On 19-20 February 2019, Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy - Europe and the European Commission are hosting Covenant of Mayors Investment Forum – Energy Efficiency Finance Market Place in Brussels, Belgium.
Accelerating investments into sustainable energy and climate adaptation are important to ensure a climate-neutral Europe in the long-term and prepare our cities and regions for the threats and risks of climate change already known today.
Europe’s strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive, and climate neutral economy highlights the importance of maximising the benefits from energy efficiency, increasing the deployment of renewables and decarbonisation of Europe’s energy supply, and embracing clean, safe, and connected mobility amongst the identified pathways. The transition towards a net-zero greenhouse gas economy gives energy a central role as it is today responsible for more than 75% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions.
The implementation of a clean energy transition and climate resilient cities and regions is happening at a local level. Adapting the energy system at the local level will bring significant benefits for all European citizens and companies in terms of jobs and sustainable growth, lower energy bills, health, and security of energy supply as well as greater resilience of cities to a constantly changing climate.
The Covenant of Mayors is the world's largest movement for local climate and energy actions. The initiative now gathers 7,000+ local and regional authorities across 57 countries drawing on the strengths of a worldwide multi-stakeholder movement. Signatories endorse a shared vision for 2050: accelerating the decarbonisation of their territories, strengthening their capacity to adapt to unavoidable climate change impacts, and allowing their citizens to access secure, sustainable, and affordable energy.
The event presents 30 successful projects in six thematic parallel strands of dedicated interactive workshops featuring:
- Sustainable energy planning
- Financing clean urban transport
- Financing energy efficiency in the public sector
- Home renovation schemes in cities and regions
- Financing climate adaptation
- Innovative financing schemes facilitating the market for climate and sustainable energy finance
Practitioners will provide their concrete experiences in the planning and development of bankable sustainable energy investment and climate adaptation projects with the aim to stimulate and enable replication by other interested project promoters.
The H2020 Energy Efficiency, Smart Cities and Communities and LIFE programmes as well as the European Investment Bank’s ELENA facility and the European Energy Efficiency Fund (eee-f) will showcase successful projects on planning as well as financing sustainable energy and climate adaptation projects.
Information stands will be presenting European institution’s relevant initiatives and programmes.