Across Europe, governments are falling short on climate democracy. CAN Europe and WWF’s latest report, "Struggling for a Voice," reveals widespread failures by countries to engage citizens meaningfully in updating their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).

This year, the European Union will add another fundamental brick in its climate architecture: a 2040 climate target. Setting a 2040 target is a legal obligation under the European Climate Law. But it also raises a crucial opportunity for the EU to go beyond its current level of ambition.

This briefing, published by the Together for 1.5 consortium the 5th of December, highlights the wide diversity of local actions on climate and energy that local authorities may develop in their territories, as well as the similarities between sectoral measures put in place in different Member States to curb energy use and GHG emissions, which allows to replicate or adapt best practices in other EU territories, while ensuring the protection of nature and strengthening socio-economic aspects.