The European Committee of the Regions has today launched the ‘Green Deal Going Local’ working group. Composed of 13 local and regional elected representatives, its objective is to guarantee that EU cities and regions are directly involved in the definition, implementation and assessment of the numerous initiatives under the European Green Deal, the EU’s sustainable growth strategy to reach climate-neutrality by 2050.
The working group starts its works as the European Commission has put on the table a new recovery instrument of €750 billion, and has reinforced climate-related elements in the proposed long-term budget of €1,100 billion for 2021-2027. It now needs the approval of the EU’s Member States and of the European Parliament.
The ‘Green Deal Going Local’ working group has the goal of ensuring that both the European Green Deal and the EU’s recovery strategy actually translate into tangible projects and direct funding for local and regional authorities.
The working group has three specific objectives:
- To bring together the views of cities and regions in the CoR on the numerous policy initiatives under the European Green Deal, and make sure that their voice is heard.
- To facilitate EU institutions working together in order to place cities and regions at the heart of policies promoting carbon-neutrality.
- To convey the challenges that local and regional authorities face while implementing the green transition locally and to highlight their achievements and best practices, so as to facilitate their replication across the European Union.
Current priority files of the working group include the European Climate Law and Climate Pact, the Just Transition Fund, a new industrial strategy for Europe, water, hydrogen, the new Circular Economy Action Plan, bio-diversity and forests.