Moldovan experience in sustainable energy and climate change, gained with the support of the EU, inspires Armenian mayors

Representatives from five municipalities from Armenia visited signatory towns in the Republic of Moldova under the European initiative known as the Covenant of Mayors for Energy and Climate, as part of a program “City to City.”

During the visit organized by the Covenant of Mayors – East project, the delegation toured the city of Chișinău, as well as the towns of Cantemir and Călărași, and the commune of Sipoteni, among others.

In Chișinău, Armenian mayors were introduced to municipal projects related to energy efficiency, transportation, urban mobility, environmental sustainability, waste management, and new technologies in water accounting and management.

In Călărași, the Armenian delegation learned about the experience of developing a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), a strategic document elaborated within the Covenant of Mayors. Special attention was given to the process of identifying key sectors, collecting and analysing initial information on energy consumption, and implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in municipal, residential, transportation, and street lighting sectors. After monitoring the SEAP implementation, the accumulated data served as the basis for the development of a new action plan till 2030, which includes an assessment of climate risks and adaptation measures.

Following the visit to Călărași, the delegation travelled to another Covenant of Mayors signatory in Moldova – Sipoteni, to see the results of a climate change adaptation project.

Cantemir is another city visited, and it is among the most active signatories of the Covenant of Mayors, having joined the European initiative in 2013. It is a model city in terms of innovative solutions in energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, known for its demonstrative project “CanTREB,” supported by the European Union through the Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects program.

The City2City program represents a valuable platform for collaboration and mutual learning among cities and communities that are signatories of the European Covenant of Mayors for Energy and Climate initiative.