Local solutions for success in EU sustainability funding
Sustainable development in EU funding programmes: What solutions could improve awareness and facilitate the implementation process at local level?
As part of the GreenGov Interreg Europe project, local partners from business, civil society, research and public administration met in Hannover to reflect on the communication, governance and methodological requirements of sustainable development (EU taxonomy, do-not-significant-harm principle and climate proofing of infrastructure) in the European funding landscape.
In order to improve the harmonisation and operationalisation of the environmental requirements of the EU taxonomy, the Lower Saxony Ministry for Federal and European Affairs and Regional Development is participating in the Interreg Europe project GreenGov. At the GreenGov workshop on 27 March in Hanover, local stakeholders were informed about the first project results and reflected on their implementation at local level.
After an introduction to the GreenGov Interreg Europe project and the presentation of best practice examples from other European regions, Dr Sauerborn (consultant for European structural policy and sustainable development) presented the current situation regarding the assessment of environmental, climate and sustainability aspects in the EU Structural Funds. Afterwards, Prof. Dr. Heinrichs from Leuphana University and Dr. Plawitzki-Beyer (Consultant to the Public Sector) highlighted the status of sustainability in local authorities and companies in Lower Saxony and the success factors for an effective sustainability communication in the context of funding programmes.
The exchange with the 25 participants of the GreenGov workshop focused on the topics of communication, governance and methodology for the implementation of the cross-cutting objective of sustainable development in the EU funding programmes of the State of Lower Saxony. In particular, target group-oriented communication, participatory approaches in the funding programmes and the production of explanatory videos can raise public awareness of the relevance of sustainable development in the project planning phase. Suggestions for improvement in the assessment process concerned the development of specific technical requirements for the fulfilment of the DNSH principle, such as EU-wide technical standards (e.g. energy standards) as quantitatively defined benchmarks. The design of flexible assessment procedures also played a role. Finally, internal training for public officials involved in the assessment process could help boosting the technical knowledge on sustainable development.
From 26 to 28 May, the Lower Saxony Ministry for Federal and European Affairs and Regional Development will invite representatives of local stakeholders to the Interreg Europe consortium meeting in Milan, where the project partners will meet to finalise a technical guide based on shared best practices for the implementation of the DNSH principle and the climate-proofing of infrastructure in the regional administration.