Building the Transition to Clean Energy in Small and Rural Communities: Lessons from the LIFE LOCAL GoGREEN Project

Contributing to the ambitious European goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050 requires coordinated efforts across all levels of governance. However, small and rural communities often struggle to keep pace and are disadvantaged by a number of factors including limited access to financial resources, technical expertise, and the use of planning tools such as decision support systems (DSTs), datasets, and geographic information systems (GIS). This study presents findings from the LIFE22-CET LOCAL GoGREEN project (2024–2026), which supports six small municipalities located in Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, and Spain in their clean energy transition. A common methodological framework was co-designed and shared with the municipalities to guide the development of local case study profiles through structured Self-Assessment Reports (SARs). The SARs provided valuable insights into local energy and climate planning, enabling the identification of key challenges and opportunities. The final comparative analysis revealed a generally fragmented planning framework, a widespread absence of long-term strategic vision, and limited multi-level cooperation. Moreover, the adoption of DSTs, GIS, and structured data analysis in local planning remains minimal. Despite focusing on a limited number of cases, the study offers relevant considerations for policy-makers and stakeholders aiming to support the energy transition in rural and small communities across Europe in a more inclusive and effective way.