The overarching objective of the PATH2LC project is to support policy makers and public authorities at local level in the transition process towards a low carbon society. Through a holistic network approach, stakeholders in public authorities are linked among municipalities in order to enable peer-to-peer learning and increase the engagement in energy and climate transition. The network approach shall also accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Energy (and Climate) Action Plan (SE(C)AP) measures. The PATH2LC project will foster the exchange of existing knowledge and experiences among municipalities, enhance coordination among different administrative bodies within the municipalities and improve cooperation with local stakeholders and civil society. It will furthermore provide stakeholders in public authorities with the necessary planning and monitoring tools to implement transition roadmaps. The following five existing networks are the starting point of the project: UCSA - Joint Office for Environmental Sustainability (Italy), Sustainable City Network (Greece), OesteSustentável (Portugal), Cities Northern Netherlands (NL), Rhône Network (FR). They benefit from a well-established network process of the so-called learning energy efficiency networks (LEEN), supplemented with in-depth capacity building and support regarding heating and cooling topics. Due to the international composition of the networks, cross-country experiences can be shared. The project is accompanied by a socio-scientific evaluation in order to make the results transferable to other municipalities as well as by a dissemination strategy in order to make network activities visible.

National and European energy savings in the building sector at small and medium-sized municipalities are not being met. Currently small and medium-sized municipalities in the region face significant challenges when meeting their energy savings goals due to the lack of technical and legal expertise hindering the use of advanced contracting schemes. Further challenges include scattered grants and lack of financial engineering at municipal level. BAPAURA aims to tackle these challenges by: • Supporting energy efficiency investments in 115 public buildings. • Developing advanced and centralised energy services dedicated to small and medium-sized municipalities focusing on project development assistance (legal, technical and financial). These services will support the deployment of energy performance guarantee contracts and facilitate the use of innovative financial instruments (e.g. white certificates). • Providing these services at department level through existing local energy support structures that will develop further “one-stop shop” services with the support of regional organisations. • Mobilising service providers and financial institutions at local level. • Introducing innovative financing by optimising the investment plan of municipalities, reviewing all financing options, adapting grants, harmonising subsidy request applications and mobilising white certificates. • Replicating the project results at regional, national and EU levels The main results that BAPAURA will trigger during the project’s lifetime are: • 23,627,000 € of total energy efficiency investments, with an average leverage factor of 16 • 7.8 GWh/year of primary energy savings • 1,437 t CO2 e/ year.