CEESEU-DIGIT
The main goal of the CEESEU-DIGIT project, launched in December 2022, is the preparation of a new type of regional energy and climate plans (ECAP) in six Central and Eastern European target areas, which will be realized as a continuation of the CEESEU project, relying on the previously established collaborations. In addition to the mitigation measures, the documents prepared based on the new methodology, with the active cooperation of WWF Hungary, also try to place great emphasis on adaptation and landscape-level planning compared to the existing energy and climate plans. In addition to the climate protection goals, the project also pays special attention to vulnerable social groups and those affected by energy poverty.
Main goals:
- Capacity development for the preparation of new, regional-level energy and climate plans (ECAPs) in the six designated carbon-intensive target areas, as well as the creation of a methodology whereby climate adaptation, social and landscape use aspects are equally valid in these documents in addition to mitigation measures
- Preparation of these documents in coordination with the goals set in the National Energy and Climate Plans at the national level, with particular regard to vulnerable social groups and energy poverty, as well as the social aspects of climate sensitivity
- Support municipalities in the target regions so that local documents are later prepared in accordance with the new regional climate strategies and local governments are able to implement their contents - grouping of individual local governments into energy regions to make the knowledge sharing and tasks at the local level more effective, as well as satisfaction of financing needs
- Promoting a just energy transition - searching for, collecting and sharing good practices
- Dissemination, information and knowledge sharing between partner organizations, as well as helping each other to achieve climate goals
Main activities
The main activities include the development of a new type of uniform, holistic, cross-sector energy and climate plans, as well as the creation of an international dialogue on the topic in parallel. An important part of the methodological preparation of the documents is the collection of good practices of the just energy transition so far, an overview of the political aspects in the countries involved in the project, and the preparation of training materials for public and political involvement.
Another important task is the financing of fair energy planning and decarbonization efforts, the establishment of financial sustainability: part of this is the preparation of a financial strategy and the review of innovative and novel financing options.
The common task throughout the entire duration of the project is the knowledge sharing between the partners on the one hand, and the provision of information to the public on the other.
Project coordinator:
University of Tartu (UTARTU)
Partner organizations:
Climate Alliance,
ENVIROS
Local Energy Agency Spodnje Podravje (LEASP)
Mazovian Energy Agency (MAE)
Medjimurje Energy Agency (MENEA)
Society for Sustainable Development Design (DOOR)
Tartu Regional Energy Agency
Vidzeme Planning Region (VPR)
WWF Hungary
Associated partners
Gulbene District Council, Latvia
Association of Ida-Viru municipalities, Estonia
Duration
December 2022 – November 2024 (24 months)
Budget:
EUR 1.84 million, of which the amount of EU support is 1.75 million (95% support intensity)
Project acronym:
LIFE21-CET-LOCAL-CEESEU-DIGIT
Project outputs
ECAP+ approach to the regional-level energy and climate planning:
Trainings conducted for public and private sector (D2.2) – This report summarizes CEESEU-DIGIT training activities across six Central and Eastern European countries, enhancing stakeholders’ knowledge and capacity to implement inclusive and effective regional and local Energy and Climate Action Plans (ECAPs). View document
Key stakeholders engaged (D2.3) – This deliverable summarizes expert working group meetings in six pilot regions, documenting processes and outcomes that supported participatory development of Regional Energy and Climate Action Plans aligned with EU goals, highlighting cooperation, challenges, and lessons for broader replication. View document
Synthesis Report on six intergovernmental dialogue and consultations with key stakeholders (D3.1) – This synthesis report outlines outcomes and lessons from six intergovernmental dialogues in CEE regions, highlighting multi-level governance, stakeholder engagement, and horizontal cooperation that support development of integrated, inclusive, and just Energy and Climate Action Plans across partner regions. View document
Six integrated and just regional ECAPs are underway – connected to NECPs and reflecting stakeholder priorities (D3.2) – This deliverable includes a thorough overview of ECAPs in six of the project’s pilot regions. View document
Evaluation report (D3.4) – This deliverable assesses policy mapping, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement supporting just ECAP+ development in CEE regions, contributing to inclusive, participatory energy planning, addressing energy poverty, and advancing EU Green Deal and LIFE programme objectives. View document
Just transition best practices report (D4.1) – This deliverable shares best practices on addressing energy poverty in municipal just transition planning across Central and Eastern Europe, drawing on experiences from six countries to identify effective approaches, challenges, and recommendations that support inclusive local and regional green transitions. View document
Engagement recommendations (D4.2) – This deliverable expands the original engagement methods document by incorporating partner surveys, regional comparisons across three European areas, and preparations for translation and distribution to public sector stakeholders. View document
Political parties in the 6 member states include key elements of the just transition in their platform (D4.3) – This deliverable analyzes the political context of the Just Transition across the Baltics, Visegrad, and Western Balkans, assessing coordination between national and local party platforms, regional variations, and stakeholder perspectives on EU climate and energy targets. View document
Regional analytical report (D4.4) – This deliverable analyzes energy transition and climate resilience across the Baltics, Visegrad, and Balkans, highlighting regional opportunities, vulnerabilities, and EU-aligned strategies, emphasizing local capacity, decentralization, and community-driven green transformation. View document
Training materials for public and political engagement (D4.5) – This deliverable summarizes a 2024 workshop on public and political engagement for a just energy transition, offering adaptable communication strategies and tools for municipalities and NGOs to engage stakeholders effectively, strengthen collaboration, and support inclusive and equitable energy transition planning. View document
Updating the financial strategies from the CEESEU project (D5.1) – This deliverable provides municipalities in the DIGIT project with an updated guide to European, national, and regional financing opportunities, supporting sustainable development, just transition, and climate action while linking ECAP measures to funding sources. View document
WP5 trainings report and materials (D5.2) – This deliverable reports on training 643 municipal and key stakeholders in the CEESEU-DIGIT project, enhancing knowledge on climate and energy financing, innovative funding methods, participatory budgeting, and the development of energy communities. View document
Overview of innovative and novel financing methods (D5.3) – This deliverable presents an overview of innovative and novel financing methods for municipalities to implement sustainable energy and climate action projects, including both European funding sources and private financing mechanisms. View document
Regional financing sustainability plans (D5.4) – This deliverable provides six regional financing sustainability plans linking ECAP strategies with financial feasibility. Building on prior WP5 outputs, it equips regions with practical, locally accessible tools to implement just, inclusive, and financially viable energy and climate actions beyond the project’s lifetime. View document
CEE best practices for including vulnerable groups (D6.3) – This deliverable shares best practices from six Central and Eastern European countries for integrating vulnerable and marginalised groups into municipal just transition planning, highlighting effective approaches, challenges, and recommendations for inclusive local and regional green transitions. View document
Replication and exploitation report (D6.5) – This deliverable provides an overview of the ECAP+ methodology and briefly discusses how it was deployed and tested within the CEESEU-DIGIT project. Based on these findings, it then offers basic guidelines for communities to undertake local energy planning using the CEESEU-DIGIT ECAP+ methodology. View document
The CEESEU-DIGIT project has received funding from the European Union’s Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE 2014-2020) under grant agreement n° LIFE 101077297.