Enigin Update - European Mayors set Example for EU Nations
EUROPEAN mayors demonstrated today that energy efficiency targets can be met, despite sluggish talks on the proposed EU energy efficiency directive, according to EurActiv.
EurActiv reports that 3,000 mayors came together today (November 30) for the launch of the 'Engage' campaign, a project that aims to become the largest EU-wide local authority initiative for promoting energy savings over the next year. Gérard Magnin, its executive director, hopes to see its supporters rise from the current 12 to over 150 members.
Magnin explained: “It’s a step-by-step approach,” pointing out to the bottom-up approach. “Local-level citizens are committed to help their mayors achieve their goals,” without having to wait for leaders to sign supranational targets.
The project is still young, but “it’s been tested and it’s working,” says Magnin.
Whilst some look to the human, individual approach, others look to more modern methods, such a view is held by, Sir Richard Leese, leader of the Manchester City Council, who encourages companies, universities and NGOs to buy technological equipment that uses less energy or helps with energy efficiency, such as up-to-date technology to monitor consumption and find additional savings.
“I didn’t want to keep waiting for decisions to be taken at European level, so I started at a local level,” Leese said. “The increase in the cost of energy will drive energy efficiency to become a real market value,” he said.
Enigin through their global network of Enigin Distributors supply such technology, which is already being used by many municipalities, to provide control of energy use, efficiency and saving to decision makers - leading to reduced energy bills and CO2 emissions.
Most EU nation states are failing to meet EU energy efficiency targets, so the city mayors who are taking these initiatives to improve energy efficiency deserve praise for their efforts. The steps maybe small, on a global scale, but the coordinated effort is making an even larger impact on energy demand, costs and CO2 emissions.
Picture of European Union by Motiqua reproduced under CCL.
