Energy for Mayors focuses on Supporting Structures

Author: Maryke VAN STADEN, Communications Officer, Energy for Mayors, Germany - Email

The ENERGY FOR MAYORS project is, uniquely, the first IEE co-funded project that explicitly addresses Covenant of Mayors (CoM) Supporting Structures (SSt), as well as cities and towns across Europe. Its main aim is to support the development of more sustainable energy communities across Europe, providing guidance to a number of cities and towns, as well as to Supporting Structures.

In this way, it will assist the successful implementation of the CoM and increase movement at the local level towards the EU 20-20-20 targets, by achieving:

• 180 new municipalities joining the Covenant of Mayors
• 60+ municipalities accompanied with their SEAP development and implementation
• 16 new Supporting Structures created to help communities
• 10 Energy Days organised per year in the project regions
• 8 pilot Energy Management Systems (EMS) implemented
• Uncountable benefits for each community - from energy and financial savings to a better quality of life for citizens!

The role of Covenant of Mayors Supporting Structures (SSt)

Regardless of whether they are public adminstrations or local / regional government networks, SSt are important actors that have made a commitment to support the aims of the CoM. To varying degrees they support local communities with their local climate and energy activities. Each SSt focuses on its unique geographical region, for example a province (such as the Province of Modena), a regional focus (such as the Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities), a country or even a European focus; the Coordinamento Agende 21 Locali italiane, for example, addresses Italian municipalities, while ICLEI Europe focuses its activities in cities, towns and associations across Europe. Many SSt have developed their own methodology(ies), tool(s) and support mechanisms to guide cities and towns.

Energy for Mayors assists the Supporting Structures underpinning sustainable communities

Currently the ENERGY FOR MAYORS consortium is busy exploring and categorising the support offered by SSt, including results from a survey disseminated via the CoM office during summer 2010. In addition to having a range of skills and expertise, SSt may also have specific needs for capacity improvement. This could include, for example, a requirement for specific information, knowledge or tools to optimise the support the SSt offer to their local communities. This second element forms part of the ENERGY FOR MAYORS survey, with feedback obtained being used to develop a training programme specifically for SSt.

All SSt and those organisations interested in joining as SSt are invited to participate in the upcoming Training Workshop for Supporting Structures scheduled to take place in Huelva, Spain, on 18-19 November 2010. For details on the programme and to register, please check the project website for updates, or send an e-mail to Maryke van Staden (maryke.van.staden@iclei.org).

The 1st results collected from SSt will also be added to the Energy for Mayors ‘toolbox’. This toolbox will help to centralise publicly available support material and guidance (in many different languages), and can be used by other networks and governments in support of their local communities’ energy and climate action. The toolbox will be launched online – from more details please visit www.energyformayors.eu.

The coordinator for Energy for Mayors is Dario Miroglio, Province of Genova, Italy
Email: miroglio@provincia.genova.it