Oct 27 2020
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Sifnos: leaving the local community out of the energy transition is not acceptable

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To

– European Commissioner, Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Mr. Frans Timmermans

– European Commissioner for Energy, Ms. Kadri Simson

– Covenant of Mayors

– Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat

– REScoop.eu

– Media

TOPIC: PROVISION OF SUPPORT TO SIFNOS IN THE EFFORT OF ITS LOCAL SOCIETY TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Dear all,

Sifnos is a small island in the Cyclades complex with a long tradition in the wise management of the natural and man-made environment. Having realized the need to jointly contribute to the reduction of pressures on the environment and climate protection, the society of Sifnos tries to be a positive example in the fields of recycling, reduction of plastic bags, preservation of natural and ecological wealth, preservation of traditional settlements and its cultural wealth. Having a long tradition in windmills, in the sustainable management of biomass coming from pruned olive trees and in small boats that are moving with the help of the wind, it is understandable that the local community seeks (once again) a turn to green, renewable energy.

Representatives of the local community have participated in many events in the European Parliament, while also conferences in Greece and other European countries, in order to gain experience and enhance the energy transition of Sifnos through collaborations, such as the European Federation of Citizen Energy Cooperatives REScoop.eu, the Covenant of Mayors, the Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat, research agencies and energy organizations. A few years ago, an energy cooperative was also created in Sifnos, in order to contribute to the energy transition of the island in a green future.

While, however, Sifnos:

-Participates in the formulation of its energy transition plan in a way that guarantees energy democracy, namely through a democratic and participatory process, so that all citizens of Sifnos have a say in how energy will be produced and employed for the needs of the island, but also for the residents themselves to have control over the investments that need to be made.

– Awaits the official response and comments to the application submitted to the Energy Regulatory Authority (RAE) by the Energy Cooperative of Sifnos for a renewable energy production project (the application is pending since 2016, without being officially rejected or without any final changes being proposed in this project),

the municipal authority accidentally finds out that 4 licenses for the production of energy from renewable sources on the island have already been granted through express procedures to companies that have neither a connection with Sifnos nor have informed the local community and the Municipality about their plans. If these plans are implemented, two companies will actually control about 80% of the electricity that the island needs today. In fact, responding to a relevant phone call of the Mayor, asking for official information, the following provocative answer was given: “the licensing process does not provide for an obligation to inform the municipal authority and the local community.”

Similar practices that leave the local community OUT of the processes of planning and implementing the energy transition have led to distrust and strong reactions on many islands with regards to RES investment plans imposed externally, instead of being the result of participatory planning and active participation of the local community. They also conflict with the European policy and legislation.

The authorities that provided licenses to the 4 investment projects provocatively ignored that:

– Sifnos is one of the leading islands at European level in terms of energy transition, having planned, in cooperation with European and national bodies, its transition to clean energy with the participation of the local community. All the relevant decisions have been taken after extensive dialogue, visits to other islands, cooperation with European bodies and in a unanimous basis by the Municipal Council of Sifnos.

– The society of Sifnos has realized the need to protect the climate, since, we, the islanders, are already experiencing the dramatic effects of climate change and we are particularly exposed to the climate crisis, the increase of the average temperature and the expansion of the desert zone to our region (these include the danger of desertification of lands that have been wisely preserved and supported the survival of the inhabitants for thousands of years, reduction of rainfall and reversal of the water balance), extreme weather events, which are connected with catastrophic consequences for the coastal zone and the island’s economy, dramatic effects on crops and the sensitive Mediterranean ecosystem of the island.

– Our island society has a long tradition in environmental protection and problem solving with the active participation of residents, it does not expect others to find and implement solutions for the island, as can be seen by: the wise agricultural practice followed for centuries, which today is discussed (in modern terms) in the context of the European strategy “farm2fork”, the network of thousands of kilometres of dry stone – a cultural monument and model of ecological practice for soil protection used to face climate crisis and to prevent floods, the wise management of the limited water resources (by collecting rainwater, reusing water and ecological management of springs), the bioclimatic design followed by the builders who constructed the traditional settlements, the emergence of important people distinguished in education, artistic activities and politics, which had innovative ideas, interest in the common benefit and good.

– The Municipality of Sifnos is a member of the Covenant of Mayors and is committed to proceed with the energy transition.

– Sifnos has been cooperating with the European Federation of Energy Cooperatives REScoop.eu for about 10 years.

–Sifnos has been selected as one of the six islands supported in their energy transition by the Clean Energy for EU islands Secretariat and for which the Agenda for Clean Energy Transition is being developed, in cooperation with the local community. Basic criteria for the selection of the islands – Sifnos being one of them – are “the active participation of the local community and the local authority of the island, the support provided from the professional and social bodies, etc.”

The 4 licenses mentioned above for the production of energy from renewable sources were given without giving the chance and the priority to the local community to develop its own clean energy transition plan. Neither has there been any information of the Municipal Authority and the Local Society, either by the companies that submitted the applications or by the public authority, as required by the European Strategy for Energy Transition, the Aarhus Treaty on Environmental Information, the European legislation (Clean Energy for All Europeans Package) and the recent “Memorandum of Split“

– On 25/2/2015, the European Commission presenting the Energy Union package stated that “most importantly, our vision is of an Energy Union with citizens at its core, where citizens take ownership of the energy transition, benefit from new technologies to reduce their bills, participate actively in the market, and where vulnerable consumers are protected”.

-The EU’s Clean Energy for All Europeans legislative package, especially Article 18(6) of the RED II, requires that “Member States, along with local and regional authorities when appropriate, develop information, awareness- raising, guidance or training programs to inform consumers how to exercise their rights as active customers, as well as practical aspects, including technical and financial, of developing renewable projects through self-consumption and RECs”. While Article 22 provides that “participants in energy communities are not treated unfairly and unequally”.

– The “Memorandum of Split”, co-signed on 24.06.2020 by the European Commission and 14 Member States, explicitly states that “The Memorandum of Split will provide the necessary support to the islands in preparing their transition programs, while it also promotes citizen participation, commitment and empowerment. In addition, the structured cooperation will facilitate the creation of energy communities on the islands.”. In this context, the “Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat” also provides practical assistance in Sifnos and other islands.

We would like to ask for your active support in our actions, which aim, on the one hand at the immediate revocation of the abovementioned licenses (information of relevant bodies, requests for review before RAE or even a court appeal[1], as decided by Sifnos Municipal Council, letters of protest to the Greek Ministry of Environment and the European Commission) and, on the other hand, at the promotion of energy investments by the local community itself in order to gradually achieve a fair and integrated energy transition of Sifnos with the participation of its residents: energy efficiency and zero-emission buildings (nZEB), production, storage, exchange and use of electricity from RES, transformation of the overall energy model (land transportation, ferry connections, heating / cooling, etc.).

We are at your disposal to discuss ways that you believe that could help our effort, so that Sifnos would lead its energy transition with the participation of citizens and will become a pioneer island of energy democracy, which will boost similar initiatives in many other islands that follow the current energy developments.

Yours sincerely,

Maria Nadali (Mayor of Sifnos)

Thomas Gozadinos (Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Municipality of Sifnos)

Nikos Chrysogelos (former MEP, President of the “WIND OF RENEWAL”)

Dirk Vansintjan (president of REScoop.eu)

[1] In order to implement the No. 124/2020 decision of the Municipal Council of Sifnos, the following requests for revision were submitted on 13.07.2020 before RAE against:

  • RAE decision no. 530/2020, which granted a license for electricity generation from a Hybrid Power Plant with a guaranteed power of 1 MW, consisting of a photovoltaic station with a power of 1.99 MW, at the location “Herronisos – Honi” (application no.: I-285246 / 13.7.2020),
  • RAE decision no. 531/2020, which granted a license for electricity generation from a Hybrid Power Plant of guaranteed power 1 MW, consisting of a photovoltaic power plant of 1.99 MW, at the location “Aspri Vigla – Andri” (application no.: I-285247 / 13.7.2020),
  • RAE decision no. 653/2020, which granted a license for electricity generation from a Hybrid Power Plant with a guaranteed power of 1.65 MW, consisting of a photovoltaic power plant with a capacity of 5,421 MW, at the location “Diavrouchas – Erina – Vigla” (application no.: I-285245 / 13.7.2020),
  • RAE decision no. 716/2020, which granted a license for electricity generation from a Hybrid Power Plant of guaranteed power of 0.5 MW, consisting of a photovoltaic power plant of 1.5 MW, at the location “Agios Symeon” (application no.: I-285244 / 13.7 .2020).
Oct 20 2020
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Common Statement: Sustainable future with coops – EU Green Week

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Common statement: A sustainable future – with cooperatives #EUGreenWeek

Tuesday, 20 October 2020 

Scientists say that the next 10 years are critical to minimise the existential threat that climate change and environmental degradation pose to the world. Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent, the European Green Deal is the European Union’s commitment to work towards systemic change, rethinking our ways, striving for innovation and discovering opportunities through sustainability, including jobs and growth in the post-pandemic world.

On the occasion of the 2020 European Green Week (19-22 October) European cooperative movement welcomes this year’s theme titled ‘A new beginning for people and nature,’ and releases its statement on the necessity to consider cooperatives as key partners for the green transition. With sustainability embedded in its business model and governance, the potential of cooperatives in the implementation of the European Green Deal is showcased together with the sectorial members of Cooperatives Europe, including CECOP, EACB, Euro Coop, Cogeca, Housing Europe and REScoop.eu.

Climate action is also the theme of the 2020 International Day of Cooperatives. Cooperatives, through their values and principles are committed to sustainability across their businesses and local communities, leaving no one behind.

Discover the cooperative contribution.

Cooperatives are people-centred enterprises that are owned, controlled and run by their members, for their members, to realise their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations. As businesses driven by values, not just profit, cooperatives share internationally agreed principles and act together to build a better world through cooperation. Putting fairness, equality and social justice at the heart of the enterprise. Cooperatives around the world are allowing people to work together to create sustainable enterprises that generate long-term jobs and prosperity.

Cooperatives Europe is the cross-sectoral organization that represents +176.000 cooperative enterprises in 34 European countries. Together with our sector organizations CECOP, Cogeca, EACB, Euro Coop, Housing Europe and REScoop.eu, we welcome this year’s Green Week theme “nature and biodiversity”, which is particularly pertinent to attaining the green transition in a way that rebuilds the natural environment to ensure a sustainable for humans and other living beings.

Being prime examples of embedding sustainability in their business model and governance, cooperatives are in pole position to play a key role in the implementation of the European Green Deal, across all sectors of activity:

In the renewable energy sector
The potential of local communities and its citizens to create resilient systems has already been recognised by EU leaders in the Clean Energy for All Europeans Package through the concepts of citizen and renewable energy communities. By investing in and operating clean energy technologies and measures, energy communities are known to strengthen the social and economic welfare of their community whilst taking measures to reduce CO2 emissions and preserve the environment. They hence provide an economically sound model that tackles the exact challenges we need to solve to build a sustainable future for ourselves.

In the industry & services sector
The green transition will be led by radical production transformation. On production processes, the industrial cooperative business model, by its own nature, is able to integrate the circular way of production: the characterising features of the worker cooperative model (capital accumulation, intergenerational transmission, democratic decision making, concern for the community) allows industrial and service cooperatives to be natural drivers of the circular economy.

In the agri-food and forestry sectors
Sustainability is key for European agri-cooperatives’ long-term strategies. These farmer-owned enterprises are catalysts for implementing the Green Deal in the sectors in which they operate. With their investments and market driven strategies, agri-cooperatives allow the deployment of innovative, circular and sustainable actions that address the climate and environmental challenges, while creating economic, social and environmental value for farmers, consumers and rural economies. Agri-coops contribute to the achievement of the 17 UN SDGs.

In the consumer sector
Consumer cooperatives contribute to a balanced and sustainable food supply chain through countless initiatives and best practices, such as expanding assortments of organic products, bold action in fighting food waste and food losses, early adoption of renewable energies and energy efficiency measures, clean transportation, local sourcing and established partnerships with farmers’ communities.

In the banking sector
In Europe regional co-operative banks are a leading source of financing both for smaller and medium sized corporates as well as for households. Thus, they are enablers for key activities in the transition – such as mortgages for energy efficiency, installation of solar panels, biomass power, climatefriendly mobility, etc. More broadly, co-operative banks offer a range of social products. For a “typical” cooperative bank, a relevant part of its activities (measured as a share of the lending book) are in line with the Green and Social bond standards set by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, in particular when it comes to finance education, social housing, economic inclusion or social inclusion.

In the housing sector
Housing cooperatives play an important role in delivering economic, environmental and social value for the communities and the local economies in which they operate. They are more likely to invest in energy renovation because of their long-term and non-profit calculation of investments. The “split incentive” dilemma that tends to hinder energy renovation investments in other housing tenures can appear as less relevant for cooperatives. The participative and engaged nature of housing cooperatives opens the opportunity to stimulate sustainable consumption patterns and behaviour amongst their members.

Conclusion Environmental, economic and social sustainability is the only way forward for the European economy. Within the cooperative movement, the environmental awareness and actions are ever growing, making our business model fit for a green and just transition. Cooperative enterprises thus play an important role in delivering economic, environmental and social value for the communities and the local economies in which they operate.

We, at Cooperatives Europe, stand ready to work with stakeholders from all sectors to implement the European Green Deal in a socially inclusive, environmentally sound, truly democratic and economically viable manner. We look forward to working together with you for a better future!

Oct 20 2020
2

6 weeks full of unforgettable experience with wonderful people

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I was standing in front of people from different countries and telling them about Ukraine. I’ll never forget the children’s eyes when they were watching a video about the nature of my country and their happy smiles after trying our traditional food. It was an incredible moment, but now I’d like to tell you my story from the very beginning.

It started last summer (2019) when I decided to apply for AIESEC project ”InteGreat”, that tries to solve the 10th Sustainable development goal– to reduce inequalities. My attention was attracted by Welcommon Hostel in Athens, Greece that aims to help refugees and I became a volunteer for 6 weeks for the social cooperative “Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal” running the innovative Welcommon Hostel. It was unforgettable time that brought me lots of new acquaintances and valuable experience. Besides 14 refugees from Pakistan I met 16 volunteers from the United States, Italy, Turkey, India and China and each of them was so unique and special for me.

As a team we decided to create some intercultural activities for these children and teens refugees in particular, and just for every one who wanted to try something new. These activities included art classes, drama club,  studying foreign languages and even photography classes. However, it was really difficult to be on the same wave length and find common ground, because we are so different, with our own visions,  religions,  beliefs and cultures. That is why we also created culture-party nights to represent various nationalities. And it was a great opportunity to have fun, and most importantly to learn more about world cultures and get to know each other better.

As an Ukrainian, I wanted to share with everyone our delicious traditional cuisine, music, dances, clothes, and give some inspiration for every person present there. Despite being the only Ukrainian, I did not feel alone, because the volunteer team was super fantastic and so helpful.  We prepared traditional food varenyky and some sweets,  talked for hours about Ukraine, watched photos, videos and even tried to learn a few Ukrainian words.

Besides Ukrainian night, we also had Italian night, and even Rice night to show how the same product can be cooked in different cultures. Moreover, the refugees organized Pakistan events for all of us.

Also, the project contributed a lot to my personal growth. Before it  started I had written a letter for myself in the future to see if my expectations will be realized or not. I felt so enthusiastic and wrote about my wish to make a difference in these people’s lives,  and change them as much as I could. And after the project I was surprised to see that the person, who I had changed the most was me. I have never travelled alone for such a long period so it was a cool challenge for me. Each refugee, each volunteer, hostel stuff, my room mates, all these great people made a huge influence and impact on me. I became more confident, learnt to work in a team,  experienced new cultures, new life stlyles and what is the most important, I met a lot of amazing people. I am still in touch with lots of them and I’m so thankful that life has brought us together.

These 6 weeks full of unforgettable experience with wonderful people will stay in my heart for ever.

From the bottom of my heart with all the very-very best to every one, who was with me on this project and for every one who is reading it right now and is going to become a part of this trip just for a while.

Thank everyone for this great time

With love,

Cutie Kate from Ukraine