On December 13-14, 2017 the International Conference ‘Covenant of Mayors East: Joining Forces for Climate & Energy Action’ will bring together participants from Eastern Partnership countries. The conference will be held at the Victoria Hotel located at the Pobediteley Avenue, 59, Minsk, Republic of Belarus.
Heralded as the “world’s biggest urban climate and energy initiative” by Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete, the Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy brings together thousands of local and regional authorities voluntarily committed to implementing EU climate and energy objectives on their territory. “Covenant of Mayors – East” and “Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects” aims at promotion of this initiative in Eastern Partnership countries. Signatories from the EaP region committed themselves to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 or 30% by 2030.
Achievements of Signatories from the Eastern Partnership countries, the Covenant of Mayors’ developments in Belarus, funding sources for implementation of energy efficiency projects will be in focus of the event. The Conference will be highlighted with signing ceremony of 15 Belarusian local government bodies joining the Covenant of Mayors.
The International Conference and Covenant of Mayors signing ceremony will be attended by Mr. Vasilis Maragos, the Head of Unit, Directorate General NEAR European Commission, Mr. Mikhail Malashenko, the Head of Energy Efficiency Department of State Committee of Standardization of Belarus Republic, Mr. Christophe Frering, the Team Leader of the ‘Covenant of Mayors East’ Project and Mr. Jan Waanders, the Team Leader of the ‘Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects’ Programme. This event will gather about 150 participants: representatives of the European Commission, Eastern Partnership countries’ ministries and departments, civil society organizations, international financial institutions, mayors from Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
“Covenant of Mayors East: Joining Forces for Climate & Energy Action” conference is organized by the EU-funded Programme “Covenant of Mayors - Demonstration projects” and EU-funded project “Covenant of Mayors - East” in close cooperation with the Energy Efficiency Department of the Republic of Belarus.
Media are invited to take part in press confernece and signing ceremony.
Press conference and signing ceremony will be held at 12:20 in the conference hall. Prior accreditation of journalists is required and opened until December 12, 2017, 17:00, via +375 29 117 54 69.
For additional information on the event, please contact Anton Radniankou, CoM East Communication Expert in Belarus: radniankou@eu-belarus.net, mob:+375 25 92 44 213
http://www.soglasheniemerov.eu
http://com-dep.enefcities.org.ua
Background:
Covenant of Mayors East (CoM East) is the EU-funded Project aimed at bringing together local and regional authorities of the Eastern Partnership countries in implementing sustainable energy policies, reducing their dependence on fossil fuels, increasing security of energy supply and facilitating the global movement on climate change mitigation. Out of more than 300 communities from the Eastern Partnership countries 31 Belarusian local government bodies committed themselves to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 20% or 30%.
Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects (CoM-DeP) is the European Union Programme supporting municipalities from EaP countries , which are signatories of the Covenant of Mayors, with the population of less than 200 thousand inhabitants. The CoM-DeP provides technical assistance and financial support to small cities in the course of implementing energy efficiency measures included in their Sustainable Energy Action Plans. As part of the Programme, 19 Demonstration Projects are being currently implemented in the Eastern Partnership countries: 11 in Ukraine, 3 in Moldova, 3 in Belarus, 1 in Armenia and 1 in Georgia.
The EU4Energy Initiative covers all EU support to improve energy supply, security and connectivity, as well as to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables in the Eastern Partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. It does this by financing projects and programmes that help to reform energy markets and to reduce national energy dependence and consumption. Over the longer term, this makes energy supply more reliable, transparent and affordable, thus reducing energy poverty and energy bills for both citizens and the private sector. More information on: www.EU4Energy.eu
