Csaba Borboly: joint research, coordinated action and more innovation are key element of the energy transition

Met dank overgenomen van Comité van de Regio's (CvdR) i, gepubliceerd op dinsdag 31 mei 2016.

In view of the Forum on the EU i Urban Agenda, which will take place in Amsterdam on 30 May, we are publishing contributions from CoR members on different priorities of the Urban Agenda. This article is written by Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), rapporteur of the opinion on resource efficiency opportunities in the building sector.

In the context of the Amsterdam summit it is warmly welcomed that member states are focusing their efforts on formulating the new Urban Agenda. We have to face serious new challenges, so joint research, coordinated action and more innovation is to be emphasized in context of energy transition and resource efficiency.

I would like to draw the attention also to the need formulated in a recent CoR opinion on resource efficiency, that special attention must be given to the specific problems of rural regions and small and medium-sized towns, as these regions are less efficient than large towns. Their defining features need to be recognised in the definition of standards, targets and other implementation measures.

In Harghita county (RO) we also see clearly that innovation is not the opposite of tradition: traditional construction technologies and materials are considered as models of the way in which local resources can be used for efficient solutions geared to local conditions.

The CoR in its already mentioned opinion also stresses out that local and regional authorities should be consulted on indicators for resource- and energy efficiency to be prepared by the European Commission and to be given the opportunity to contribute to these indicators throughout the development process - we do have vast experience in putting into practice energy efficiency, waste and water directives, main parts of the acquis, so LRAs shall add a specific value to the results.

At regional level we also have good practice on how regions can offer support for local level in overcoming bottlenecks and threats - I may mention that by means of EU i funded interregional cooperation projects in Harghita county we managed to develop several energy efficiency projects for urban and rural municipalities. In this respect interregional cooperation and regional level application leads to designing the best quality local initiatives.

Csaba Borboly (EPP)

President of Harghita County Council (Romania)

Member of the ENVE commission