EU - Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (Covenant)

Programme/Initiative
Launched in 2008
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About Key activities & platform Learn more News & events
Contact information
Brussels Capital Region, Belgium
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Social media
Funded By
European Commission
About

The EU - Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an initiative supported by the European Commission bringing together thousands of local governments that want to secure a better future for their citizens. By joining the initiative, European municipalities voluntarily commit to implementing EU climate and energy objectives.

The Covenant of Mayors was launched in 2008 in Europe. Not only did the initiative introduce a first-of-its-kind bottom-up approach to energy and climate action, but its success quickly went beyond expectations.

From the beginning, the Covenant of Mayors initiative has been designed to provide local governments, in highly diversified national contexts, with a framework for their local energy and climate action based on 4 principles:

  • Consistency and transparency thanks to a common reporting framework for all
  • Flexibility and adjustability of the common framework to better take specific needs and local realities into account
  • Evaluation of the data reported by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (signatories may be suspended in case of non-compliance) 
  • Promotion and exchange of experience via the website news, social media, online and offline events…
Type of service
Advocacy
Capacity building/skilling
Multi-level governance support
Networking and knowledge sharing
Policymaking
Urban themes covered

Operational topics
Strategy
Strategy design
SUD strategy implementation
Territorial focus
Target audience

The EU - Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy is open to all local authorities democratically constituted with/by elected representatives, whatever their size and whatever the stage of implementation of their energy and climate policies. Neighbouring small and medium-sized local authorities can also, under certain conditions, decide to join as a group of signatories.

To support the thousands of Covenant signatories across Europe, other levels of governments have joined forces as Coordinators. Those Regions, Provinces, National Bodies are key to promoting the Covenant of Mayors, providing technical and/or financial support to develop and implement Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans, networking activities involving the Covenant signatory municipalities.

Finally, networks of local authorities, local and regional authorities and other not-for-profit organisations are playing a crucial role in mobilising municipalities to join the Covenant and helping with networking activities.

Key activities and platforms
The Cities Energy Saving Sprint
The Cities Energy Saving Sprint was launched in 2022 by the Covenant of Mayors Europe, the European Commission, and the European Committee of the Regions, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As part of the REPowerEU plan, increasing energy savings was essential to prepare for the winter. The Cities Energy Saving Sprint thus encouraged cities to put in place emergency energy saving measures to prepare for a winter strongly impacted by the energy crisis. Cities from across Europe of all shapes and sizes rallied to the call and joined the Sprint, sharing best practices to save energy while protecting vulnerable citizens.
#EUCitiesSaveEnergy
#FromSprint2Resilience
https://eu-mayors.ec.europa.eu/en/cities-energy-saving-sprint
The Cities Heat Detox
The way we heat today, by burning fossil fuels, is detrimental to our environment, our health, and our society. Fossil-fuelled heating, representing 72% of buildings’ heating in Europe today, contributes to climate change, energy insecurity and deteriorated air quality. There is no doubt: for a healthier and more secure future, our cities need a comprehensive cleansing of toxic heat sources.

Cities have the potential to make a big difference. Through effective heat planning and the expansion of collective solutions like decarbonised district heating, local governments can phase out gas in their heating on a large scale.

Join the movement of European cities detoxifying their heat, opting for a secure and healthy future for all.
#CitiesHeatDetox
#HealthyHeat4Cities
https://eu-mayors.ec.europa.eu/en/The-Cities-Heat-Detox
Financing opportunities - what and how to access
To navigate the diversity of support offered at EU level for local authorities' journey to climate-neutrality and resilience, the Covenant of Mayors - Europe, presents this interactive funding guide, available in 24 languages.
Funding guide
Learn more about the partner

The Covenant of Mayors was launched in 2008 in Europe. Not only did the initiative introduce a first-of-its-kind bottom-up approach to energy and climate action, but its success quickly went beyond expectations.

The Global Covenant of Mayors, launched in 2015, has been capitalising on the experience gained in Europe and beyond, and is building upon the key success factors of the initiative: its bottom-up governance, its multi-level cooperation model and its context-driven framework for action.

 

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