Europe’s industrial decarbonisation depends not only on policy and finance, but on the narratives that shape public support and market confidence. Cleantech SMEs — from heating and cooling to storage, green hydrogen, smart grids and advanced materials — are not niche innovators but strategic industrial actors. Framing them as engines of local economic value, energy security and skilled employment changes how communities, investors and policymakers engage with the transition. At the same time, local and regional authorities play a decisive role: they set climate targets, implement SECAPs, manage public buildings and infrastructure, and create the regulatory environment in which these companies operate.

This session brings these perspectives together, drawing on the narrative insights of EEW5 and grounding them in the practical experience of the Basque Country. It will also present the Covenant of Mayors’ work on Earth Observation, showing how satellite‑based data can turn abstract decarbonisation commitments into visible, measurable local stories. Designed for Covenant signatories and coordinators, the session explores what enables or blocks cleantech adoption at the local level and identifies practical steps to strengthen collaboration between authorities and the companies driving Europe’s clean‑industrial future.