Since its foundation in 2009, RGI has been promoting pathways for Europe to build the necessary grid and renewable infrastructure for the energy transition protecting nature, restoring biodiversity, and creating meaningful involvement of local communities.
Now, with the Action Plan for Grids, these aspects are as relevant as ever and increasingly interlinked. Our conference therefore brought these elements together while focusing on solidarity and cooperation in times when polarisation is growing bigger every day.
Why Energy & Solidarity?
As a basic value of the European Union, solidarity is key for decarbonisation considering the energy challenges that European countries face cannot be solved unilaterally.
Decision-making must be fair and just, especially for the wildlife and communities that are most affected by infrastructure build-up. It seems a difficult task, but strategies exist to harness the positive environmental, social, and economic benefits of the energy transition, including:
- #Innovation4Solidarity – Creating technological and market innovation that allow for affordable energy for consumers and new approaches towards grid expansion, optimisation, and digitalisation
- #SolidarityWithNature – Contributing to biodiversity targets and nature-positive solutions
- #SolidarityWithPeople – Involving affected communities in decision-making processes, and creating long-term local benefits for them.
