Rubí explains the actions it is developing to accelerate the energy transition, as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities

Rubí shared its experiences in developing actions in favour of the energy transition in the framework of the 19^th European Week of Regions and Cities, organised jointly by the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission. Mayor Ana María Martínez Martínez took part in the online seminar Small places matter: governance and the green transition, dedicated to the role played by small cities and towns in developing more sustainable territories.

Small places matter is a pilot project framed within the Territorial Agenda 2030, a strategic policy document that places the territory and its ordinances as key factors in attaining a more cohesive, fairer and greener Europe. The seminar held last week handled this project, as well as a series of good cooperation practices between the public sector, private sector and stakeholders in promoting the green transition locally in small and mid-sized cities, rural areas and border regions. Rubí’s mayor gave a speech, next to a representative from the Lappeenranta City Council, a Finnish city with which it has embarked on a joint path to achieve the goals of the European Green Deal. ‘For a city like ours, it is extremely enriching to debate and share good practices on energy and climate change and – especially – doing so from a local perspective, one of proximity, comparing and contrasting ambitious, albeit realistic, projects. As municipalities, we must be, and we are, the true drivers of change for the energy model,’ stated Ana María Martínez Martínez.

During her talk, the mayor highlighted how far Rubí has come since 2011, with the addition of the Mayors Accord and the start-up of the Rubí Brilla (Rubí Shines) project. She stressed the city’s renewed commitment to the objective established by the European Commission of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by at least 55% by the year 2030. Bearing in mind that the majority of these emissions come from mobility and industry, the mayor said that ‘we’ve got the obligation of notifying, training and making it as convenient and easy as possible for companies and citizen to be able to contribute to energy saving and efficiency and the use of renewables’. As she pointed out, we not only need to be compliant with the city’s climate commitment, but also to improve the competitiveness of the local business fabric.

Martínez highlighted several recent actions, such as the aggregated energy purchasing group, which has led to 62 companies and businesses in the city already saving between 15 and 20% on their bills, and the Autoconsum 0/0 (Self-consumption 0/0) project, which has 22 member companies in its second edition. She also mentioned the collaboration agreement with the cooperative Som Mobilitat, which fosters the shared use of electrical vehicles in the city, and the project to install solar panels in municipal buildings. In addition to reducing the administration’s financial and environmental costs, it will also permit excess energy to be allocated to the most vulnerable people.

The mayor took advantage of her presentation to highlight the Youth/Green ImPACT project, which has brought the European Green Deal to Rubí’s youth throughout the year, creating places for direct dialogue with the local administration and European institutions.