European Climate Initiative (EUKI)

📬 Our April Newsletter is out! As the final preparations for EUKICON26 are underway, this month’s edition offers a preview of the key discussions and panels shaping the conference dialogue. It also highlights how concrete climate action is being implemented across the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) community — from addressing the energy performance gap in public buildings to strengthened regional cooperation on decarbonisation in the Western Balkans and introducing EUKI’s latest project cohort.   𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂: 🗣 𝗘𝗨𝗞𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗡𝟮𝟲 is just around the corner! The sixth EUKI Networking Conference, taking place on 19–20 May in Berlin. Under the theme “Doubling down on climate action,” the conference will bring together participants from across Europe. It will feature panels on the climate and security nexus, alongside workshops on just energy transitions and peatland solutions. Followed by discussions on methane emissions and carbon capture and storage. We look forward to gather the EUKI Community in Berlin! 👩💻 Register now for the 𝗘𝗨𝗞𝗜 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 on 16–17 June in Bucharest! It's a two-day, hands-on training designed for communicators from EUKI projects, NGOs, public institutions, and academia. The workshop provides practical tools to develop tailored communication strategies, helping participants ensure their project messages reach the right audiences and maximise impact. Registration is open until 15 May!    𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨𝗞𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 🔹 Get an overview on EUKI’s latest project cohort, Call 9. 🔹 At a regional conference in Sarajevo, the Green Kick project brought together participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia to exchange on local decarbonisation practices.  🔹 A new database by Frank Bold supports companies in improving sustainability reporting and aligning with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).  ... and more!   📩 Discover the full EUKI newsletter and stay up to date with climate action across Europe 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBm-Yh6g   Let’s keep up the great work together! #EUKICON26 Centre for Development and Support FORS Montenegro Smart Kolektiv Energy Policy Group Association of Municipalities Polish Network „Energie Cités” Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect Regional Energy Agency North (REA Sjever) Frank Bold Sorin Cebotari Ada Roseti

✨ Welcome to the EUKI Community: 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗘𝗘 Central and Eastern Europe is at a turning point. Fossil gas still dominates energy systems across the region, but a coalition of think tanks is working to change that. We're proud to support the new EUKI-funded project 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗘𝗘. It will develop evidence-based strategies and policy recommendations to accelerate the fossil gas phase-out across Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Greece. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: ✓ Stronger civil society advocacy ✓ Evidence-based policy recommendations ✓ Cross-country knowledge exchange ✓ Increased public awareness 👉 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dDp7mMAZ #EUKI #ClimateAction #FossilGas #EnergyTransition #CEE #ClimatePolicy Martin VladimirovCenter for the Study of Democracy E3G Energy Policy Group REKK Regional Centre for Energy Policy Research The Green Tank

🏛️ Heritage meets innovation in Cieszyn: How do you cut emissions in protected builings from the 19th-century without invasive renovations? The Polish city of Cieszyn found the answer: smart heating control systems that reduce energy consumption while actually improving comfort. Through EUKI project Ready4NetZero, the city installed remote monitoring systems in 10 historic municipal buildings. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲: ✅Noticeable reduction in heating consumption ✅Real-time data for evidence-based decisions ✅Stabilised temperatures and faster problem response ✅No compromise on heritage conservation This is a scalable model for small and medium-sized European cities balancing climate ambition with architectural preservation. Read the full publication here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dafQSejh #EUKI #SmartHeating #ClimateAction #Cieszyn #Ready4NetZero Izabela Kuśnierz Ecologic Energiaklub Climate Policy Institute North West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA) Energy Cities Romania

✨ Welcome to the EUKI Community: 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗸🌲 The project ForBioSink strengthens biodiversity-rich, climate-resilient forests in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Serbia. It develops science-based management strategies to enhance carbon sequestration and long-term climate mitigation. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: ✓ Biodiversity criteria integrated into forest management strategies ✓ Guidelines for forest conservation and restoration ✓ Knowledge exchange across four countries ✓ Regional training for forest owners and managers 👉 Learn more about this EUKI project: https://lnkd.in/dJ-bnPPc #EUKI #Forests #CarbonSinks #Biodiversity #ClimateAction #ForestManagement Cornelia Amon Bundesforschungszentrum für Wald (BFW) CzechGlobe

🎙️ Last spots available: Join the EUKI Communication Strategy Workshop in Bucharest! This workshop will teach you how to develop communication strategies to help your EUKI project achieve real impact. 📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 16–17 June 2026 🕘 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 09:00–17:00 (EEST) 📍 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Bucharest, Romania 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹: 🔹Develop an effective communication strategy for your EUKI project 🔹Strengthen your public relations activities 🔹Align your communication with your project goals 🔹Gain practical tools to implement your strategy Sign up here until 15 May 2026: https://lnkd.in/dFN7P3gg Laura Müller Oliver Hölcke Sorin Cebotari Ada Roseti Ellinor Strowel

Why do renovated buildings consume 30% more energy than predicted? New guidelines by EUKI project OUR-CEE examine the "energy performance gap" – the discrepancy between calculated and actual building performance – based on evidence from Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania. The report highlights systemic challenges at every stage of the renovation process. These include financing constraints, insufficient planning, inadequate technical capacity and a lack of post-renovation monitoring. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: 🏗️ Quality-oriented procurement with on-site supervision 📊 Systematic post-renovation verification and tracking 💰 Performance-linked financing with monitoring as eligible cost 📋 Portfolio-based planning using Building Renovation Passports The guidelines include a practical checklist for municipalities to self-assess projects and identify risks before underperformance occurs. Interested? Read the full publication 👉https://lnkd.in/dG5Sn9_V #EUKI #BuildingRenovation #EnergyEfficiency #EPBD #CEE #OUR_CEE #ClimateAction Energy Policy Group Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect Regional Energy Agency North (REA Sjever) Association of Municipalities Polish Network „Energie Cités”

✨ Welcome to the EUKI Community: AGRIC – Advancing Photovoltaics in Agriculture 🌾☀️ Farmers in Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Serbia gain new opportunities to combine agriculture with solar energy. AGRIC builds practical knowledge and investment readiness for Agrivoltaic solutions that protect farmland while accelerating the energy transition. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: ✓ Enhanced investment readiness for Agri-PV ✓ Practical knowledge transfer across regions ✓ Policy recommendations for clearer frameworks ✓ Open-source tools for replication 👉 Learn more about this EUKI project: https://lnkd.in/dvRQD6aj #EUKI #AgriPV #Agrivoltaics #SolarEnergy #RenewableEnergy #SustainableAgriculture Sebastian Pontz Technologiezentrum Energie (TZE) Nacionalinė mokėjimo agentūra / National Paying Agency Regional Energy Agency of Pazardjik Rzeszowska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego S.A.

Raising the bar: How can companies close the gap between rules and practice in sustainability reporting? 📊   As sustainability reporting rules in the European Union continue to evolve, many companies ask themselves: how can we go beyond compliance and create meaningful, high-quality reports? Frank Bold's recently launched database provides practical answers. It is a free, publicly accessible database of good and emerging practices in corporate sustainability disclosures.   The database offers 🔹 Real-life examples help turn complex requirements into practical action 🔹 Transparency, focus and honesty are key to strong reporting 🔹 Sustainability data is not just about compliance - it helps identify risks and opportunities   💡 The message is clear: good sustainability reporting is a strategic tool. It builds trust, improves decision-making and helps companies better understand how they can contribute to climate action.   🔗 Explore the database and read the full article written by Hana Rajabally: https://lnkd.in/dgWDcvYP  #SustainabilityReporting #CorporateClimateAction #CSRD #ClimateTransition #EUKI Responsible Companies, Frank Bold Frank Bold Susanna Arus

✨ Welcome to the EUKI Community: Enhancing Climate Mitigation in Agriculture 🌾🌱 Farmers and advisors in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia gain science-based tools for climate-friendly agriculture. The project strengthens climate mitigation by connecting farm-level practice with policy development and advisory systems. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: ✓ Increased farmer acceptance of mitigation measures ✓ Improved policy effectiveness ✓ Evidence-based advisory tools ✓ Strengthened agriculture's climate role 👉 Learn more about this EUKI project: https://lnkd.in/dtp-cDW5 #EUKI #SustainableAgriculture #ClimateSmartFarming #SoilHealth #CarbonSequestration Petra Šánová Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége - Friends of the Earth Hungary Uniwersytet Rolniczy im. Hugona Kołłątaja w Krakowie

✨ Welcome to the EUKI Community: Clean Metals CEE 🏭⚙️ Metallurgical industries in Poland, Bulgaria and Romania gain practical pathways to decarbonise production. Clean Metals CEE builds knowledge, strengthens cooperation and informs policies that accelerate the shift to low-carbon steel, copper and aluminium. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: ✓ Evidence-based decarbonisation pathways ✓ Policy recommendations for clean metals ✓ Enhanced industry capacity ✓ Regional clean metals market vision 👉 Learn more about this EUKI project: https://lnkd.in/dfyFvZeM #EUKI #CleanIndustry #LowCarbonSteel #IndustrialDecarbonisation #CircularEconomy Kamil Laskowski Instrat Foundation Energy Policy Group Center for the Study of Democracy