The Annual General Meeting of Energie-Cités’ held in Brasov (RO) on 26th April adopted the following resolution
Call to local authorities to reach the EU energy and climate objectives
It is often said that Europe is lacking in ambition and purpose.
Energie-Cités, well known for its pioneering member cities in sustainable local energy management and for the role it plays demanding binding objectives at the European level that is likely to motivate our whole society involving and empowering our citizens for common actions.
This is why Energie-Cités - despite some weak points of the final document - is pleased to welcome the decision of the European Council of 8th and 9th March, setting ambitious, quantitative objectives ahead for the Member States. Following to the proposal of the European Commission, the Council committed to cut Greenhouse Gas emissions by 20%, reduce our energy consumption by 20% and increase the part of renewable energy by 20% in our energy balance by 2020. For the first time in the history, a community of nations has willingly set themselves the objective of reducing their energy use!
Beyond this decision, two options may be considered:
1. The decision remains with the Heads of State and Government, the citizens being spectators to an event most of them will never have heard of. This is the option we want to avoid at all costs, but it cannot be ruled out. National and European leaders have developed the habit of neglecting to involve citizens in their decisions and citizens have grown used to such a situation! This option can only lead us to a dead end and we could write the official declaration acknowledging its failure in 2020 now!
2. The decision is put in the hands of the citizens and all stakeholders regardless of their field of activity. They will be invited to join together to imagine their energy future, and therefore their future society; one very different from today’s society, focused on minimising energy use. Thus, the European Union will find its way to re-establishing a link with citizens through a vital issue that concerns them all: energy. Empowering society and local authorities who are closely connected to such issues – is the way forward that Energie-Cités and its partners are going to promote in the coming months. Let Europe be the winner!
