IP/10/486
Brussels, 3 May 2010
EU conference: 500 cities pledge to reduce CO2 by more than 20%
More than 500 European mayors will commit tomorrow to cut CO2 emissions by more than 20% by 2020. By signing the Covenant of Mayors, they pledge to save energy, foster renewable energy and raise awareness among their citizens. They will sign the declaration in the presence of EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain. The Covenant of Mayors is a Commission initiative, supported both by the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions.
Günther Oettinger, Commissioner responsible for energy said: "The Covenant of Mayors has become a key element of the EU sustainable energy policy. Regions and cities are demonstrating that climate mitigation is one of the best economic recovery strategies. Investment into the reduction of CO2 emissions and energy efficiency creates jobs which by their nature cannot be delocalised." At the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony in the European Parliament, more than 500 mayors will sign the declaration. The Declaration commits them to analyse how much CO2 they emit at the moment, outline how they will reach the goal and evaluate their actions. They also commit themselves to raise awareness among citizens and to share best practice. The city of Heidelberg for example has reduced its Co2 emissions by nearly 40% in public buildings through energy monitoring stations and the 'Energy Teams' in the city’s schools. The City of Riga utilises the methane gas produced in the city’s waste tip to produce electricity and Antwerp uses a refurbished industrial warehouse as showcases sustainable building and demonstration centre for citizens. Local authorities have a key role in mitigating climate change. Over half of greenhouse gas emissions are created in and by cities. 80% of the population lives and works in cities, where up to 80% of energy is consumed.
Background: The Covenant of Mayors is an annual conference that has been initiated by the European Commission in 2009. With more than 500 Mayors signing the declaration this year, the number of signatories will raise to more than 1600 signatories in 36 countries representing 120 million citizens. The European Commission is supporting the initiative by organizing the conference, fostering best practice on the website and helping local authorities to finance their energy actions through programmes such as ELENA which provides funding of Euro 15 million in 2010.
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More information on the Covenant of Mayors and the ceremony: http://www.eumayors.eu/ Annex: List of Mayors singing the declaration
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Local Authorities Signing the Covenant of Mayors
Austria Cyprus
LAXENBURG LARNACA WOLFURT LEFKARA PARALIMNI Belgium Czech Republic ANTWERPEN BRUXELLES-REGION JESENÍK GENK GENT Estonia HASSELT KURESSAARE Bosnia and Herzegowina RAKVERE
SARAJEVO France
Bulgaria BREST MÉTROPOLE OCÉANE CHAMONIX MONT-BLANC BALCHIK COUDEKERQUE-BRANCHE VARNA COULAINES ECHIROLLES Croatia METZ BAYONNE ZAGREB CAEN DUGA RESA CHAMBERY JASTREBARSKO ECHIROLLES KLANJEC GENEVE RIJEKA GRAND-DOLE VELIKA GORICA GRANDE-SYNTHE ZAPRESIC GRENOBLE LA BASTIDONNE L'HAŸ-LES-ROSES
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SÈTE BERGAMO BERZO SAN FERMO Germany BIANZANO
BÖHL-IGGELHEIM BLELLO FÜRSTENFELDBRUCK BOLGARE LÖRRACH BOMBA MUNICH BORGO DI TERZO TELTOW BORRELLO WILLICH BOSSICO
Greece BOTTICINO BRACCA PATRAS BRANDICO ACHARNES BREMBATE DI SOPRA AGIA VARVARA BREMBILLA AGIOI ANARGYROI BRUGHERIO AGIOS DIMITRIOS AGIOS STEFANOS BRUMANO ANO LIOSIA CALICE AL CORNOVIGLIO ASPROPYRGOS CALVENZANO THERMI CAMERATA CORNELLO NEA VYSSA CANEGRATE PAIANIA PALAIO FALIRO CANOSA SANNITA PANORAMA CARNATE SERRES CARONA SYKIES CARONNO PERTUSELLA YMITTOS CARUNCHIO
CASALBORDINO Italy CASALINCONTRADA ABBIATEGRASSO CASAZZA AGRATE BRIANZA CASNIGO ALBANO S. ALESSANDRO CASOLI ALBINO CASSIGLIO ALTINO CASTEL FRENTANO ALZANO LOMBARDO CASTELFRANCO EMILIA ATESSA CASTELNUOVO MAGRA ATRI CASTELNUOVO RANGONE AVERARA CASTIGLIONE MESSER MARINO BAGNATICA CASTRO BARBARIGA CAZZANO DI TRAMIGNA BEDULITA CAZZANO S. ANDREA BELLUSCO CELENZA SUL TRIGNO
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CENATE SOPRA GUALDO TADINO CERISANO GUARDIAGRELE CESENATICO LANCIANO CHIETI LENNA CINISELLO BALSAMO LENTELLA CIVITALUP ARELLA LONGHENA CIVITELLA MESSER RAIMONDO LUZZANA COLLEDIMEZZO MACLODIO COMISO MAIRANO COMUN NUOVO MARANELLO CONCORDIA SULLA SECCHIA MARANO PRINCIPATO CORTENUOVA MARCALLO CON CASONE CORZANO MEDOLLA COSTA SERINA MEZZOLDO CRECCHIO MIGLIANICO CREDARO MOIO DE CALVI CUSIO MONASTEROLO DEL CASTELLO DELLO MONTAZZOLI DOGLIOLA MONTEFERRANTE DOSSENA MONTELAPIANO ENDINE GAIANO MONTENERODOMO ENTRATICO MONTEODORISIO FALLO MORENGO FARA SAN MARTINO MORNICO AL SERIO FILETTO MOZZAGROGNA FOGGIA ODOLO FOPPOLO OLMO AL BREMBO FORMIGINE OLTRE IL COLLE FOSSACESIA ONETA FRANCAVILLA AL MARE ORNICA FRESAGRANDINARIA ORSOGNA GAMBERALE ORZINUOVI GANDINO ORZIVECCHI GAVARDO OSTRA VETERE GAVERINA TERME PAGLIETA GENOVA PARZANICA GEROSA PEDRENGO GISSI PEIA GIULIANOVA PENNADOMO GRONE PERANO
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PESCARA SPINONE AL LAGO PESSANO CON BORNAGO SULBIATE PIAZZA BREMBANA TALEGGIO PIAZZATORRE TAVERNOLA BERGAMASCA PIAZZOLO TORNARECCIO PIETRAMONTECORVINO TORREBRUNA POGGIOFIORITO TORTORETO POLLUTRI TRAVEDONA MONATE POMPIANO TREGLIO PONTE NOSSA TRESCORE BALNEARIO PONTERANICA TUFILLO PRESEZZO UBIALE CLANEZZO QUADRI UBOLDO RANZANICO VACRI REZZATO VALBREMBO RIPA TEATINA VALLEVE ROCCASPINALVETI VALTORTA RONCOBELLO VARESE LIGURE RONCOLA VEDESETA ROTA D'IMAGNA VIGANO SAN MARTINO SAN BONIFACIO VILLA DI SERIO SAN DONATO MILANESE VILLA SANTA MARIA SAN FELICE SUL PANARO VILLACHIARA SAN GIOVANNI ILARIONE VILLALFONSINA SAN GIOVANNI LIPIONI VILLANUOVA SUL CLISI SAN PAOLO D'ARGON VILLONGO SAN PELLEGRINO TERME VIMERCATE SAN POSSIDONIO VITTUONE SAN SALVO VOBARNO SAN VITO CHIETINO ZANDOBBIO SANTA BRIGIDA ZEVIO SANTA MARIA IMBARO ZOGNO SANTO STEFANO DI MAGRA SARNICO Latvia JEKABPILS CITY COUNCIL SCANZOROSCIATE
SCHIAVI DI ABRUZZO Lithuania SEDRINA SOAVE KAUNAS SOLIERA PANEVEZYS SOLTO COLLINA VILKAVIŠKIS REGION
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Macedonia SANTIAGO DO CACÉM SANTO AMADOR SKOPJE Romania Malta CRAIOVA BALZAN GIURGIU BIRKIRKARA AVRIG GHARGHUR BISTRITA IKLIN VASLUI KALKARA MARSASKALA Slovakia MDINA PEMBROKE MOLDAVA NAD BODVOU QRENDI SAN GILJAN Spain SAN LAWRENZ SANTA LUCIJA ABRERA SANTA VENERA AGRES SWIEQI AGUILAR DE SEGARRA SAN PAWL IL-BAHAR SLIEMA ALCALALI TA' XBIEX ALCOCER DE PLANES XAGHRA, GOZO ALQUERIA DE AZNAR XEWKIJA ARENYS DE MAR ASPE Montenegro BARCELONA BENIARRES PODGORICA BENIDORM
Netherlands BENIFALLIM BENIFATO HEERHUGOWAARD BENIMARFULL BENISSA Norway BERGA STAVANGER BIAR Poland BURRIANA CALDES DE MONTBUI DZIER ŻONIÓW CALDES D'ESTRAC LUBIANKA CALLOSA DE SEGURA RACIECHOWICE CALP
CANYELLES Portugal CARDEDEU BEJA CASTELLÓN DE LA PLANA FERREIRA DO ALENTEJO CENTELLES
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CORBERA DE LLOBREGAT SANT CUGAT DEL VALLES DAYA VIEJA SANT CUGAT SESGARRIGUES EL CAMPELLO SANT JOAN DESPÍ EL RAFOL D'ALMUNIA SANT LLUÍS (MENORCA) ESPARTINAS SANT QUIRZE DEL VALLÈS ESPLUGUES DE LLOBREGAT SANTA COLOMA DE FAMORCA GRAMENET FIGUERES SANTA EUGENIA GARGANTILLA DE LOZOYA SANTA MARIA DEL CAMÍ GATA DE GORGOS SANTANDER GAVÀ SELLA GELIDA SENTMENAT GRANOLLERS TERRASSA LA ROMANA TOLLOS LES FRANQUESES DEL VALLÈS VALENCIA LES MASIES DE VOLTREGA VILADECANS LLEIDA VILA-REAL LLIÇÀ D'AMUNT VILASSAR DE DALT LOS MONTESINOS VILASSAR DE MAR MARTORELL VILLENA MONTORNÈS DEL VALLÈS VITORIA-GASTEIZ
MURO DE ALCOY Sweden NAVÀS ONDARA BORÅS ORBA FINSPÅNG ORDIS JOKKMOKK ORIHUELA VÄXJÖ
PALAU-SOLITÀ I PLEGAMANS Switzerland PALLEJÀ PARCENT GENEVA PARETS DEL VALLÈS PEDREGUER Ukraine
PINOSO LUTSK PREMIÀ DE MAR MOHYLIV-PODILSKY PUERTO LUMBRERAS REUS United Kingdom RIBESALBES RIUDECANYES ABERDEEN SALINAS
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Supporting Structures signing the Covenant of Mayors
CLIMATE ALLIANCE COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS ENERGY-CITIES EUROCITIES FEDARENE ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT CITIES OF UKRAINE ASSOCIATION COORDINAMENTO AGENDE 21 LOCALI ITALIANE (ITALY) ASSOCIAZIONE BORGHI AUTENTICI D'ITALIA (ITALY) BALEARIC ISLAND GOVERNMENT (SPAIN) CITTASLOW INTERNATIONAL (ITALY) EUROPEAN NEW TOWNS PLATFORM LOCAL COUNCILS' ASSOCIATION (MALTA) PROVINCE OF ALICANTE (SPAIN) PROVINCE OF BARCELONA (SPAIN) PROVINCE OF CASTELLÓN (SPAIN) PROVINCE OF BERGAMO (ITALY) PROVINCE OF CHIETI (ITALY) PROVINCE OF LA SPEZIA (ITALY) PROVINCE OF MILANO (ITALY) PROVINCE OF MODENA (ITALY) PROVINCE OF PESCARA (ITALY) PROVINCE OF ROME (ITALY) PROVINCE OF TERAMO (ITALY) PROVINCE OF TORINO (ITALY) PROVINCIA DI BENEVENTO (ITALY) REGION ABRUZZO (ITALY) REGION SJÆLLAND (DENMARK) UNION OF BULGARIAN BLACK SEA LOCAL AUTHORITIES (BULGARIA) UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN CROATIA VERBAND REGION RHEIN-NECKAR (GERMANY)
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