TANDEM III: French and German Municipalities for Climate Mitigation

France and Germany were driving forces behind the Paris Agreement. Comparing the achievements in climate and energy with their self-set targets for 2020, it becomes clear neither of the countries will achieve all of their targets. Thus, both countries need to take action. Successful climate protection and the implementation of energy system transformation in France and Germany also requires exchange and cooperation at various levels.
On 22 January 2019, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel signed the so-called Treaty of Aachen, in which both countries are committing to further the energy transition and to extend their respective cooperation. Against this background, the TANDEM project was launched to involve local authorities more closely in this process. French-German climate protection partnerships like TANDEM support municipalities in their local energy system transformation. The predecessor projects TANDEM I and II had likewise focussed on the implementation of an energy transition week and French-German cooperation in climate protection at the municipal level.

Landscape with wind turbine; photo: pixabay.com/ybernardi

The project consisted of two parts over a period of 17 months. First, the implementation of the second French-German Energy Transition Week took place at the end of January 2021, during which municipalities, regions, and organizations carried out creative, easy-to-implement public climate protection events. Through this, civil society was enabled to become an active player in the energy transition process, thus increasing acceptance and accelerating its impact.

Second, a strategy was developed to ensure the consolidation and financial autonomy of the Energy Transition Week and the TANDEM project. This included further knowledge transfer, mutual inspiration, and exchange, as well as joint projects. The development of such a strategy was fostered through the following measures: a partnership marketplace, webinars, a partnership guidebook, facilitation of joint projects, and networking with French-German organizations and companies. The strategy was disseminated digitally to all partners.

The implementing partners of the project were Climate Alliance and Energy Cities. In addition to the partners, the project targeted municipalities, stakeholders at the national and state levels, all stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of local energy and climate protection measures, and citizens of the participating municipalities.