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Climate change, renewable energy, heritage and SMEs top agenda as EuroMed regions and cities meet

30-01-2012

The Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) meets today in the Italian city of Bari, focusing on climate change, renewable energies, cultural heritage and the role of small and medium enterprises in the development of EuroMed economies.
 
The plenary will be chaired by ARLEM co-presidents Mercedes Bresso, president of the Committee of the Regions, and Mohamed Boudra, president of the region of Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate (Morocco).
 
A year after the start of the Arab Spring, the discussion and adoption of a report on “The territorial dimension of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)” drafted by the ARLEM co-presidents will provide the chance to exchange views and expertise on the implementation of partnerships and joint projects among regions and cities of the three shores of the Mediterranean.
 
Discussions will also focus on the new cooperation opportunities brought about by the recent evolution of several Mediterranean countries toward regionalisation and devolution of powers to local authorities. Particularly relevant in this respect will be the presence of representatives from the newly-appointed Tunisian and Egyptian local governments.
 
Members will then share strategies and best practices developed in dealing with major sustainability challenges within a debate on reports that have been drafted on the relationship between desertification and climate change in the Mediterranean, and on renewable energy in the Mediterranean.
 
As top priority of the gathering, sustainability is also the key driver of the initiative undertaken by the ARLEM members to enlarge the Covenant of Mayors to the Southern Mediterranean, aimed at including regions and cities of this strategic area in the joint commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by the year 2020.
 
Two more reports will be discussed and adopted by the plenary. The first on the preservation and enhancement of cultural heritage in the Mediterranean, and the second on the role of small and medium enterprises in the Mediterranean.
 
The reports are destined for the UfM and will be presented to Lino Cardarelli, UfM Deputy Secretary General who will be attending the meeting.
 
ARLEM is a consultative assembly, which aims at bringing a regional and local dimension to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. It gathers 84 members from the EU and its 16 Mediterranean partners who are representatives of regions and local bodies holding a regional or local authority mandate. (ENPI Info Centre)
 
Read more
 
Press release
 
Meeting agenda and documents
 
ARLEM – webpage
 
ARLEM – FAQ
 
ENPI Info Centre webpage – Civil society and local authorities
 

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