| Covenant of Mayors Push Energy Efficiency | 18 February 09 |
 Over 350 cities across Europe have signed the ambitious Covenant of Mayors at the European Parliament in Brussels. Signatory cities are required to reduce carbon dioxide emissions over 20 percent by 2020.Participating cities must implement a sustainable energy action plan to promote energy efficiency and cleaner energy production within 12 months. External evaluators monitor the covenant and cities failing to meet obligations will have their membership revoked. "There is a name-and-shame" aspect to the covenant, said Pedro Ballesteros Torres, who is responsible for energy efficiency at the EU Commission. "For a mayor to be told a city is noncompliant would be a very strong thing." Demand for clean energy products has slowed in the current global economic downturn. The European Commission supports the covenant as an incentive for cities to invest in green technologies. Visit Covenant of MayorsView February 12, 2009 Environmental Leader article View February 12, 2009 New York Times Blog article View February 10, 2009 BBC News article Sources: European Commission, Environmental Leader, New York Times, BBC |
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