Looking back on three years of RECET, this reflection explores how ideas, partnerships and local initiatives have taken root across rural Europe. As the project comes to an end, these small points of light continue to grow into practical action for the clean energy transition.

Many municipalities have climate ambitions, but approved actions do not always make it into municipal budgets or implementation. The RECET Action Bank offers practical actions and guidance to help municipalities turn climate plans into concrete steps.

.The RECET Action Bank offers 49 practical actions to help municipalities move from climate plans to implementation. The workshop also highlighted the need for capacity, funding, prioritisation and continued collaboration.

Municipalities across Iceland face different circumstances, but many share similar challenges when moving from climate plans to action. The workshop brought municipalities together to exchange experiences and explore how RECET tools can support local implementation.

A need identified through RECET has led to NordWetCap, a new initiative exploring wetland restoration as a local approach to carbon offsetting. The project builds on work with municipalities in the Westfjords and explores both climate and wider environmental benefits.

RECET supported Karlshamn in developing a new energy plan, using a 10-step energy planning approach. As many Swedish municipalities are now working with the final steps of the process, steps 9 and 10 will be the focus of RECET’s regional final replication event in Karlskrona on 17 September 2026.

What kind of neighbour is your municipality? A reflection on how stronger cooperation between municipalities can create new relationships, innovative solutions and greater capacity to act on the clean energy transition.