Website: www.eumayors.eu

On 12 February 2008, a new section dedicated to the Covenant of Mayors was added to the ManagEnergy website at www.managenergy.net/com.html. This page has links to additional information on the Covenant, including the Covenant of Mayors Forum.

The official launch of the Covenant of Mayors by Andris Piebalgs, Energy Commissioner took place on 29 January 2008 in the context of the ManagEnergy Annual Conference at the second EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW).

The Covenant of Mayors is an ambitious initiative of the European Commission that brings together the mayors of Europe's most pioneering cities in a permanent network to exchange and apply good practices across these cities and beyond to improve energy efficiency significantly in the urban environment. The Covenant of Mayors is the response of the most active cities to global warming: a formal commitment by the cities to reduce their CO2 emissions even beyond the EU 20% objectives. Almost 100 cities throughout Europe, including 15 capitals, have expressed their willingness to join.

Shortly after the launch, the European Commission will launch the official roadmap for implementation of the Covenant. At www.managenergy.net/com.html you could find a link to a draft version of the Covenant of Mayors in a number of European languages that have been formally open to consultation.

ManagEnergy interviewed a number of Mayors and Deputy Mayors about their commitment to Sustainable Energy during the 5th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns in Sevilla in March 2007. You can view the interviews online on the ManagEnergy Internet Broadcast Website.

The main commitments in the Draft Covenant are to:

• Go beyond the objectives set up by the EU for 2020, reducing the CO2 emissions in their respective territories by more than 20%, through the implementation of a Sustainable Energy Action Plan. The commitment and the Action Plan will be ratified through our respective procedures;
• Adapt the city structures, including allocation of sufficient human resources, in order to undertake the following actions;
• Mobilise the civil society in our territories to participate in the development of the Action Plan, outlining the policies and measures needed to implement and achieve the objectives of the Plan. The Action Plan will be produced in each territory and shall be submitted to the Secretariat within the year following ratification of the Covenant;
• Produce an evaluation report on a yearly basis for monitoring and verification purposes; Share our experience and know-how with other territories;
• Organise Energy Days or City Covenant Days in the Covenant territories, in co-operation with the EC and with other stakeholders, allowing the citizens to benefit directly from the opportunities and advantages offered through a more intelligent use of energy, and to regularly inform the local media on developments of the action plan;
• Attend the annual EU Conference of Mayors for a Sustainable Energy Europe;
• Spread the message of the Covenant in the appropriate fora and, in particular, to invite other Mayors to join the Covenant.