MEPs Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA) and Ciaran Mullooly (RENEW) explored this topic together with Eero Ailio (Consultant, DG ENER), Claire Roumet (Energy Cities), and our Senior Expert for European Economics Thomas Schwab. The panel was moderated by Jörg Mühlenhoff (Head of Programme for European Energy Transition, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung).
Three core principles took center stage:
- Decentralized solutions
- Multi-level governance
- Strong public participation
These principles are closely linked to the EU's cohesion policy.
Another key topic was energy security. There was broad consensus that decentralized energy supply increases resilience—especially in light of recent attacks on critical infrastructure, as we are witnessing in Ukraine.
Europe's competitiveness was also a central concern. Lowering energy prices remains a strategic objective. Real-life examples from remote regions in Scandinavia clearly show how renewable energy can reduce costs and generate economic momentum.
The event also presented findings from the Energising EU Cohesion study, which examines the effects of the energy transition on European regions. The key takeaway: the transformation opens up new opportunities—especially for structurally weak, often rural regions, which are a particular focus of cohesion policy.
One especially encouraging note: there were hardly any disagreements—neither between energy and cohesion policy experts nor across party lines. The alignment between Ciaran Mullooly and Benedetta Scuderi demonstrates that cooperation toward a climate-neutral and cohesive Europe is on the right track.
