Commission's Environmental Campaign Kicks Off in Slovenia
A banner with the word "Change" was placed on top of a monument in Preseren Square in Ljubljana's city centre, marking the launch of the European Commission's environmental campaign on raising the public's awareness about climate changes.
The campaign, launched on World Environment Day, aims at encouraging individuals across the EU to actively fight climate change, Mihela Zupancic, the head of the Commission's Representation Office in Slovenia, told the press on Monday.
Individuals can have a large impact on greenhouse gas emissions as "even small changes to our everyday routine can substantially help in conserving energy and lowering emissions," she added.
The EUR 4.7m campaign will enter its second phase in September, with focus on primary and secondary school pupils and with TV ads, while its first results will be presented in February 2006.
According to Zupancic, the campaign was endorsed by the majority of the bloc's governments and the European Parliament.
State Secretary at the Environment Ministry Radovan Tavzes meanwhile explained that Slovenia is bound to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 8% by 2012 in comparison with their 1986 levels.
"We are not doing that well [in that respect], however, Slovenia's enviable economic growth also fuels emissions," Tavzes added.
According to Tavzes, Slovenia can primarily reduce its emissions by modernising and restructuring coal power station (4% to 6%) and by a more efficient use of renewable sources of energy and trade with emission coupons (2%).
Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Janez Podobnik meanwhile marked the day by addressing a two-day international conference entitled "Strategies for Sustainable Development of the Adriatic".
The conference, taking place in the seaside resort of Portoroz, heard the minister labeling the Adriatic a challenge for all of its coastal countries.
The Adriatic is closed and shallow, so the development of its coasts and a rise in shipping can have a worse impact on the Adriatic than on oceans, he stressed.
Indeed, Podobnik believes that some economic activities already caused a degradation in the Sea's quality and had a measurable economic impact.
Podobnik also labelled the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Mediterranean, signed by Barcelona Convention signatories in November 2005, an exceptional opportunity to improve the conditions in the region.
The conference, organised by the Environment Ministry, will, among other things, discuss the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), subregional approach to the Adriatic region, spatial planning and plans to help contain pollution in the sea.
During its two-year stint as MAP chair, Slovenia wants to shift MAP's focus more towards lessening the impact of land and sea pollution and especially facilitate cross-sector cooperation.
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