Energy Community Climate Action Group defines pathway to meet climate change challenges

The first meeting of the Energy Community (EnC) Climate Action Group was held today, after its establishment more then two months ago. At the meeting, co-chairs of the group were appointed and the work program adopted.

The meeting which was held at the premises of the Energy Community Secretariat, in Vienna, brought together Ministers of Energy Community Contracting Parties and Observer countries responsible for climate and energy policy, representatives of the European Commission, think tanks, international financial organisations and civil society.

Connie Hedegaard, Chair of the Board of KR Foundation and former EU Commissioner for Climate Action, and Ostap Semerak, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, were appointed as co-chairs of the group, the EnC said in a statement.

“The establishment of the Climate Action Group within the Energy Community is a timely and necessary initiative. Despite the interdependence between climate change and energy being obvious – as the energy sector is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gases emissions – in the Contracting Parties, this connection needs to be reinforced further with concrete tools and instruments in order to successfully tackle existing climate and environmental challenges,” Semerak during his acceptance speech.

He added that “the Climate Action Group will make sure these challenges are met head on by facilitating the development and implementation of climate policy based on EU best practice.”

Hedegaard said that is very important to provide a space for new inspiration and open discussion between ministers of energy and climate. “Our aim is to break the silo-based mentality, share experiences and inspire each other to provide economically viable suggestions for the energy transition”, she added.

At its inaugural meeting, the group endorsed its work program, which outlines measures to ensure the mainstreaming of climate related obligations across sectors and simplify reporting obligations on renewables, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.

The group also agreed to focus on preparations for future meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC that will convene in November 2017.

The Climate Action Group, endorsed by the First Informal Ministerial Council of Energy and Environment Ministers in June 2017, is a cooperation platform for representatives of Energy Community ministries and agencies in charge of energy, climate change and environment.

Its key objective is to facilitate the development of climate policy and the transposition of related legislation into national legislation and support its effective implementation and to design 2030 targets for the Energy Community Contracting Parties.