CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Italy Albania Montenegro (South Adriatic)

Date of latest update: 2025-11-19

Description

Description (EN):

Pollution and climate change are global challenges, which require joint climate adaptation strategies and plans on renewable energy. CLEAN’s goal is to contribute to a greener South Adriatic by promoting energy efficiency across the region, capitalizing on the experiences gained by the EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (CoM) - network with more than 11.600 cities – that require signatories to prepare a “Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan”(SECAP). Public officers from both sides of the Adriatic will analyse policies and best practices focusing on the EU Energy policy and, in particular, the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) with recent reform proposals (March 2023). With this regard, SECAPs represent the perfect tool for sustainable territorial planning, since it complies with the “energy efficiency first principle” set in the EED which requires that cost-efficient efficiency measures must be the main driver of policies and energy investments. Public officers from both sides of the Adriatic will then discuss of the CoM and how to join it by studying the drafting process of the SECAP, by also deepening the official guidelines, and learning from local and international best practice. Their improved knowledge will lay the foundation for a joint action plan, aimed at defining a common strategy to further extend the CoM and practices in the programme area, whose implementation will be supported by a Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU will also create a control room to support municipalities in seeking EU/national funds, creating partnerships, synergies. The innovation stands in the approach that the partners want to use and further develop in drafting the SECAP; building on the knowledge developed thanks to the workshops, partners want to create a tailored-made methodology that takes into account the peculiarities of the territories, the evolution they have had over the last 30 years in terms of climate change and possible future scenarios.

Actual Achievements (EN):

During the first implementation period, the following activities were conducted by the project partners: - The LP coordinated the partnership's activities to establish a foundation for the proper implementation phase of the project. Moreover, the LP coordinated internally to appoint the project staff. - On April 2nd, 2024, the first online partnership meeting was organized to establish expectations, provide clear direction, and outline the general rules for organizing project activities, divided per each category (workshop and action plan). During this meeting, the LP also introduced the main aspects of the project implementation phase to the whole partnership. - The PPs signed the Partnership agreement on April 18th, and the LP uploaded to the JEMS platform. On the other hand, the Subsidy Contract was signed on April 26th 2024. - The LP also coordinated with the partners to begin drafting the agenda for the first project activities and to address the administrative difficulties that each PP faced in order to be able to finalize the procedures necessary for implementing the first project activities. - It is also important to mention that the LP created the project poster and roll-up on the template foreseen by the Programme and shared with the partners. - During the first project period, the PPs have started the administrative activities linked with the acknowledgement of project funding and relatad activities in their ballance to start the internal procedures necessary for a proper project implementation. During the first phases of project implementation, the CLEAN partnership has laid the groundwork for a structured and collaborative approach to advancing energy efficiency policies across the South Adriatic area. While operational constraints and administrative delays have affected the pace of activities for some partners, substantial progress was made, particularly under the coordination of the Lead Partner, Regione Puglia. One of the most significant achievements in this period was the successful organisation of the transnational workshop held in Bari on 4 November 2024, under Activity A.1.2. The event served as a strategic milestone for the project, gathering local and regional authorities, experts, academic institutions, and stakeholders from Albania, Montenegro, and Italy. The workshop enabled a rich exchange of experiences and approaches to sustainable energy planning, as well as an open discussion of the challenges and opportunities of Covenant of Mayors (CoM) implementation in each partner country. Among the participating institutions were representatives from various municipalities (including Budva, Kotor, Gjirokaster, Campi Salentina, Fossalto), regional technical agencies (ASSET), national-level actors (ENEA), financial institutions (European Investment Bank), universities (University of Salento, Polytechnic University of Bari), and research centres (Fondazione CMCC). This diversity of profiles ensured a comprehensive and multi-perspective dialogue on energy transition governance. The workshop contributed not only to awareness-raising and capacity building, but also to the design of future actions, including content development for the national Action Plans and ideas for the subsequent testing phase. In particular, preliminary methodological frameworks and examples of replicable measures were discussed, laying the foundations for the Italian Action Plan (A.1.11), which is now under development. Moreover, the Lead Partner began to outline the structure of the Italian Action Plan, which will form the basis for the Joint Action Plan (JAP). The added-value of the cooperation lies in the ability of partners to bridge regulatory, institutional, and operational differences across the three countries, fostering alignment in policy planning and implementation. Through joint reflection, exchange of good practices, and mutual support, the project is enabling smaller municipalities and less-resourced regions to benefit from shared tools, expertise, and policy frameworks. Finally, coordination efforts have continued across the partnership to prepare upcoming project activities in Albania, Montenegro, and Italy.

Project outputs: Extending the Covenant of Mayors in the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Region(EN)

Thematic information

Waste and pollution

Priority: (VI-A_SA(I-A-M)_PA 2) A greener South Adriatic programme area, by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate adaptation and risk management

Priority specific objective: RSO2.1. Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 044 Energy efficiency renovation or energy efficiency measures regarding public infrastructure, demonstration projects and supporting measures

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Regione Puglia

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 01105250722 | dipartimento.ambiente.territorio@pec.rupar.puglia.it (EN)

Department: Department of Environment, Landscape and Urban quality

Address: Via Giovanni Gentile, 70126 Bari, Italy

Department address: Via Giovanni Gentile, 70126 Bari, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: https://www.regione.puglia.it/

Total budget: EUR 58 980.48

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 47 184.38

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 11 796.10

Comune di Fossalto

Name: Comune di Fossalto

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 00069690709 | comune.fossaltocb@legalmail.it (EN)

Address: Piazza Roma, 86020 Fossalto, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.comune.fossalto.cb.it

Total budget: EUR 38 390.76

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 30 712.60

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 7 678.16

OPŠTINA BUDVA

Name: OPŠTINA BUDVA

Department: EU INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION OFFICE FOR MB

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 936413654

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 02005409 | kabinet@budva.me (EN)

Address: MEDITERANSKA , 85310 Budva, Montenegro

Department address: MEDITERANSKA , 85310 Budva, Montenegro

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://budva.me/

Total budget: EUR 33 741.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 28 679.85

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 5 061.15

Bashkia Gjirokaster

Name: Bashkia Gjirokaster

Partner’s ID if not PIC: K43025617O | contact@bashkiagjirokaster.gov.al (EN)

Address: Sheshi Cesciz Topulli , 6001 Gjirokastër, Albania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://bashkiagjirokaster.gov.al/

Total budget: EUR 36 607.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 31 115.95

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 5 491.05

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Fossalto

CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Partners and Projects info

MUNICIPALITY OF BUDVA

CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Partners and Projects info

Bashkia Gjirokaster

CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Partners and Projects info

Apulia Region

CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Project acronym: CLEAN

Project ID: SA-0100196

Project start date: 2024-02-01

Project end date: 2025-10-31

Project status: closed

Relevant linked projects:

Covenant of Mayors
Is an initiative launched in 2008 by the European Commission, that nowadays bring together more than 11.000 local governments that want to secure a better future for their citizens. By joining the initiative, municipalities voluntarily commit to implementing EU climate and energy objectives
(EN) | CoM aims at providing local governments, set in totally different national contexts, with a common framework for their actions on energy and climate.
Principles of this framework are:
- consistency and transparency, thanks to a common reporting methodology
- flexibility and adjustability (it take into consideration specific needs and peculiarities of the territories)
- evaluation of the data reported by the JRC
- use of common tools (website, newsletter, social media, online and offline events) to share experiences and practices
CoM requires that signatories prepare a “Sustainable Energy and Action Plan” (SECAP) within 24 months.
CLEAN’s goal is to promote energy efficiency by supporting local authorities in the adhesion process to the CoM and providing the right information and tools for drawing up their own SECAP.
By connecting with the CoM, CLEAN will have a file made up with more than 7.500 SECAPs to be used as a learning tool that will be enable public officers to join the CoM.
The CoM, in turn, will see its “community” grow and have new practices to share amongst members.
(EN), REEHUB -
Regional Energy Efficiency HUB
Interreg IT-AL-MN
(EN) | The main goal of REEHUB is to increase energy efficiency of the public buildings inside the Programme area, through a network of hubs, enabling the training of building managers on energy-efficiency measures. In addition, the project aims to guarantee suitable and effective communication to consumers and awareness-raising at all levels of society. The idea is to create public venues where all the stakeholders involved can find tangible examples on how citizens can contribute to a sustainable growth, aligned to circular economy principles. The ambitious result is to shift from old buildings to low-energy or zero-energy buildings. (EN), Region2030: monitoring the sdgs in the eu regions – filling the data gaps (EN) | One of the main problems of setting up policies, strategies and actions to tackle climate change and protect the environment is even if targets and indicators are set, their monitoring is hindered by the lack of data – both in quality and quantity -.
The pilot project, involving ten regions, has two main objectives:
- Engaging EU regions in the monitoring process of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to provide a framework for regional authorities to monitor the SDGs in their territory, and to support and enhance regional statistical capacities in the collection of data, the monitoring, and the evaluation process
- Increase local ownership of the SDGs and openness and transparency in achieved results – to provide tailored training to regional authorities for the proper collection and analysis of data, to ensure their quality, and make all the data available to the public.
The project will conclude in December 2023, with four expected results:
- To have defined and tested a harmonised set of indicators for EU regions to monitor the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- To have increased the knowledge and capacities of EU regions on monitoring and reporting of the SDGs
- To have engaged EU regions in a participative process of localising the SDGs
- To have improved the regional data and knowledge base in support of the EU’s regional and urban policy
The Apulia Region (LP) is one of the pilot areas selected for carrying on the activities and meeting the targets requested.
The teams delivering the two projects will share the progresses, take advantage of mutual output/deliverables, evaluate possible synergic initiative that can be further undertaken during and after the project.
(EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 167 719.24

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 137 692.78

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 82.10%

Co-financing sources:

IPA/IPA II/IPA III: Amount, EUR 137 692.78. Co-financing rate, 82.10%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Application form complete
Signed declarations
Report of the workshop
Report of the workshop
Report of the workshop
Report of the workshop
Report of the workshop
Report of the workshop
Report of the workshop
Context analysis in Montenegro
Montenegro Action Plan
Testing of the model in Montenegro
MoU
Context analysis in Albania
Albanian Action Plan
Testing of the model in Albania
MoU
Context analysis in Italy
Italian Action Plan
Testing of the model in Italy
Joint Action Plan
MoU
Conference report
FLC certificate, report and checklist for LP
FLC certificate, report and checklist for PP4

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion CLEAN’s goal is to promote energy efficiency in the regions, increasing cooperation and connections between cities and different EU/national authorities, and building capacity on preparing “Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan”.
CLEAN is therefore perfectly aligned with the Pillar 2 of the EUSAIR strategy - “Connecting the Region”-, since it pursues the objective “To achieve a well-interconnected and well-functioning internal energy market supporting the three energy policy objectives of the EU – competitiveness, security of supply and sustainability”.
The project creates the right conditions to adopt the EU rules on energy and prepare integrated plans with measures on energy efficiency and renewables, which is one of the actions part of the flagship “POWER NETWORKS AND MARKET FOR A GREEN ADRIATIC-IONIAN REGION, designed to meet the EU Policy Objectives no. 2 and no. 3 for a greener, low-carbon and more connected Europe.
CLEAN aims to spread across the region the good practices developed by the Covenant of Mayors (CoM), an initiative launched in 2008 by the European Commission; given the importance of the CoM in the EU context and in order to increase the chances of success of the project, the results will be shared with the Thematic Steering Group so to explore the possibility develop programmes or calls suitable for supporting their subsequent implementation.
Other CLEAN aims at promoting energy efficiency with joint cross border initiatives based on the best practices developed by the Covenant of Mayors.
The European Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives, which aims to set the EU on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
CLEAN is fully aligned with the overall strategy proposed into the European Green Deal.
In particular with pillars
- 2.1.2. Supplying clean, affordable and secure energy
“Energy efficiency must be prioritised” in order to reach climate objectives in 2030 and 2050 and he decarbonise at the lowest cost possible
- 2.1.4. Building and renovating in an energy and resource efficient way.
The “Energy efficiency first principle” must be implicit when it comes to building or renovating constructions, in order to save natural and financial resources
Energy Efficiency is also a pillar of the EU Energy Policy, in particular of the actions aimed at reducing the dependence from the Russian LNG.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Italy Albania Montenegro (South Adriatic)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-11-19

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

51 / 51 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

230 / 230 (100%)

Notes on the data

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CLimate changE covenANt of mayor

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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