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Local and regional action are of the utmost importance for work towards these goals, and are at the heart of this matrix-like process of communication and valorisation, which to be effective can only be implemented in a bottom-up fashion. In other words, Community and indeed national implementing policies towards sustainable milestones can only be effective where the best experience and practice is replicated and the results of programmes - reasons for difficulties and barriers as well as success stories - made known back up the 'pyramid' to make sure the relevant experience and lessons are built in in a timely and efficient fashion. ManagEnergy aims at facilitating this dynamic but complicated process by enabling operators to share experience and lessons - especially success stories and good practice, as just mentioned, through an ongoing and effective yet flexible network of local and regional stakeholders, together with the Commission as organiser and service provider. |
In October 2004, local and regional energy actors from throughout Europe once again met in Brussels to discuss issues relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport at the local and regional level.
Sustainable energy and transport goals lie at the heart of the European Union's policies and legislation aiming at a better future for its citizens in a cleaner and safer environment. Cleaner and more efficient use of all energy, increased use of its own Renewable Energy Sources, including alternative fuels and clean city transport, are all increasingly targeted in Union and national legislation. The Union and its Member States have taken on board ambitious targets for the coming two decades including an ongoing 1% annual improvement in energy efficiency. European Directives are already in force concerning Electricity Produced from Renewables, Alternative Motor Fuels, Energy Performance of Buildings, and are in the process of adoption by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers in areas such as energy end-use efficiency and Eco Design. Programmes like Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE), the non-technological programme largely targeting market barriers to sustainable technology in the energy and transport fields and the 6th Framework programme for RTD, support this overall policy including the substantially expanded platform of EU legislation, which aims to secure a more sustainable future for Europe.
The 2004 annual conference themes were presented and developed under the over-arching and historical advent of the European Union of Twenty-Five Member States. Therefore special attention was given to the needs and problems confronting local actors in the new Member States, which are often different both in scale and nature to those of agencies and other operators in the 'Fifteen'. This also underpins this year's additional focus on municipal action in energy and transport. The second underlying theme on which the Conference was urged to draw working conclusions was practical action and processes aimed at ensuring that due account be taken of energy and transport objectives in the regional planning process for implementation of the EU's structural funds and policy, including of course in the new Member States as a priority area. This more detailed treatment followed on from the more political approach and conclusions which emerged from the 2003 event. Again, good examples from projects implemented under Structural Funds werepresented and discussed.
The other critical context of the conference was the process, and indeed, the imperative, which is increasingly referred to as 'valorisation': in other words the whole series of complex interactions and communication, both vertical ('bottom-up') and horizontal - both in time and process-linked (for instance from policy through legislation to programmes and thence to successful projects and investment) - which must be kept alive and constantly focused and tuned if sustainability goals in such a vast and disparate area as the new EU are to be brought within reach of achievement. |
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Partner Search Facility (Exhibition area)
Forms were provided in the conference pack for anyone to fill out and put on a "bulletin board" available throughout the conference. Those interested in participating in the development of the project proposal ideas signed up.
After the conference the service provider collected the completed forms and sent details to the project proposer so that they can make further contacts with those who have indicated that they are interested in the project idea.
Project proposals have been added to the Partner Search section of this website. |
Speaker Profiles