Oettinger said that not all recovery plan projects will be implemented. “In the next few weeks we will know more,” he said, promising to talk to local authorities and to make a proposal for re-using a significant part of the unspent funds. “We hope to have the project up and running before the end of the year,” said Oettinger. He also noted that the money should have a leverage effect thanks to public and private funds. Oettinger promised that the new energy efficiency strategy would contain a special chapter for local and regional authorities. He praised the Covenant of Mayors as a “key” element of the EU’s sustainable energy policy. “Regions and cities are demonstrating that climate mitigation is one of the best economic recovery strategies. Investment into the reduction of CO2 emissions and energy efficiency creates jobs, which by their nature cannot be delocalised,” said Oettinger.

Speaking at the conference opening, the Commission President Barroso stated that ‘Urban renovation is probably the most promising vector for economic recovery and the creation of jobs’. In his speech, Barroso also stressed the role of the Commission in supporting local initiatives for energy efficiency through ERDF funding, in particular for retrofitting in social housing (see the Editorial on page 1).

MEP Claude Turmes (Greens-EFA, Luxembourg) welcomed the possibility of new funding for energy efficiency and renewables in a local context. “What we have seen up until now is just the financing of the Secretariat and ELENA [European Local ENergy Assistance],” said Turmes. He sees the possibility of an extra €115 million, if used to leverage more finance, as a significant improvement.

“The larger the budget, the more things we will be able to do,” admitted the Vice-President of the Committee of the Regions, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso. “We are asking for more economic resources to deal with climate change. But this is not just a matter for the Community budget,” he added.

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