Strengthening Ownership of Climate Policy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)
Increasing Central and Eastern European policy makers’ ownership of EU climate policy by improving their understanding of the EU climate agenda and the benefits of climate action.
Climate Policy Climate Strategies and Plans
Project info
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia
12/23 - 03/26
National governments, Local governments, Regional governments, Non-governmental organisations, Media, EU institutions
345,785.16 €
Contact info
Štěpán Vizi
- Climate Action Network Europe
- Klima Fokus
- National Society of Conservationists – Friends of the Earth Hungary
Background
Lack of support for ambitious climate policy has been one of the key obstacles to a successful green transition in Central and Eastern Europe. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria are still largely reliant on fossil fuels, often without a credible scenario for the transition. Energy efficiency, the use of renewable energies, the development of strategic and legislative climate frameworks and policies, and public ownership of a green transition at the national level are not sufficiently developed.
However, the EU’s Fit for 55 package, the REPowerEU Plan, the revision of the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) offer these countries genuine opportunities for change, as these policies must be implemented at the national level in every EU Member State.
Project
With tailored publications, outreach events, direct communication and networking, the project partners, led by the Czech NGO Centre for Transport and Energy, target key CEE policy and decision makers. The project team raises awareness among government officials, members of national parliaments and the European Parliament, representatives of local authorities and others of key climate policy issues and mechanisms such as the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Social Climate Fund (SCF).
In workshops with representatives of the private sector, science, academia and others, climate-related policy recommendations are developed and then communicated to policy makers via roundtable discussions, publications and media outputs. These recommendations also take into account the many EU funding opportunities available for a green transition, including the Cohesion Fund and the Resilience and Recovery Facility.
The project team builds civil society representatives’ climate policy-related capacities and brings policy makers and civil society members to the table. The goal is to enhance civic participation and transparency regarding the implementation of climate policies, especially the revision of key strategic documents such as the NECPs.
The project partners highlight specific challenges for CEE countries that should be considered in any newly proposed European legislation relating to the Fit for 55 package and the 2040 climate targets. They also facilitate an exchange with representatives of CEE countries to raise the EU’s awareness of the unique challenges facing the CEE region.
Last update: April 2024