Renewable energy sources (RES) will have to play a predominant role in the EU’s future energy mix in order to ensure a competitive, secure and sustainable energy system. Nevertheless, the current policy and regulatory framework does not facilitate this urgently needed transition but rather reflects a business-as-usual approach. The current EU 2030 Climate and Energy Framework lacks ambition because of the low RES target of “at least 27%” but also due to its “EU-wide” level approach without binding or specific Member State contributions. Given this weak policy framework, there is however one mechanism which could increase the share of renewables to the scale and speed that is needed given today`s challenges: The idea of regional cooperation.
Therefore, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and the World Future Council hosted a series of stakeholder workshops to further develop, discuss and exchange solutions enhancing and strengthening regional cooperation aiming at a sustainable energy transition. The goal was to provide concrete examples and transferable policy solutions by discussing crucial questions with and in frontrunner regions. Therefore it has been organised in the framework of hbs’ #Regions4GreenEconomy series which are organised together with the representatives of different German Länder in Brussels, and the Global 100% RE Campaign #Go100RE.