The European project FIESTA (Families Intelligent Energy Saving Targeted Action) is encouraging energy efficiency by providing information to citizens through unconventional initiatives. The European cities that joined the project committed to carrying out free energy audits for families, and are now launching lotteries open to those who have requested audits or have taken part in workshops on the topic of energy efficiency in the home. Prizes range from electric bikes to energy efficient televisions. All initiatives encourage the reduction of energy consumption and energy expenditure within households. Burgas (Bulgaria) will hold its first lottery within the FIESTA project on 3 June at 16.00 in the FLORA expo centre.

Local purchasing groups have also been promoted with the idea of gathering users who need to order products and technology that improve energy efficiency in the home, enabling them to purchase goods at a cheaper price. The outcome of the first year of the Fiesta project is positive: 506 energy audits carried out in the five European countries involved (Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus); 100 workshops held for students, residents in apartment buildings, and installers; and 11 lotteries. FIESTA stands will be present in Larnaka (Cyprus) during the Kataklysmos Fair between 17 "“ 22 June 2016 and in Ravenna (Italy) on 5 June during the event "I bambini in festa".

It is still possible to apply for energy audits through the project website, or by calling or visiting the FIESTA points in the municipalities involved. FIESTA is coordinated at the European level by AREA Science Park, the science park of Trieste, and includes five technical partners (one for each participating country) and 14 cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.

For more information, visit the FIESTA website or watch the FIESTA animation series on You Tube. more   1 June 2016 Small actions can lead to big changes writes ICLEI President in UNEP articlePark Won Soon, Mayor of Seoul and President of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, outlined the transformative measures needed to improve air quality and address climate change in an article in a recent edition of the UNEP publication Our Planet. Mayor Park uses the South Korean capital of Seoul as a strong example of an urban area that is embracing change to meet environmental and social challenges.

In the article, Mayor Park discusses how Seoul is on the road toward a "new urbanisation" which creates a sustainable city that enables humankind and nature to coexist, tackles climate change and establishes a foundation for energy self-reliance. Mayor Park concludes the article by highlighting the importance of cities acting together, citing his leadership within ICLEI and engagement with the Compact of Mayors as important steps in coalition building among cities.

The second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the UN Environment Program (UNEA-2) recently took place in Nairobi, where UNEA delegations discussed how the world can deliver on the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year, the event focused strongly on air quality as a central issue in creating a healthy environment with healthy people.

To read Mayor Park's article in full, click here. more

» Publication Date: 02/06/2016

» Source: Iclei Europe

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