EU earmarks 215 mln euros for smart energy plans
Date: 11-Apr-02
Country: EU
The "intelligent energy" programme will help finance small projects that reduce the amount of greenhouse gases - emissions associated with global warming - from the burning of fossil fuels, and cut the EU's reliance on imports.
"In the energy field, the Union must concentrate on high value-added actions to get a grip on our external energy dependence and fulfil the Kyoto undertakings in the fight against climate change," EU Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio said in a statement.
Under the United Nations Kyoto pact on global warming, the EU must reduce its greenhouse emissions by eight percent of 1990 levels by 2012.
The programme, which has to be approved by the European Parliament and EU governments, updates existing EU schemes for boosting cleaner energy which run out at the end of this year.
The budget for the 1998-2002 energy programme was 175 million euros.