Despite obstacles Attica Municipalities are taking action!

Author: Maryke VAN STADEN, Communications Officer, Energy for Mayors, Germany - Email

Since 18 February 2011, when the new mayors of the new / re-established municipalities of the Attica Region participated in an Energy for Mayors event – which addressed benefits, obligations and opportunities of joining the Covenant of Mayors - 18 municipalities of the region have signed the Covenant and are taking action. These municipalities are:  Agioi Anargyroi-Kamatero, Dionysos, Elefsina, Elliniko, Haidari, Ilioupolis, Keratsini-Drapetsona, Kropia, Likovrisi-Pefki, Maroussi, Megara, Moschato - Tavros, Nea Smyrni, Nikaia-Rentis, Perama, Piraeus, Salamina, and Vrilissia.

Image: Energy for Mayors - Mayors Meeting 2011

Moving strongly forward after a 3-day project seminar held in mid-2011, most signatories have since established an energy team, are busy collecting data for their Baseline Emissions Inventory (BEI), and working on their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs). Technical guidance is provided by Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) and organisational support by the Regional Union of Municipalities of Attica (PEDA). 

Activity highlights include:

• the submission of SEAPs by the municipalities of Egaleo and Aspropyrgos (which joined the CoM before the project) which were developed with the support of CRES),
• an Energy Day was organized in Egaleo, and
• a local forum has been established in the municipality of Agia Varvara.

In the follow-up seminar held on 2 December 2011, further discussions dealt with obstacles, concerns and future plans of the municipalities, with CRES and under the umbrella of PEDA.  Key obstacles identified were the lack of data availability and of adequate staff. A key concern was the recession and the need for financing actions. The main future aim explored was setting up a Regional Action Plan and getting the support of the Regional Government. 

In difficult times, sustainability is a vision that needs a lot of collaborative combined efforts in order to shape a real opportunity for current and future development in a win-win scenario.  Attica municipalities believe in this and are working to make it happen.