During the ENVE Commission meeting convened in Brussels on 11th of March, Hanna Zdanowska, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) Rapporeur on the ecological transition, held an exchange of views with local and regional authorities (LRAs). She said that the effects of climate change have a local dimension."In urbanized areas, a number of problems that contribute to the deepening of the greenhouse effect accumulate, both on the macro and micro scale. At the same time, solutions to the negative effects of global warming should be sought on a local scale." In this regard she outlined the necessity to apply a territorial approach and involve LRAs in the decision-making process of pro-climate actions.
Zdanowska, who is Mayor of Łódź, emphasized that local governments need direct EU funding, since without financial resources most of the necessary and expected environmental investments will not be implemented. The Rapporteur added that the green transition is not possible without the involvement of local communities, business, and universities. "Integrated planning that actively engages residents of villages, cities and regions as well as other stakeholders is of key importance. In the everyday practice of green solutions, economic entities - enterprises and households - have the most to say."
Next steps: The opinion is planned to be adopted by the ENVE commission on 31 May 2022 and later by the CoR during the plenary session of 29-30 June 2022.