Commission teams up with businesses, environment groups and universities to promote climate solutions
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, launched the campaign at an event, Visions for a world you like,
held in London's City Hall. Campaign partners and citizens joined
Commissioner Hedegaard, UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate
Change Ed Davey and other speakers to kick off the debate on climate
solutions. The discussions are being streamed live on the campaign's Facebook page and contributions can be made on Twitter at #worldulike.
"We have a choice: We can ACT on our knowledge
about climate change. Or we can sit idly by and watch as things get
worse. Both options come with a price tag. So why not create a world we
like, with a climate we like - while we still have time? With this
campaign we want to focus the debate on the solutions and find out what
is holding us back from applying them," Commissioner Hedegaard said.
Running until the end of 2013, the campaign aims to
showcase existing cost-efficient solutions for achieving the EU's
objective of an 80-95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The campaign is a follow-up to the Commission's Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050, which sets out pathways for deep but cost-effective emission reductions by the main economic sectors.
Across Europe there are abundant examples of intelligent, innovative climate solutions that reduce CO2
pollution while also improving people's quality of life. For example,
Stockholm's central rail station converts the excess body heat of
commuters into heat for a nearby office building, reducing not only
emissions but also the building's energy bill by 20-25%.
Such "win-win" solutions – where saving money, time
and emissions go hand in hand – are at the heart of the communication
campaign.
Centred on a website
soon to be available in all 23 EU languages, the campaign is designed
as a platform for participation where individuals, businesses and local
groups will be able to upload, promote and discuss their low-carbon
solutions and take part in a pan-European contest to find the best and
most original ones.
Partnerships with like-minded organisations are a
central part of the campaign. More than 70 organisations are already
confirmed campaign partners, including business associations,
universities, non-governmental organisations and government
institutions. The intention is to enrol more partners as the campaign
evolves.
More events will follow in a number of Member
States, including Bulgaria, Italy, Poland and Portugal, in the course of
2012-2013.
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