Growth Initiative: municipalities for a strong Europe Good practice exchange between Bottrop and Thessaloniki Workshop report Table of Contents Abstract: main findings ���������������������������������������������������������������� 4 1� Project description� Growth Initiative: municipalities for a strong Europe ������������������� 5 2� Germany: Energiewende at the local level ��������������������������������� 7 3� Bottrop InnovationCity Ruhr ���������������������������������������������������� 9 4� Greece, the empire of wind and sun ��������������������������������������� 12 5� Thessaloniki: a potential energy self sufficiency ������������������������ 14 6. Bottrop – Thessaloniki Workshop ������������������������������������������� 15 6�1 Groupwork Results ������������������������������������������������������� 15 6�2 Possible fields of cooperation: good practice transfer ��������� 16 Conclusions ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 4 Growth Initiative: municipalities for a strong Europe / Good practice exchange between Bottrop and Thessaloniki / Workshop report Abstract: main findings By the multi-stakeholder workshop in Berlin in • Between the key stakeholders – entrepreneurs, November, 2015 a pilot project between the munic- civil society and local authorities – there is deep- ipalities of Bottrop and Thessaloniki was initiated rooted political will to cooperate at the local and within the European Growth Initiative� The event trans-border levels� hosted representatives of local authorities, organized civil society, the business sector and science� Local • There is a need to involve public funds to kick-start stakeholders identified “good practice” examples no-regret investments that could trigger entrepre- to transfer knowledge between the communities – neurial and social revival in Greece� irrelevant to the country-specific setting and current economic situation� • The European cohesion funds or financial tools of the European Investment Bank (i�e� within the The main findings resulting from the workshops were framework of the Investment Plan for Europe) as follows: could play a major role in attracting investors by minimizing investment risks and securing bene- • There is an urgent need in Greece to stimulate the fits, in terms of both monetary revenues for inves- economy through local investments based on local tors and high quality investments for the local resources� communities� • Greek entrepreneurs are willing to invest, however • European investment policy at the local level, current economic constraints block them� backed by public participation and implemented in accordance with good governance codes, could • Local communities in Greece are constantly faced serve as a successful and valuable dimension of with a deficit of workplaces – their inhabitants are the European integration, helping to regain trust at risk of poverty and worsening living conditions� in the idea of European Union� • Bottrop has so far successfully managed structural The “Growth Initiative – Municipalities for a transformation, minimizing social risks and buff- Strong Europe”, a pilot project involving the local ering structural mismatches by long-term socio- communities of Bottrop and Thessaloniki, was part economic transition programs� of Advocate Europe, the European idea challenge by MitOst in cooperation with Liquid Democracy, • Bottrop is ready to share its innovation, know-how funded by Stiftung Mercator� and experience in structural sustainable transfor- mation at the local level� Growth Initiative: municipalities for a strong Europe / Good practice exchange between Bottrop and Thessaloniki / Workshop report 5 1. Project description. Growth Initiative: municipalities for a strong Europe Introduction Meanwhile, the framework for resilient Energy The European Growth Initiative (EGI) is a program Union was developed, bringing the challenges of implemented by HUMBOLDT-VIADRINA Governance energy transition� To be successful, the idea of “green Platform (HVGP) that seeks to overcome structural growth” must be implemented in a sustainable and difficulties related to energy transition and economic participatory way� The need for political solutions downturn in European municipalities� The goal is to at the European level is urgent, however it is also develop project models that include finance options important to enhance a bottom-up approach in the and multi-stakeholder participation� The program European policies� activities follow a 3-phase-path: 1) workshops for communities and their stakeholders to identify needs Therefore, developing German-Greek cooperation at and resources available; 2) further research and eval- the municipal level can be a complementary element uation of implemented local policies; 3) wider follow- in overcoming not only the financial crisis but also the up initiatives – networking with municipalities from lack of trust in the European Union� Bottrop was a other EU Member States� Trialog workshops should heavy industrialized coalmining city that faced serious result in key local stakeholders (authorities, organ- challenges: it had to restructure its economic model ized civil society, trade unions, investors and the busi- and energy policy� Today, it’s an InnovationCity in the ness sector) identifying existing structural problems Ruhr area focused on innovative multipliable models to later transfer relevant “good practices” between of development� This idea is intended to be spread in the municipalities� the region – our project would like to add a European scope� Severely hit by the financial crisis, Thessaloniki The Bottrop (DE) – Thessaloniki (GR) cooperation suffered from a shrinking manufacturing sector and project serves as a pilot phase within the EGI program� growing unemployment� The city is eager to trans- Successful cooperation of those local communities form its energy policy, what manifests in its Energy should deliver common models for other EU commu- Cities membership. We believe that linking these nities and later involve municipalities from other EU two municipalities to learn from each other will help countries� them develop sustainable energy models, create jobs and improve understanding between Germany and Greece, as well as strengthen the integrity of the EU� Background Since 2009 Europe has been struggling with the global financial crisis� The most unfortunate course of Motivation & objectives events occurred in Greece, where the level of public Workshops gathering participants from Greece and debt exceeded 180% GDP and the youth unemploy- Germany, followed-up by the analysis of the stake- ment rate reached 50%� The economic crisis brought holder positions and complemented by support for also political tensions, that could mostly be seen on cooperation between the stakeholders in the cities the North-South axis: Germany-Greece� are the core activity of the project� Inviting the municipalities of Bottrop and Thessaloniki, as well as the local stakeholders to participate and share 6 Growth Initiative: municipalities for a strong Europe / Good practice exchange between Bottrop and Thessaloniki / Workshop report “good practice” approaches to energy supply and Organization and leadership quality of labor or to exchange their experiences The HUMBOLDT-VIADRINA Governance Platform with similar structural problems should contribute to (HVGP) is a not-for-profit, limited liability company, better understanding of their own limits and oppor- based in Berlin/Germany� It was established in July tunities, multi-stakeholder ownership of develop- 2014, building on the proven project methodology ment strategies and international partnerships for of the former Humboldt-Viadrina School of Govern- rebuilding European integration� The later follow- ance� Our Trialogs (a format for multi-stakeholder up initiative would aim at developing more repli- meetings) and governance projects bring together cable multi- stakeholder decision-making models for the government, business and civil society, with the a more democratic approach in shaping local invest- support of scientific contributors and the media in ment plans/industrial policy and sustainable devel- order to find practical solutions for social challenges opment in Europe� and to contribute to sustainable democratic poli- tics� This concerted and targeted collaboration of all From the local perspective, the objectives of the social actors is necessary in order to gain a common project refer to facilitating knowledge exchange in understanding of multi-faceted social challenges, implementing energy transition – Energiewende – at to develop strategic solutions and mobilize political the local level: coalitions� • linking municipalities with “green business” in order to help them develop investment ideas in renewable energy sources (RES)/energy efficiency that would be most appropriate for the local communities, • facilitating local strategies for sustainable development, • promoting “good governance” at the local level, • raising awareness about the social aspects of energy policy� From a more general perspective, the expected impacts of the project refer to: Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan is a political scientist with • fostering successful structural changes emerging focus on political culture, democratic theory and from the energy transition in the education system political psychology� She was dean of the Otto-Suhr and in industry, Institute (Political Science Department) at Freie • tackling energy poverty and improving