Green Digital Charter
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Green Digital Charter signatories. From left: David Hopkins, Milton Keynes; Tommaso Sodano, Naples; Merce Griera i Fisa, EC - DG Connect; Andreea Strachinescu, EC - DG Energy; Paul Bevan, EUROCITIES; Nigel Murphy, Manchester; Antonio Cantatore, Bari; Ivo Rossi, Padua.
On 31 October, Bologna hosted the first Roadshow of the NiCE (Networking intelligent cities for energy efficiency) project. The event, focussing on enabling technologies for energy efficiency, has been held in context of the Smart Cities Exhibition organised under the patronage of the city.
The roadshow was the setting for a Green Digital Charter signing ceremony during which four new cities demonstrated their commitment to using ICT to reduce their carbon footprint.
The Italian cities of Bari, Naples and Padua and the British city of Milton Keynes joined the 28 large European municipalities that have already signed the Green Digital Charter. The 32 signatories altogether now represent 18 million citizens across 14 European countries.
Representing the city of Bari, director Antonio Cantatore has declared that the natural equation of ICT is energy efficiency and saving. Councillor David Hopkins has declared that the Charter is a motivation for the city of Milton Keynes to continue their work towards energy efficiency: “we are well on target but we need to cooperate with other cities fighting climate change as we do”. The vice mayor of Naples, Tommaso Sodano, had underlined how the objectives of the Charter are reachable only with the support and cooperation of all actors of the city: public administrations, enterprises and citizens. Finally, for the city of Padova vice mayor Ivo Rossi has declared that the Charter is a new Challenge to include to other actions within the Covenant of Mayors and to promote to neighbouring towns and cities.
Mercè Griera-I-Fisa of DG CONNECT has congratulated and welcomed the four new signstories, confirming the support of the European Commission to this initiative.
The event, focusing on enabling technologies for energy efficiency, has been hosted by the city of Bologna held in context of the Smart Cities Exhibition. This has been a great occasion to learn from local experiences of the city of Bologna, signatory of the Green Digital Charter since February 2010.
The day, moderated by EUROCITIES secretary general Paul Bevan, included speaches from local representatives from the hosting city and region and their implementation partners: the city of Manchester, the Austrian Institute of Technology and Stuttgart university.
The Green Digital Roadshows networking events will go on in 2013 to continue fostering partnerships between signatory cities, European Institutions and other relevant stakeholders. The second of three appointments will take place in Nuremberg in March 2013 in connection of a joint meeting of the Environment and Knowledge Society Forums of EUROCITIES .
Have a look at the profile of our new signatories, with contact and information:
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