Published on: April 11, 2025
The city of Kilkenny played host to the fourth DeCarb-Pro Project Partner Meeting, held on March 26th and 27th, 2025. Organised by the South East Energy Agency (SEEA), the two-day event brought together partners from across Europe to advance collaborative efforts in decarbonising public procurement and implementing carbon pricing strategies.
The meeting welcomed representatives from a diverse range of partner regions, including the Grone Metropol Region Arnhem-Nijmegen, City of Essen, City of Paris, Agence du Climat Strasbourg, Klimatschutz Agentur Wiesbaden, Climate Alliance, Klimaatverbond Nederland, Flux50, Foundation HIER Klimaatbureau, City of Amsterdam, Strasbourg Eurometropolis, and Kilkenny County Council.
The event opened with a warm welcome from SEEA’s EU Projects Team Lead, Dr. Dewi Vliexs, who set the tone for a productive and forward-thinking agenda. Day one featured insightful presentations from both small and large local authorities within the partner network, highlighting ongoing pilot projects and sharing valuable lessons learned. These discussions fostered knowledge exchange and demonstrated practical strategies that could be replicated and scaled across different European regions.
Key sessions throughout the day focused on refining the DeCarb-Pro Strategy Framework, aligning work plans for the next six months, and examining how organisations can effectively transition towards sustainable procurement practices. Particular attention was given to preparing for the implementation of carbon pricing; a central pillar of the DeCarb-Pro approach.
A highlight of the meeting was the presentation delivered by SEEA Project Officer, Ralf Kampe, on ‘Implementing Guidance & Mandates for Carbon Pricing’. His pilot case emphasised the importance of integrating carbon pricing mechanisms at both national and regional levels, and the critical role local authorities play in this transition. SEEA is committed to supporting these efforts through training, capacity-building, and the dissemination of best practices.
On day two, participants worked collaboratively to further identify gaps in the Carbon Pricing Strategy. Discussions centred on prioritisation, stakeholder involvement, and the development of a robust execution plan to ensure effective roll-out of the strategy across all partner regions.
To conclude the event, participants were treated to a guided tour of Kilkenny’s historic sites, including a visit to Kilkenny Castle, offering a rich cultural experience alongside the technical sessions.
Funded by Interreg North-West Europe and co-financed by the European Union, the DeCarb-Pro Project continues to champion innovation in sustainable public procurement and climate-conscious policy development. The successful partner meeting in Kilkenny marks another step forward in realising a low-carbon future for the region.
Learn more about the DeCarb-Pro Project
