Brussels 14 September 2020 – Ahead of the eagerly awaited announcement for the Renovation Wave, framed by the Commission as the flagship initiative of the EU Green Deal, EuropeOn and several associations representing key stakeholders in building decarbonisation have sent today an open letter to the EU executive to express our concerns.
In order to kickstart the EU economy amid the current crises and with a green impetus, we have called for an ambitious Renovation Wave that will spur sustainable growth, endowed with the financial means to drive emissions reductions in the building sector while simultaneously creating green, skilled and local jobs. Doubling energy renovation rates, as initially intended by the Commission, will need incentives both from the EU and the Member States.
However, while this initiative is still presented as a major aspect of EU climate policy, its presentation has been pushed back (to probably mid-October) and could feature no dedicated funding. This worrisome turn of events has prompted EuropeOn and 8 fellow associations involved in renewables, energy efficiency and flexibility to call on EU policymakers to align their upcoming proposal with the announcement and the objectives of the EU Green Deal.
Together, we have formulated the following recommendations for a truly ambitious initiative:
- Promote integrated renovations encompassing efficiency, renewables and flexibility
- Energy Efficiency and Renewables First principle should be applied across the board
- Secure a dedicated financial envelope within the Recovery and Resilience Facility
- Promote structured partnerships among relevant stakeholders
Read the letter here
