What is the role of collective initiatives in the energy transition in Europe? Answering this question is one of the main objectives of a European project entitled COMETS. This project is special because its approach promises a fertile engagement with the community of initiatives fostering energy transition in Europe through collective action approaches. This is thanks to its emphasis on co-creation of knowledge and integrating social sciences with comparative analysis. If you want to know more, visit the project website at http://www.comets-project.eu. The COMETS supporting platform at collaborate.communitiesforfuture.org is a key element of this project.
Now, we would like to call your attention to one of the first actions towards the project’s to better understand the initiatives in which it takes interest: a survey open for submission from May to July, 2020 (link to Survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020). It is directed at Collective Action Initiatives (CAI) that are in some way dedicated to the sustainable energy transition in the following countries: Spain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Estonia and Poland. So what exactly do we mean by Collective Action Initiatives? Examples speak best. They can be cooperatives, municipalities, condominiums, transition initiatives, ecovillages, non-governmental organisations, partnerships, groups of citizens, companies, universities, schools, and initiatives of many other kinds.
Many think that the energy transition is dependent only on governments and big companies. But there is a whole new field of action out there involving civil society and promoting the energy transition towards sustainability and resilience. We want to discover what their role in the energy transition is, or could be, and support it by jointly discussing challenges and solutions and then using this Communities for Future platform to share and network.
If you believe you fit the profile of a CAI in one of these six countries, we invite you to share your perspective by filling in the survey. This will be a way to start to connect to this project, and help us promote the energy transition through better knowledge. If you are not part of a CAI, then please feel free to share this article with people or institutions that may be involved directly. CAIs work on many aspects of the energy transition, including: education, collectively buying or selling renewable energy, producing energy and organising the supply chain, providing advisory or support services, financial services, skill sharing, and addressing energy poverty. By extending and deepening knowledge of what is happening in these countries, we hope to understand better the potential of CAIs to contribute to energy transition, and the measures that are need to support this. So, thank you for embracing the invitation to share this survey.
Stay informed and connected, and get involved, by visiting the Communities for Future Knowledge Base. For any issue regarding the survey, contact Merce Almuni from Vito, at merce.almuni[at]energyville.be
Warm regards,
On behalf of the COMETS project consortium,
ECOLISE – European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Climate Change and Sustainability
Illustration of the Consortium of COMETS project.
Links to Survey
– English : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020
-Dutch (Netherlands): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=nl
-Dutch (Belgium): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=nl_BE
-Estonian: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=et
-French https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=fr
-Italian https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=it
-Polish https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=pl
-Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COMETSH2020?lang=es
Cover Photo by Chang Duong on Unsplash
