Alternative green energy possible in EU Carbon scheme

By Ross Densley | 05/07/10 - 16:46

Alternative green energy is arguably the most important three words for the continuation of the human race. With the population growing by 83 million people a year and fossil fuels likely to expire within one hundred years, governments need to wise up about the need for alternative green energy, and it seems that the EU carbon scheme is a good place for governments to begin to harness their green ideals.

The meeting of the assembly of civic leaders, part of the 'Covenant of Mayors' initiative, met this week at the European Parliament to sign up to a programme to put urban areas at the heart of 21st century cleaner energy.

Is alternative green energy the only option?

The meeting was attended by more than 1600 mayors from 36 countries, all of whom have pledged to support the EU carbon scheme by reducing carbon emissions. The result should be cleaner and greener living, something that is essential for an alternative green energy future.

Opening the ceremony Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek said: "We are at the dawn of green revolution, but in this revolution the mayors of our cities are in the frontline. Global problems need local solutions as well. Mayors of cities in Europe are the key people to help us develop them.

"When civil societies, administrations and institutions properly coordinate, awareness and action can be raised very effectively. That is why a great important task lays ahead us: we need to work hand-in-hand to deliver answers for citizens to what seriously concern them most such as climate change. For this reason, the European Parliament fully backs the efforts of the Covenant of Mayors initiative."

As Madrid currently holds the rotating Presidency of the European Union, also in attendance was green living advocate Spanish PM José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero who told those present that "we will have to provide subsidies and help to make sure that renewable energy based energy production is profitable, but at the same time this will be a worthwhile investment for the future."

Alternative green energy throughout Europe by 2050?

Of course saying and doing are two very different things, but there has been a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers suggesting that Europe could be extracting all its energy needs via renewable sources by 2050, using numerous renewable means like solar and wind and the deserts of Africa.

But the EU carbon scheme is a good start, and has been embraced by several European countries as a way of embracing a green future from the bottom up and as locally as possible, starting in cluttered cities and smoke filled towns.

Amongst those from the European parliament to comment positively were the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello, who pledged that Dublin would half CO2 emissions within twenty years.

Speaking about Portugal's capital Lisbon António Costa set out a vision of carbon reduction by better urban planning, reduction of energy use and most importantly greater investment in renewable energy.

Bob Winter, the current Lord Provost of Glasgow, said that Scotland's second city emits over four million tonnes of CO2 per year and there are plans to slash this by 30 percent within a decade.

"The Mayors' proposals for municipal infrastructure, urban transport, urban planning and the use of local renewable energy production, are the benchmarks of excellence which not only other cities can use, but they can become models for the whole of Europe to imitate," said European Parliament President Buzek.