Valencia hosts 14th AER Summer School

Valencia (E), 26 August 2009

AER secretary-general Klaus Klipp underlined in his speech at the 14th AER Summer School opening in Valencia the paramount importance that cooperation between regions in EU programmes and projects plays in tackling climate change.

Mr. Klipp emphasised the need to create regional lobbies to stand up for common European issues, such as water scarcity and droughts. He also noted that AER is currently developing several projects in the field, related to tourism, renewable energies and climate change.

Together with the director-general of the Valencian Regional Office in Brussels, Juan Manuel Revuelta, Mr. Klipp explained the goals of the 14th AER Summer School, which this year has gathered over 150 participants from across wider Europe to discuss policies related to water and climate change.

Since 1996, AER’s summer schools have been bringing together politicians and other representatives from youth civil society and regional authorities, along with European and regional experts, to explore a different topic every year.

At this year’s event, Mr. Revuelta highlighted the commitment of the Valencian Region to “face the problem of water scarcity, droughts and desertification which affects our region, as well as other places in the south of Europe”.

Mr. Revuelta also supported the major role of interregional cooperation in addressing this situation. The director-general further explained that “Fundación Comunidad Valenciana – Región Europea has attracted 66 million euro to the Valencian Region in European funding, mainly in projects related to environment and energy efficiency”.

For this reason, Mr. Revuelta stated that “the Valencian Region leads the way in obtaining European environmental projects”.

He also stressed the role of the Fundación in establishing European partnerships in water issues, such as Wateregio, the European Water Network, which brings together 10 regions committed to finding solutions against water scarcity and droughts.

Specifically, the programme ENPI Mediterranean Basin has launched a new call, to be closed on October 20th, which welcomes the submission of projects in the field of cross-border cooperation. Likewise, the programme Life + has launched another call, to be closed on September 15th; Ecoinnovation, to be closed early September, and EuropAid, which allocates 70 million euro for initiative regarding environment, renewable energies and energy efficiency.

For more information: [email protected]