Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

Municipalities of Marche join the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

A press Conference was organized on 13th February 2017 by SVIM and Marche Region to celebrate the adhesion to the New Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy by the Municipalities participating to the LIFE SEC ADAPT project. The Conference was attended by the regional Assessors Manuela Bora and Angelo Sciapichetti, by the President of ANCI Marche (National Association of the Italian Municipalities) Maurizio Mangialardi, and by the Mayors of the Municipalities.

As Ambassador of the Covenant of Mayors at the Committee of Regions, Manuela Bora (Regional Assessor for EU Policies) assured the Marche Region commitment as Territorial Coordinator of the European initiative and underlined the importance that projects like LIFE SEC ADAPT have in supporting the efforts needed at local level to address the current climate and energy challenges. The project has also a strategic value for the implementation of the Regional Environmental Energy Plan - as pointed out by the Assessor for Environment, Angelo Sciapichetti - and the Municipalities play a key role in reaching the goals set by the Plan in. The president of the Association of Marche Municipalities, Maurizio Mangialardi, has expressed the hope to bring all of the Municipalities to join the Covenant of Mayors, highlighting the importance of involving also smaller communities.

The Conference was occasion to present the adhesion to the New Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy subscribed during the last weeks by the Municipalities partners of the LIFE SEC ADAPT project: Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Fabriano, Fermo, Jesi, Macerata, Offida, Pesaro, San Paolo di Jesi, Santa Maria Nuova, Senigallia and Urbino. With such adhesion, the Municipalities undertake the commitment to reduce CO2 emissions on their territory by at least 40% by 2030, improving energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, and to increase their resilience, adapting to the effects of climate change.

The press Conference was jointly organized in the framework of the projects coordinated by SVIM, LIFE SEC ADAPT (Life Programme) and EMPOWERING (Horizon2020 Programme). The latter, has just launched the establishment of the Local Energy Board of the Marche region, a working table dedicated to sustainable energy. The same Municipalities mentioned above will be members, as well as Appignano, Monte Giberto, Pollenza, San Benedetto del Tronto and others to be confirmed in the following weeks. Marche Region and the main public and private regional stakeholders from the energy sector will also participate. Both projects offer an important opportunity for the Marche region to become leader of a development model that -  in spite of the recent emergencies affecting the territories - can find its foundation on sustainability goals.

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