Managing Authorities are currently drafting their Operational Programmes for 2021-2027 and a large part of their operations will have to contribute to achieving the Green Deal objectives. To support Managing Authorities at national and regional level in doing so, DG REGIO published the toolkit “Supporting sustainability transitions under the European Green Deal with Cohesion Policy”. It introduces how Cohesion Policy can better support sustainable governance and innovation as well as facilitate the phase-out of unsustainable infrastructures. The toolkit also presents territorial approaches to the Green Deal (opportunities for urban and rural areas) and possibilities of strategies adapted to the strengths of each rural area (for example in mountain areas making use of the bio-based sectors and eco-system services and building on local initiatives and strong rural personal connections to strengthen sustainability through community-based approaches.)
Euromontana encourages Managing Authorities to use this toolkit and take into account in their future programming the potential of mountain areas in achieving the Green Deal objectives. Mountain areas can contribute to regional environmental objectives, whether on transition to sustainable mobility, on the provision of healthy and sustainable foods or on the production of sustainable energy. Cohesion Policy can trigger sustainable development at local and regional level by making use of the opportunities of their territories and addressing their challenges. More concrete ideas can also be found in Mountains 2020.
For deeper information, you can also refer to DG REGIO’s report prior to the toolkit “Report on a toolkit for national and regional decision-makers: Supporting sustainability transitions under the European Green Deal with Cohesion Policy”.
16 December 2020
