18/04/2005 - Presenting
state of play for ETAP: Timo Makela, Director,
European Commision, DG EnvironmentOn 19 and
20 April more than 100 prominent Danish and
European researchers, politicians, officials
and corporate leaders meet in Copenhagen to
discuss challenges and potentials regarding
eco-innovation. A new report shows that high
technology has environmental potentials in
Denmark, but that barriers have to be broken
down and risks have to be handled.
Non-toxic anti-fouling paint for ships, based
on nanotechnology; enzyme-based pig fodder
allowing reduced phosphorus discharges from
pig farms; passenger cars running more than
20 km per litre. These are only three of a
wide range of examples of environmental technology
up for discussion on the conference hosted
by the European Environment Agency and the
Danish Ministry for the Environment.
Connie Hedegaard, Danish Minister for the
environment says: "Growing CO2 emissions
caused by energy production and more environmental
problems from a growing number of animal husbandry
are just two examples where economical growth
will create bigger environmental problems
if we do not use the right instruments. Therefore
the fundamental challenge is to enhance the
synergy between environmental protection,
growth and new jobs. In Denmark we have actually
shown that decoupling is not only a theoretical
possibility - it is something that we can
see in real life. Now we have to increase
the list of real-life stories of smart eco-innovation."
The conference takes place at the European
Environment Agency in Copenhagen on 19 and
20 April. The Danish Minister for the Environment
Mrs. Connie Hedegaard, and Executive Director
of the European Environment Agency Prof. Jacqueline
McGlade will be heading the conference.
Prof. Jacqueline McGlade says: "Environmental
technology can decrease material inputs, reduce
energy consumption and emissions, recover
valuable by-products and minimise waste disposal
problems. In order to map all these technological
improvements, the agency has built a web portal
which will allow all users to share best practices
and assess progress within the sector of intervention,
pollution management and resources management."
In preparation for the conference, the Danish
Ministry for the Environment has just presented
a new report on the environmental aspects
of nanotechnology, biotechnology and IT.
Additional information, the conference programme,
background material etc. are available on
the conference website: http://www.frontlinien.dk/eco/index.htm
About the EEA
The European Environment Agency is the leading
public body in Europe dedicated to providing
sound, independent information on the environment
to policy-makers and the public. Operational
in Copenhagen since 1994, the EEA is the hub
of the European environment information and
observation network (Eionet), a network of
around 300 bodies across Europe through which
it collects and disseminates environment-related
data and information. An EU body, the Agency
is open to all nations that share its objectives.
It currently has 31 member countries: the
25 EU Member States, three EU candidate countries
- Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey - and Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway.A membership agreement
has been initialled with Switzerland. The
West Balkan states - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
and Serbia and Montenegro - have applied for
membership of the Agency.
