Our Mission

The European Energy Award supports local governments in establishing interdisciplinary planning approaches and implementing effective energy and climate policy measures through the rational use of energy and increased use of renewable energies.

There are nearly 1.900 local authorities with a population of 77 million participating today.

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Accelerator of national and supranational energy strategies

The eea translates national goals effectively into local policy recommendations. These provide guidance for local governments in allocating their resources to achieve optimum efficiency in their measures.

For local authorities by local authorities

The eea has been continually developed by local governments and experts on the local level since 1988. Careful consideration of the regional and local context forms an integral part of the programme.

Specific action plans

eea local governments implement customised action plans with a longterm view. Action plans are evaluated and adjusted every year with the assistance of accredited experts.

International benchmark

Local governments‘efforts are assessed with regard to their individual scope of action. This allows a comparison of different local authorities and the establishment of an international benchmark.

More than 30 years of experience
Total of 1.872 local governments participating
Total population of 77 million
 
involved
Largest local government: 1,38 million
 
inhabitants, Grand Lyon (FR)
Smallest local government: 77 

inhabitants, Zwischbergen (CH)

Gold Municipalities

Labelling under the European Energy Award provides an incentive for local authorities to strengthen their activities and makes a strong point for location marketing purposes. The European Energy Award Gold further honours local authorities with exemplary energy policies for taking a pioneering role.

Thierry Burkart

Member of the Upper Chamber and President FDP, Switzerland

Energiestadt municipalities have a particularly strong commitment to building and extending district heating and cooling networks fed by renewable energies. Switzerland’s energy and climate policy goals can only be achieved through joint, coordinated efforts at the federal, cantonal and municipal levels. We must overhaul our energy supply to minimise CO2 emissions in an economically sustainable way.

Thekla Walker

Baden-Wurttembergs Minister for the Environment (DE)

Climate protection needs targeted, effective measures. Communities play a key role and act as important role models in climate protection and the energy transition. The European Energy Award offers the great opportunity to support and assist communities on this path.

Wolfram Günther

Saxon State Minister for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture (DE)

The European Energy Award sets the framework for a successful municipal climate work. In Saxony, it is evident that eea municipalities implement climate protection measures to a much greater extent than other municipalities. Commitment, a structured approach, inter-departmental cooperation, and the long-term orientation of the instrument are the key success factors in this context.

Brigit Wyss

Government Councillor of the Canton of Solothurn (CH)

The Energiestadt label and the European Energy Award are management tools. They support the targeted planning and review of energy policy measures – always with a view to achieving climate goals at the municipal level.

Fabian Müller

Mayor of Friedrichshafen (DE)

Participation in the eea has many advantages for the city of Friedrichshafen: we know where we stand in comparison to other cities, we know our strengths and where there is further potential to come closer to our goals. As a quality management and certification system, the eea links the various fields of action, such as the planning level, municipal building management and mobility as well as communication and cooperation. These links promote both internal collaboration and an exchange that transcends borders.

Brenda Tuosto

City Councillor of Yverdon-les-Bains (CH)

The eea allows communities to share their experiences with energy policy. Thanks to the connections made through networking within the eea, we can face the challenges we are confronted with in terms of resource preservation in solidarity and with a high level of technical knowledge.

Günther Mitterer

Mayor of St. Johann im Pongau (AT)

With the European Energy Award, municipalities and cities throughout Europe can benchmark each other according to a standardized system. The award grants them the greatest degree of recognition at a European level. This is also important for the local population who support the energy- and climate- related measures of the e5-municipality St. Johann. Each and every person's commitment is necessary in order to save energy and thus costs. Together, we all form the foundation of the energy transition.

Dr. Stephan Pernkopf

Vice Governor of Lower Austria

The municipalities of lower Austria are playing a very important role in order to attain our ambitious energy goals. The country programme eea (e5) supports municipalities establishing long term structures to increase energy efficiency and climate protection while reducing expenditures.

Michaela Oberlassnig

Mayor of Feld am See (AT)

Every single person and every municipality has to contribute to the protection of the environment, to the preservation of natural resources and to help stopping climate change. The effects of climate change are already noticeable in our region. We only have one planet and we must save it together. The European Energy Award supports municipalities and cities on their path to a responsible energy and climate policy.

Silvia Karelly

Mayor of Fischbach (AT)

By participating in the European Energy Award programme, we contribute to an efficient use of natural resources while learning from the best.