PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The LEEAN-CET project aims to enhance sustainable local governance in climate and energy sectors across Central and Southeast Europe by implementing the European Energy Award (eea) in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Ukraine. By systematically applying the eea methodology, the project will equip local and regional authorities with the tools, capacity, and organizational structures needed to design and implement clean energy transition plans. LEEAN-CET will address the specific challenges faced by small and medium municipalities, rural areas, and carbon-intensive regions in meeting EU Green Deal objectives. Through tailored technical assistance and capacity-building efforts to 30 pilot municipalities which have explicitly declared their intention to join, the project will train over 300 municipal experts, establish or update 30 clean energy action plans, and develop investment concepts worth at least 60 million Euro. Key outcomes of the project include the adaptation of the eea methodology to local contexts, the deployment of the eea Online Energy Management Tool, and the integration of innovative stakeholder engagement strategies. By focusing on the seven critical sectors of the eea: Spatial Planning, Municipal Buildings, Supply and Disposal, Mobility, Internal Organisation, Communication and Cooperation, and Climate Adaptation, LEEAN-CET aims to build comprehensive energy management systems that are both effective and replicable, ensuring long-term impact across the target regions. A central component of the project is the capacity building platform, offering a suite of training resources such as online courses, workshops, and best practice guides tailored to municipal needs. This platform will support the large-scale roll-out of training schemes, ensuring that local authorities continue to develop their skills even beyond the project's duration, thereby contributing to the sustainability of clean energy actions in the region.