News item | 27-02-2023 | 11:02
Municipalities and provinces play an important role in the implementation of climate and energy policy. It is therefore essential that they have the necessary knowledge, expertise and implementation capacity. The government will allocate €1.04 billion up to and including 2025 to support municipalities and provinces in this. With this money they can attract extra staff, increase knowledge and bring in external expertise. Municipalities and provinces can pay the implementation costs for the climate policy between 3 and 28 April to request at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
Local governments play a key role in the implementation of climate and energy policy. Think of the Regional Energy Strategies, the roll-out of heating networks and making homes gas-free. It has been agreed in the Coalition Agreement to make a total of € 5.6 billion available for the years 2023 to 2030, so that municipalities and provinces can properly perform their tasks in this area. Today, the government published the ‘temporary regulation capacity of local governments for climate and energy policy’ (CDOKE). This temporary arrangement makes it possible for municipalities and provinces to apply for these resources. A new scheme will be opened at a later date for the years 2026 to 2030.
Rob Jetten, Minister for Climate and Energy: “The cabinet is grateful to the municipalities and provinces for the responsibility they take for the implementation of climate policy. The climate transition is the greatest challenge of our time. A challenge that we can only face if we put our shoulders to the wheel together, as one government. With these resources, we ensure that municipalities and provinces are better equipped to fulfill their essential role in the transition.”
Lot van Hooijdonk, chairman of the VNG Energy and Climate Committee and alderman in Utrecht: “The VNG is very pleased with these resources. It meets one of the conditions set by our members in the Climate Agreement. The scheme meets the urgent need of municipalities to further develop their internal organization so that they can work on the local energy transition together with residents, fellow authorities and others in the coming years.”
Jop Fackeldey, deputy province of Flevoland, on behalf of the collaborating provinces: “We will not get there with just the will to implement climate policy. The fact that the government is now making resources available for this is very good. This also enables us to give substance to the climate challenge in partnership.”
Municipalities and provinces can apply for the implementation resources themselves. Between 3 and 28 April, they can contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, which implements the scheme on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. It is a simple application with limited administrative burden. The payments will be made in the calendar years 2023 (€347 million), 2024 (€339 million) and 2025 (€351 million). These amounts are based on the necessary implementation resources as stated in the advice “From Paris to Practice” issued by the Council of Public Administration (ROB) at the beginning of 2021. Municipalities and provinces account for the expenditure of the benefit annually. Administrative agreements have been made about the distribution of resources. The scheme contains an overview of the amounts that have been made available per municipality and province.