The Thematic Discussion Group is an information-and-experience-sharing service that aims to stimulate interaction and networking between Covenant stakeholders. These tailor-made exchange platforms bring together predetermined categories of Covenant stakeholders – large cities and metropolitan areas; small and medium-sized signatories; Covenant Coordinators and Covenant Supporters - to discuss Covenant-related topics and questions with their peers, notably during events organized by the Covenant of Mayors Office, online forums and webinars.

Thematic Workshops are interactive, capacity-building sessions organised to foster experience and knowledge transfer among participants. Thematic Workshops will specifically target the Discussion Groups.

A webinar is a live, interactive presentation on the web, providing an opportunity for Covenant stakeholders - including signatories, Covenant Supporter and Coordinators - to attend a lecture given by CoMO members or other experts on a specific Covenant-related topic.

Associated Partners are professional associations, NGOs, and other such structures which are in a position to provide linkages with private companies and civil society, as well as support to Covenant signatories, notably in the form of technologies, tools, financial incentives, promotional materials, cultural and participative initiatives.

Covenant of Mayors East (CoM East) is the EU-funded project aimed at introducing the EU climate and energy initiative to the Eastern Partnership countries. CoM East supports local authorities in implementing sustainable energy policies, improving the security of energy supply, and facilities their contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The signatories of CoM East, which joined the Covenant of Mayors before October 2016, undertook to: 

• Reduce their CO₂ emissions by at least 20% by 2020.

New CoM East Signatories commit to:

• Reducing СО₂ emissions by 30% by 2030.
• Enhancing resilience by adapting to the impacts of climate change and undertaking a climate change risk and vulnerability assessment.

The overall objective (impact) is to enable local authorities in EaP countries to develop and implement sustainable energy and climate actions, therefore significantly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, increasing generation of renewable energy, and adaptation to climate change. Or, if broken down into separate impacts, we may describe them as follows:

• CoM signatories are more capable to develop and implement sustainable energy and climate actions in 2025 compared to 2021;
• CoM signatories reduce their CO₂ emissions by the end of 2025 compared to 2021;
• CoM Signatories reduce their energy consumption by the end of 2025 compared to 2021;
• CoM Signatories increase generation of renewable energy by the end of 2025 compared to 2021;
• CoM Signatories increase the number of adaptation projects by the end of 2025 compared to 2021.

• Capacity building to strengthen the expertise of Covenant National Coordinators (CNC), Covenant Territorial Coordinators (CTC), Covenant Supporters (CS) and Signatories in the field of energy and climate policies.
• Operating the Country Helpdesk to provide an administrative promotional and technical assistance to the CoM East Signatories and other stakeholders.
• Networking and Cooperating with financing institutions, international donors, relevant ministries, and cooperating with other initiatives and programs to develop a plan for achieving the CoM East objectives and give strategic direction to the CoM East initiative after 2020.
• Communicating & Promoting the CoM East results and achievements to the Signatories, CNC, CTC and CS, promoting and raising awareness of key stakeholders about the Covenant’s targets and benefits, achievements, success stories, best practices, etc.
• Coordinating & Monitoring development of the country strategis with national, international and EU initiatives, programs, as well as embedding the Covenant of Mayors initiative in the Eastern Partnership countries.

• Local authorities interested in committing to the new Covenant and developing a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan.
• Covenant signatory cities that have developed their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) and Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs).
• Covenant National Coordinators, Covenant Territorial Coordinators and Covenant Supporters directly involved in the capacity building and networking activities. 

The CoM East Project was launched in September 2011. The first phase of the project (2011-2015) covered 11 countries of EaP and CA regions. The second phase of the project (2016-2020) covers 6 countries of EaP region.

Welcome to the website of Covenant of Mayors - East!

In order to achieve a good quality and follow the best European practices, a dedicated Support Team was established to assist Demonstration Projects both from a project implementation perspective (planning, managing and monitoring these energy efficiency actions, adhering to EU contractual obligations) and a technical perspective, covering the whole cycle from energy audit to completion of works. The Support Team also assisted projects in documenting their activities and promoting good practice to other municipalities interested in making their cities more energy efficient.