"Climatic" success of the Wielkopolska Region at the Open Days 2008

Details: Published: 10 October 2008; Created: 10 October 2008

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The Seminar at the Wielkopolska and Emilia-Romagna venue during Open Days 2008, prepared together with 9 partners: Niedersachsen, Northern and East Netherlands Provinces, Pilsen Region, Lower Silesia, Navarra, Yorkshire and Humber and East Midlands, brought together 150 attendees from all over Europe! They evaluated the seminar as a very interesting voice of the regions on the disscusion on climate change.
The seminar, held on the 8th of October, was entitled “Regions as the catalysts for change: How EU regions are responding to the challenges of climate change". One of the objectives was to draw the attention to the December COP 14 Climate Conference in Poznan, the capital of the Wielkopolska Region. The invitation of Wielkopolska extended on behalf of partner regions co-operating during the European Week of Regions and Cities, was accepted by professor Jerzy Buzek, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland in the years 1997-2001, but, more importantly, an excellent expert on energy and climate change.

The Prime Minister presented the latest news on the legislative procedure for one of the most controversial and emotion-stirring packages of laws – the so-called Energy and Climate Change package, aimed at the reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Just yesterday, there was the first reading of the legislative proposals at the European Parliament. Participants in the seminar had a chance to familiarise themselves with the most up-to-date comments by the former Prime Minister who, right after his speech, rushed into the Parliament hall to take the floor there. Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek said at the Wielkopolska Office that he was deeply convinced that the planned reduction was appropriate. He stressed, however, that, in particular with the crisis marring financial markets, one should pay special attention to potential economic aspects of these laws. The Prime Minister warned that many polluters might transfer their factories to Ukraine and Russia to escape from harsh European regulations. He also referred to the many environment-friendly technology solutions that are the outcomes of European cooperation: e.g. biofuels of second and even third generation.

The seminar continued as a discussion panel with the invited experts: UN Representative Jaco Tavenier, Head of department at DG Relex Andreas Herdina, WWF Representative to Brussels Paloma Agrasot , negotiation team co-ordinator of the European Commission Directorate-General “Environment” Stefan Agne and the regional expert from the Regional Development Agency Yorkshire Forward Stephen Brown. The discussion was hosted by Eddy Hartog, until recently in charge of the structural policy thematic development and impact unit, currently of DG Mare.

The attendees of the session, chaired by Eddie Hartog, were discussing whether the developing countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy could be partners for Europe in the area of prevention of and adaptation to climate changes. Andreas Herdina underlined that the main objective of this policy is first and foremost to create the relevant institutional capabilities in the developing countries, hence expectations about climate change prevention could be too high at this stage. Paloma Agrasot shared this view, providing the example of Ukraine, which, despite promising, in theory, declarations, fails implement them in a satisfying manner. Stephen Brown, on the other hand, boasted of good cooperation of his region with its counterparts in India and China, which was an indication that practical cooperation of regions is possible.

At the workshop, a preview event was also held of the exhibition prepared by the Wielkopolska Office in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Department of the City of Poznań, entitled: "Bali - Poznan - Copenhagen. Will the European Union Pave the Way For a New Agreement on Climate Change? For more pictures from the seminar, go to the Gallery section.

Author: BIWW

Photos: BIWW

"Climatic" success of the Wielkopolska Region at the Open Days 2008

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