Bratislava, Slovakia – December 2, 2024 – Roundtable titled "Funding the Future: EU Opportunities for Climate Action in Municipalities" brought together municipal leaders and experts from the European Union and Ukraine to explore strategies for leveraging EU funding to drive local climate initiatives. The roundtable was chaired by Alexander Duleba, Head of Research at the Slovak Foreign Policy Association, and featured a distinguished panel of speakers and participants.
The roundtable was a complementary event to the activities of the U_CAN project and was part of the Central European Energy Conference organized by the Slovak Foreign Policy Association.
Key Highlights:
• Role of Municipalities: The roundtable underscored the pivotal role of municipal governments in addressing climate change. Local leaders were recognized for their ability to implement tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of their communities, bridging gaps in national and regional policies.
• EU Funding Accessibility: Discussions highlighted the opportunities and challenges associated with accessing EU funding programs such as Interreg and Horizon Europe. Participants called for capacity-building programs to help municipalities navigate complex application processes and enhance their technical expertise.
• Peer-to-Peer Learning: The potential of peer-to-peer learning networks was emphasized as a means to foster collaboration and innovation among municipalities. Sharing best practices and forming regional partnerships were identified as effective strategies to address common challenges.
• Energy Poverty: The issue of energy poverty was a significant focus, with municipal leaders sharing interventions aimed at alleviating financial burdens on vulnerable households through energy efficiency retrofits and community-driven renewable energy projects.
• Visibility and Impact: Strategies to amplify the success of municipal climate projects were discussed, including regional events, media campaigns, and public-private partnerships. Enhancing the visibility of successful initiatives was seen as crucial for inspiring replication and attracting investment.
• Social Inclusion: The integration of social inclusion into municipal climate policies was highlighted as essential for sustainable development. Inclusive policies that prioritize vulnerable populations were shown to garner stronger public support and contribute to long-term sustainability.
• EU-Ukraine Cooperation: The roundtable also addressed the broader role of municipalities in EU-Ukraine cooperation, with representatives sharing experiences in aligning local climate efforts with European Green Deal objectives. The integration of Ukrainian municipalities into EU climate initiatives was supported to aid Ukraine’s energy transition.
The event featured participants from several pilot cities/partners of the U_CAN project: Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Vinnytsya, Kherson and Prešov and concluded with a reaffirmation of the importance of empowering local governments through financial support, technical assistance, and capacity-building efforts to lead effective climate action.
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