Effective NECPs through Funding, Participation, and Governance

Under the EU Governance Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/1999), EU Member States are required to set out in their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) how they intend to achieve the EU’s energy and climate targets. These plans are updated every five years and are valid for the following ten years. They are the Member States’ key planning tool for realising the five dimensions of the Energy Union.

The further development of the 2028 NECPs faces several challenges. Firstly, ambitious climate targets must be backed by concrete, effective and socially balanced measures. Furthermore, future NECPs must be underpinned by comprehensive financing strategies in order to mobilise public and private funds for the implementation of the planned measures.

The project focuses on three areas of action:

1. Systematic monitoring of the implementation of the current German NECP (2021–2030): This will enable the development of specific options for action in preparation for the forthcoming revision of the NECPs (2031–2040). Furthermore, information on the extent to which Germany is meeting the EU’s energy and climate targets will be published. This ensures transparency for the public. This analysis is being carried out in parallel across 12 other Member States as part of the EU-wide Plan4Climate project. By providing a comparative overview of national NECP implementations, the project acts as a catalyst for the transfer of best practice between countries. At the same time, the findings from the project are specifically incorporated into the design and development of the next multiannual financial framework (2028–2034) in order to improve its framework conditions. 
2. Furthermore, the project strengthens the capacities of civil society actors across borders. Through these training initiatives, these actors are to learn how to play an active role in the development of ambitious climate measures and thus help shape the future German NECP (2031–2040). 
3. The project develops approaches to assess and mitigate the social impacts of climate measures. This includes monitoring the Climate and Social Plan and just transition strategies (ETS2). As the ETS2 is enshrined in the German NECP as a key instrument for achieving the EU’s climate neutrality targets, the project will organise an exchange in the format of the so-called Weimar Triangle. This format is particularly relevant as the three countries – Germany, France and Poland – will receive over 37% of the Climate and Social Fund’s resources. Their influence within the European Council, as well as their differing perspectives on the heating and transport transitions, provide a valuable basis for analysing the framework conditions for a successful transition to ETS2.

Regular meetings, workshops and targeted activities across all work packages will promote cross-border exchange and help to ensure that innovative solutions can be transferred across borders. This will create a European learning platform that drives the ambitious and socially just further development of the NECPs.

Publications

1. Supporting a just transition to climate neutrality through the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP) (PDF EN; 5.2 MB)
2. Green Weimar Triangle: Strategic preparation for ETS2; Electrification Turbo as a key instrument? (PDF EN; 1.8 MB)