Strona domowa > Notatka prasowa > 8 June 2004

Ecofys has launched a new web tool that helps local authorities discuss and develop climate policies. The tool is designed as an online table, which a local authority can use to indicate its ambition within several different climate policy themes. The tool will generate reports of the current situation and the desired outcome, which will then form the basis of a local policy plan. The tool can be found on www.climatemenu.com .

The European Climate Menu
At the Rio Conference in 1992 the important role of local and regional authorities in addressing climate issues was recognised. Although in recent years climate issues have received more and more attention, local authorities still find materialising climate policy a challenge. This barrier is certainly related to the fact that climate policy requires an integrated approach over various policy areas. Dutch government agency Novem asked Ecofys and PricewaterhouseCoopers to develop a tool that would address these difficulties. This request resulted in the so-called climate menu. The climate menu is a table of targets for local authorities. The targets are defined according to three levels of ambition and cover 8 themes, ranging from transport to agriculture. Based on the widespread adoption of the climate menu in the Netherlands the EU decided to have a European version developed by Ecofys, as part of the Altener programme.

Best practise project database
A project website was launched in 2003 as a means to share information between the project participants. Ecofys has now added functions to the website that provide local authorities with tangible tools to facilitate the policy development process. The online menu table is coupled to a best practise project database. In the database projects are listed by theme and ambition level. One of the listed projects covers the theme "New Housing" and involves bioclimatic apartment blocks. In this project the Spanish municipality of Sitges built blocks of flats with low energy requirements and using low environmental impact materials while maintaining an acceptable market price for the apartments. These and other examples will aid local authorities not only to formulate but also implement their policy plans. For more information please visit www.climatemenu.com .

Note for the editorial staff:
Ecofys
Ecofys is the co-ordinator of the European Climate Menu project, which is initiated by the Altener programme of the EU.
Ecofys is a leading company in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. More than 150 employees in six countries deliver integrated sustainable energy solutions. Ecofys is part of the Econcern group ( www.e-concern.com ), with the mission "a sustainable energy supply for everyone".

For more information please contact:
Ellen Hendrix
Marketing Manager Ecofys
T: 030 - 280 83 19
F: 030 - 280 83 01
E: e.hendrix@ecofys.com