SUSTAINABLE CITIZENS

Pro Bono for Renewable Energy

We matched Sustainable Citizens, an Italian grassroots association from Liguria, with Laura Mazzei, Public Affairs Manager for the Green Transition and Industrials at FIPRA International, to strengthen their campaign for a more ambitious Regional Energetic And Environmental Plan (PEAR).

Why renewable energy advocacy matters in Liguria

Liguria’s PEAR sets the framework for the next seven years of regional energy and climate policies. Citizens’ voices in this process are crucial: the region has lagged behind in reaching the EU 2020 renewable targets and now faces the challenge of meeting the updated Renewable Energy Directive objectives for 2030.

With phases for public observations and hearings opening, the opportunity for civic participation was both urgent and strategic.

Who is Sustainable Citizens?

Sustainable Citizens is a civic association based in Genoa. Their mission is to raise awareness and mobilize citizens on sustainability, climate action, and mobility. They want a Liguria that achieves its climate goals while also creating fair opportunities for communities to benefit from comunità energetiche rinnovabili (CER).

They believe that civil society should have a strong, independent voice in shaping policies like the PEAR.

Why they needed pro bono support

Sustainable Citizens had previously submitted detailed technical observations to Regione Liguria on the draft PEAR. These included ambitious targets for solar and wind capacity, proposals for storage, sustainable transport, and limits on fossil fuel lock-in.

However, as volunteers without structured lobbying capacity, they needed strategic public affairs guidance to:

  • build visibility for their proposals in local and national debates;

  • engage decision-makers more effectively;

  • identify opportunities at the EU level to amplify their message.

Introducing FIPRA’s expertise

FIPRA International is one of Brussels’ most respected public affairs consultancies, renowned for supporting organizations navigating complex EU and national policymaking.

One of their best advisors at the time – Laura Mazzei, brought her expertise in green transition policy and public affairs to guide CS: her advice focused on advocacy strategy and leveraging EU initiatives to reinforce the association’s work.

How the pro bono support unfolded

After an initial consultation on Sustainable Citizens’ PEAR observations, Laura offered targeted strategic advice on:

  • how to engage local and regional policymakers, including the Ligurian Assessorato allo Sviluppo Economico;

  • linking the PEAR campaign to EU-wide advocacy opportunities, such as the European Mobility Week and the New European Bauhaus Festival;

  • developing a simple 5-point manifesto that Sustainable Citizens could use to rally support from associations and businesses.

In her follow-up, Laura highlighted upcoming EU initiatives as advocacy opportunities: “Considering your strong activities on sustainable mobility, the European Mobility Week could help amplify your voice both for awareness-raising and to request meetings with the Regione Liguria.”

This practical guidance gave Sustainable Citizens clear pathways to connect their local advocacy with broader European frameworks.

Results and impact

Thanks to the pro bono support, Sustainable Citizens integrated EU-level opportunities into their campaign strategy. They registered their activities in the European Mobility Week database, boosting visibility and legitimacy, and started exploring participation in the New European Bauhaus Festival.

They also advanced their plan to draft a five-point manifesto to mobilize stakeholders around ambitious renewable energy and mobility goals in Liguria.

As the Vice-President of Sustainable Citizens shared: “The support we received through Pro Publico gave us direction and concrete tools. It allowed us to align our local advocacy with the European agenda and made us feel less isolated in this challenging work.”

Why this matters

This case shows how even a short, targeted pro bono engagement can empower grassroots associations to scale up their advocacy. With strategic guidance, Sustainable Citizens could strengthen its role in shaping Liguria’s climate and energy policies, ultimately contributing to a faster transition to renewables.

For Laura Mazzei, the experience was equally fulfilling: “It was rewarding to see how a small input could unlock new opportunities for a grassroots association. Pro Publico’s matchmaking is crucial for bridging expertise and civic impact.”

🌍 Do you represent a civil society organization working on climate, sustainability, or social justice and need legal or public affairs support? Submit your case to Pro Publico and let us connect you with professionals willing to help pro bono publico.

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Thanks to @SustainableCitizens, @LauraMazzei, @FIPRAInternational, @FipraCares

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