Page 15 - European Energy Innovation magazine - autumn 2022 edition

Autumn 2022 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION 15

transition in all rural and island
municipalities across the region. In
order to achieve this, the community
is bringing together a group of
like-minded municipalities and
organisations committed to the
Ecosystem Transition Unit (ETU)
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Inititaive a goverance framework
based on five main revitalisation
principles: apply an ecological
approach, ensure territorial equality,
encourage social innovation, promote
green economy, and based on
cooperation and commitment.
The ETU Initiative is addressed
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to local authorities, entities and
organisations that:
• Want to foster a local energy Fig 2: ETU model components and mainstreaming policies.
community; Source: ETU White Paper (2022) Interreg Med Renewable Energy .
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• Are in the process of updating
their Sustainable Energy Action
Plan (SEAP) and developing their mainstreamed the ETU toolbox to The ETU Initiative continues
Sustainable Energy and Climate 9 flagship cases across Spain, Italy, encouraging other municipalities and
Action Plan (SECAP); Croatia, and Greece by supporting local entities to join the movement
their renewable energy plans, by showcasing their energy transition
• Wish to promote a project or renewable energy communities, actions based on an holistic
initiative linked to energy and and strategic climate-neutral and governance approach (ecological,
ecological transition in their circular economy projects. An overall territorial, social and economic).
territory impact on around 156,000 inhabitants Municipalities are invited to share
distributed 21.3% in islands, 70.2% in their experiences and support the
The energy transition requires the small municipalities, and 8.5% in rural ETU principles through the Letter of
active participation of society, areas. Commitment . All signatories will help
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local authorities and associations, to encourage the visibility of good
businesses and innovative centres. What we had learned is that practices based on fair and inclusive
The ETU aims to synthesise an rural areas despite of their low energy transition in rural areas.
integrated approach for the rural density, have a lot of potential
revitalisation process, taking energy when it comes to achieving energy We intive you to attend the official
transition as a starting point. transition objectives, also for the workshop as part of EU week of
implementation of renewable energy regions and cities:
In the framework of the Interreg communities. Nevertheless, rural
MED Renewable Energy project, areas and islands require tools and Powering GREEN Energy Transition
the ETU Initiative launched a solutions to identify, coordinate in rural communities through social
call in 2021 addressed to small and establish strategic alliances and territorial innovation ONLINE
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municipalities, rural areas and to accelerate the transition in an -Tuesday, October 11, 2022 9:30 AM
islands . The experience allowed to inclusive and green way. to 11:00 AM. l
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1 OECD (2020) »Managing Environmental and Energy Transitions for Regions and Cities« https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org.
2 https://renewable-energies.interreg-med.eu/
3 Cynthia Echave.; Danilo Ceh.; Alexia Boulanger.; Jennifer Shaw-Taberlet. (2019); An ecosystemic approach for the energy transition in the Mediterranean
Region; SyNERGY MED 2019. shorturl.at/dnpS0
4 https://etuinitiative.eu
5 C. Echave et al. (2022) »ETU White Paper«. Interreg MED Renewable Energy. https://etuinitiative.eu/the-etu/#toolbox
6 ETU Flagship Cases Booklet.
7 https://etuinitiative.eu/etu-letter-of-commitment/
8 https://eu.app.swapcard.com/event/euregionsweek-2022/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfOTYwNjMx

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