News
24/01/2025

POLIS celebrates the increasing relevance of International Day of Clean Energy

Every year, on 26 January, the International Day of Clean Energy seeks to raise awareness and mobilise action for a just and inclusive energy transition that benefits all people and the planet.

With the recent confirmation of 2024's temperature record still ringing in our ears, the urgency of transitioning to clean energy in all sectors is ever more pressing, and electromobility figures as a key enabler of such transformation.

Climate change is not a problem of the future, but a major challenge shaping our present. Together with environmental degradation, it poses a significant threat to European citizens. To address these challenges, the European Green Deal aims to ensure that the European Union becomes the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, decoupling economic growth from resource use, and ensuring that no person or region is left behind.

To guarantee that we advance on the right path at the right pace, the European Commission has adopted a set of proposals to reduce the EU's net GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Since it represents around 25% of the EU greenhouse gas emissions (with road transport as the major contributor), transport should be a fundamental part of this effort. Decarbonising our transport system would significantly push the EU climate commitments while improving citizens' overall quality of life through improved air quality and more pleasant urban spaces. It is not an easy transition—embracing all components of our mobility systems from motorised transport, active modes, and public transport—but it is one that we cannot afford to fail. 

The International Day of Clean Energy is a timely occasion to call on all policymakers to make this shift happen. 

'On the International Day of Clean Energy, let’s commit to an international era of clean energy with speed, justice, and collaboration at its core.'

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General


Looking at the big picture...

There is no silver bullet to the clean energy transition. However, electromobility can be a real game changer for the decarbonisation of road transport, with even greater benefits if coupled with changes in our mobility patterns that result in a strong reduction in private car use. This is precisely why the electrification of car fleets has become a political priority for governments in Europe and worldwide. The EU's decision to ban the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars from 2035 onwards, while simultaneously stimulating the implementation of a comprehensive EV charging infrastructure, is a primary example of these efforts.

However, we must be on the lookout to ensure the e-mobility transition is truly zero-emission, from the energy source to the tailpipe. This means undertaking a truly system-wide transition that implies reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and shifting to clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy alternatives which generate little to no GHG or pollutant emissions.

The share of renewable energy sources in EU energy consumption has increased from 12.5% in 2010 to 24.5% in 2023. We are still quite far from the new EU-wide target of at least 42.5% by 2030, aiming for 45%, but it is a distance that we must cover. Combining widespread electrification of transport with renewable power generation must become a central pillar of our energy and climate policies.


... and beyond!

Electromobility and renewable energy sources, although key to our transportation system path to climate neutrality, will not do the trick alone. The role of active modes is also an essential part of this puzzle. Walking, wheeling, and cycling should be high on the agendas since, either alone or in combination with (e-), public transport, they are not only genuinely sustainable options but also the most democratic modes, being suitable to people of all abilities and ages. Ensuring safe, comfortable and accessible public spaces and cycling infrastructure alongside the electrification of fleets will allow for more sustainable choices and increase the quality of life for all in our cities, with improved air and noise pollution, improved spaces, and improved health. By acknowledging and adjusting to the different needs of various age groups, cities can green significantly their modal split while boosting well-being, independence, and social connectedness. 

While too often overlooked as actual modes of transport, active modes are also grounds for remarkable innovations. Indeed, if we talk about e-mobility, we cannot forget the growing segment of e-bikes and the new possibilities they bring to both individuals and businesses. Whether for people looking to cover longer distances, families looking for e-cargo bikes to help with their daily commutes, businesses looking for green last-mile delivery solutions or people with lower mobility, e-bikes can meet many needs and still bring all the benefits of actively moving around. The EU Cycling Declaration, adopted on 3 April 2024, also recognises the great importance of this growing mobility choice and outlines specific commitments to enhance it, such as the provision of secure parking facilities and access to charging points. 


Some insights from our network 

Where to start and how to keep it going? Here are some insights from POLIS work and the experiences of cities and regions in our network that are leading the way:

Tailored interventions and integrated policies
  • While active modes are beneficial for everyone regardless of age (and for society as a whole), cities must understand the specific needs of children and older adults to ensure the cycling environment is accessible and attractive to all. In the framework of Urban October, the POLIS Active Travel & Health Working group held a dedicated webinar collecting practical insights on how this can be done. The webinar explored the results of projects and organisations' efforts supporting younger and older citizens through training, infrastructural adjustments, and community-driven programmes.
  • Our mobility systems are strongly connected with public health, which makes the case for better integration of health into transport and urban planning. Adequate investments in the electrification of motorised transport and the enhancement of active modes would ultimately result in healthier cities and citizens. The relevance of health outcomes in urban transport has been explored in detail in a recent report by the International Transport Forum providing important recommendations for policymakers.
  • Bridging the gap between local and regional governments and the EU level, and ensuring early-on, close cooperation between all stakeholders is not an 'add-on' but an essential precondition for a successful electromobility transition. Initiatives like the Platform for Electromobility are tangible examples of this cooperation and how the voices of the cities can be amplified.
  • Zero-carbon transport is strongly interconnected with the issue of road safety, with electromobility bringing new challenges as well as opportunities to the table. Policymakers need to be fully aware of this picture to harness all the potential benefits of increasing EV use (e.g. reduced air and noise pollution) while curbing new safety risks. A dedicated policy brief has been produced to address this complexity within the framework of the project SOLUTIONSplus.

Financial support and administrative streamlining
  • The rise in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) calls for adequate expansion of the public charging infrastructure. However, this imperative comes with high costs and local authorities often struggle to keep up. Alongside members MadridRotterdam, and London, POLIS has shared some key insights on how to address this financial challenge also through strategic public-private cooperation in the recently published World Economic Forum White Paper 'Scaling Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure'.
  • Meeting the ambitious EU goals for EV recharging infrastructure represents a significant challenge for local and regional authorities in terms of both public space management and administrative processes. Streamlining permitting and grid connection procedures is vital to ensure the overall goals are met efficiently. Lack of clearly defined timelines, standardised procedures, transparency on costs, and insufficient cooperation and joint planning create major bottlenecks. Under the coordination of DG MOVE, POLIS has produced a pivotal report showcasing several good practices and recommendations from local and regional governments.
  • Finally, while there is often more talk of the electrification of private vehicles, public transport needs to be part of the electrification equation as the backbone of a sustainable transport system. As shown by Catalonia's leading example, long-term strategic planning, reliable subsidies, and public-private cooperation are critical ingredients to bring about this important transformation.