nunzio  A.L.E.S.A. , ELENA, Energy Efficiency in Province of Chieti
• Vlasta Krmelj, ENERGAP, Municipalities involved in the Streetlight-EPC project

The debate was moderated by Prof. Sergio Zabot, Politecnico di Milano and former ELENA project director at the Province of Milan.

Learn about the projects they discussed here and read the summary report of the debate.

Following the debate, Catalin Czasar, Energy Agency of Ploiesti-Prahova, presented the EmBuild project which supports public authorities in Southeast European countries to prepare a long-term strategy for mobilising investment in the energy sector.

To conclude the conference, the President of FEDARENE and of REGEA, North-west Croatia Regional Energy Agency,  Julije Domac addressed the topic of increasing the role of local and regional authorities in the EU Energy Union policies.