From RED II to RED III: Renewable Acceleration Areas as a new challenge for European urban and territorial planning

Abstract

Starting from the relationship between urban planning and mobility management, TeMA has gradually expanded the view of the covered topics, always remaining in the groove of rigorous scientific in-depth analysis. This section of the Journal, Review Notes, is the expression of continuously updating emerging topics concerning relationships between urban planning, mobility and environment, through a collection of short scientific papers written by young researchers. The Review Notes are made of four parts. Each section examines a specific aspect of the broader information storage within the main interests of TeMA Journal. This section, International Regulations and Legislation for the Energy Transition, explores the challenges and opportunities in the urban context to understand the evolving landscape of the global energy transition. The RED III Directive (2023/2413) introduces more ambitious targets for renewable energy than RED II and provides for Renewable Acceleration Areas (RAAs) to expedite plant authorizations. This gives a more prominent role to urban and regional planning, which must integrate energy, environmental, and infrastructure criteria into location decisions. The Italian case demonstrates how multilevel governance, along with operational tools such as strategic assessments and digital platforms, is crucial in defining RAAs. Cities thus assume a central role in decarbonization processes. This paper highlights opportunities and critical issues towards a faster, fairer, and more sustainable energy transition.