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The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, has just returned from a two-day seminar organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) of the EU in Croatia. Tackling sustainable energy development at a regional level, the seminar was held to foster an exchange of experiences and views between the regional authorities of Europe’s maritime periphery on a number of political and administrative issues.
Speaking during the second day, Minister Debono stated that the island region of Gozo shares similar challenges with other island regions but in addition it has the added challenge of double insularity. She said that Gozo is totally dependent on mainland Malta for its energy supply and is well connected to it.
Minister Debono also said that a sustainable energy policy for Europe is important, as it not only ensures a secure and environmentally-sound energy supply, but also aims to reduce dependence on imported energy and seeks to replace it by locally-available renewable energy sources. Initiatives to reduce energy demand coupled with investment in clean and more eco-efficient technology also contribute to this objective, as well as, to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Minister Debono referred to the various policy initiatives and measures introduced by Government and said that these are aimed towards encouraging and supporting a wider adoption of renewable energy sources and to reduce energy consumption in the Maltese Islands.
She concluded by highlighting the need for the EU to take a flexible approach to the issue of renewable energy - an approach which takes due account of the specificities and realities of island regions, especially when setting benchmarks and targets and emphasized the need for CPMR to continue to foster the exchange of experiences and best practice as this enables regions to learn from each other.
The CPMR was set up in 1973 comprising around 30 regions. Today, more than 150 regions from 26 countries, representing more than 170 million people, make up the CPMR. It is divided in six geographical commissions including the Islands’ Commission and the Inter-Mediterranean Commission, of which Gozo is an active member. The CPMR held its Political Bureau meeting in Gozo in May 2006 with the participation of 60 delegates. Minister Debono has been the Vice-President of the CPMR since 2005.
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