On 16 April 2010, more than 40 Mayors gathered in Heidelberg to agree on common climate projects. Organised by the Metropolitan Region of Rhein-Neckar and the City of Heidelberg (Energie-Cités’ member), this conference culminated with the 11 Mayors of the Region signing-up to the Covenant. Eckart Würzner, Mayor of Heidelberg and President of Energie-Cités was pleased to announce: “The goals of the Covenant are ambitious. Today, the Metropolitan Region has taken a great step towards greater climate protection.”
Rhein-Neckar becomes the best represented German Metropolitan Region in the Covenant.
The 11 communes were not alone in showing their enthusiasm for the initiative. The Rhein-Neckar Metropolitan Region took the opportunity to become an official Supporting Structure of the Covenant of Mayors. Stefan Dallinger, Director of the regional association Rhein-Neckar, highlighted that by doing so, with 11 signatories, Rhein-Neckar had become the best represented German Metropolitan Region in the Covenant.
These cities and their region have realised that by joining the Covenant of Mayors they can ensure greater climate protection in their territory. Moreover, this cooperation will lead to the development of a new regional energy concept, the extension of renewable energies in the region, as well as the development of CO2 balancing models.
The cities of the Rhein-Neckar Metropolitan Region will receive further support in the shape of an annual conference designed to help them set up new concrete climate protection projects. This event will also be an opportunity for the cities participating in the Covenant to exchange ideas.
Energie-Cités is a supporting structure of the Covenant of Mayors, and leads the Covenant of Mayors’office since January 2009.
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