Gümülcine Municipality joins d project to tackle energy poverty among people with disabilities

The Municipality of Komotini (Gümülcine) has officially joined the European ASSERT project, implemented under the European Union’s LIFE Programme, the EU’s primary funding instrument for environmental protection, climate action, and sustainable development.

The ASSERT initiative focuses on combating energy poverty among individuals with physical disabilities, while simultaneously strengthening the capacity of local authorities to address social vulnerability through inclusive energy policies.

A Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Energy Justice

ASSERT is a large-scale, multi-partner training and mentoring program designed to support physically disabled individuals affected by energy poverty. The project develops direct assistance mechanisms for vulnerable households while enhancing municipal and institutional expertise in targeted intervention strategies.

Through the program, participating municipalities and partner organizations engage in:

• Targeted outreach and advisory services
• Co-design workshops for developing educational tools
• Thematic training programs for municipal staff
• Capacity-building initiatives to improve local service delivery

Five-Country Pilot Implementation

The ASSERT project is being piloted in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Coordinated transnational collaboration aims to:

• Share best practices
• Evaluate policy outcomes
• Develop scalable tools and policy frameworks applicable at both local and European levels

The cross-border structure of the initiative reflects the EU’s broader commitment to addressing energy poverty as part of its climate transition and social cohesion agenda.

Promoting Social Cohesion and Universal Accessibility

By participating in ASSERT, the Municipality of Komotini seeks to:

• Strengthen social cohesion
• Promote energy justice
• Enhance universal accessibility in local services

Energy poverty disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, due to higher energy needs and limited income flexibility. The ASSERT project aims to close this gap through structured policy support and community-based implementation.

Further information about the initiative is available on the project’s official website.