“In-depth knowledge of the determinants of success is hugely valuable”

Learning from each other – this is in the DNA of the Climate Alliance. For this largest of all European networks of cities represents more than 2,000 members. It offers many formats of exchange – the CAIC annual conference, an array of working groups on climate change adaptation, CO2 monitoring and other issues, and, not least, the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH). We asked Dr Kristina Eisfeld, project manager at the Climate Alliance, why exchange is so important, what we can learn from other countries and in which aspects Germany, too, may serve as a model.

Dr Eisfeld, why is cross-border cooperation so valuable when it comes to climate action?

Every region has its own challenges – and its own solutions that can be greatly enriched by exchange at European and international level. This not only makes work easier but saves resources as the players of climate action can learn from experience already gained by others – both in terms of successes and failures. In-depth knowledge of the determinants of success is hugely valuable when it comes to the practicalities of making proven approaches replicable and scalable in other contexts. Take, for example, the one-stop shops designed to assist Europe’s citizens in improving the energy performance of their buildings. We have learnt that it is vital for them to be physically close to people – for instance on town squares or markets – and for them to be open on Saturdays because for many people that is the only day on which they can engage with such issues.

What is a field in which Germany has a particular amount to learn from other countries?

Energy poverty is definitely such a field. Far too little attention has been given to this in the past and there is a lot of catching up to do. Many have only become aware of the issue of energy poverty in the wake of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the escalating energy costs that this provoked. Other countries are far ahead of us here.

Which approaches implemented elsewhere could we replicate?

To start with: Recognising the problem at all. In marked contrast to many other European countries, Germany still doesn’t have a central coordination point for combatting energy poverty. A next step would be to set clear goals for reducing energy poverty levels and to monitor their attainment regularly. In broader terms, we need a consistent strategy, clear responsibilities and an integrative, strategic outlook.

Why has the issue been neglected so severely in Germany up to now?

Because it is often viewed as a marginal problem and is not given the priority it deserves on the policy agenda. One reason for this situation is the assumption that many people in Germany are protected sufficiently by the social security system. What is overlooked is that there are also the “hidden energy poor” – households whose income is just above the threshold that would entitle them to social security benefits. These include, for instance, single working mothers, students, and widows whose pensions do not suffice to heat their homes. These are all people who often fail to be reached by assistance schemes because they are not on the statistical radar.

Coming to climate action, which are the questions posed frequently in the Climate Alliance’s exchange formats?

One is how to get the issue on the agenda at all. How to shape financing schemes in such a way that measures are actually implemented. But also: How to keep the issue alive when attention wanes, and what to do when local-authority budgets become constrained. Or: How to establish renewable energy communities and involve vulnerable households in them.

Are there also things about which you’d say: Here we can pass our knowledge on to other countries?

Of course. One thing that leaps to mind is the widely established system of professional building management enterprises which support associations of homeowners, notably in multistorey buildings, with their expertise in project coordination, financial planning and implementation of climate-relevant measures – such as retrofits or heating system replacements. This is something not yet established in many countries. Many former Eastern Bloc countries could profit from this, where privatisation has led to a very great number of isolated, individual owners.

Thank you for talking to eco@work.
The interviewer was Christiane Weihe.

Talking to eco@work: Dr Kristina Eisfeld, project coordinator at the Climate Alliance