REMARKABLE policy roundtable: Shaping climate leadership

Over 20 participants lent their voices in the high-level discussion on the critical role of climate leadership, extending beyond the context of the forthcoming EU elections.

The REMARKABLE Climate Leaders project, a pioneering European Leadership Programme aims at achieving Climate Neutrality before 2050, provided the overarching framework for this roundtable. With a focus on sharing insights and recommendations derived from project implementation, the roundtable underscored the importance of collaboration between local and regional authorities and European institutions in driving climate action.

Setting the stage for climate leadership

1. Welcome and Introduction: Seamus Hoyne, Coordinator of the REMARKABLE Climate Leaders project & ManagEnergy initiative, Secretary General of FEDARENE, set the stage for the discussions.
2. Introductory Speech: Julije Domac, Director of North-West Croatia Regional Energy Agency and President of FEDARENE, provided context and direction for the deliberations.
3. Overview, Insights & Lessons Learned: Project partners shared their experiences and lessons learned from the REMARKABLE Climate Leaders initiative.
4. Reactions from EU Representatives:
   • Eero Ailio, DG ENER, Adviser: Presented updates on the EU’s initiatives focusing on empowering local actors and implementing policies such as Fit for 55. Emphasized the significance of local leadership capacity in achieving climate neutrality objectives.
   • Hans Rhein, Head of Unit, LIFE Programme – Clean Energy and Climate: Explored the role of CINEA in building leadership capacity at the local/regional level.
5. Roundtable with Regions & Energy Agencies: Participants engaged in discussions on the path towards climate neutrality, sharing insights and best practices.
6. Conclusions: Seamus Hoyne provided closing remarks, summarizing key takeaways and outlining next steps.

Moving forward

Throughout the roundtable, participants had access to various tools and outputs generated by the REMARKABLE Climate Leaders project, including:

• The Climate Leadership Programme design proposal, serving as a blueprint for developing similar initiatives.
• Results from an ethnographic study shedding light on the needs and motivations of climate leaders.
• A podcast series featuring interviews with leaders across Europe, providing valuable insights and inspiration.

The REMARKABLE Climate Leaders policy roundtable served as a platform for robust discussions and knowledge sharing, underscoring the importance of local and regional leadership in driving Europe’s climate agenda forward.