OPEN DAYS 2010 Final Programme - European Commission - Europa

Workshops
Tuesday 5 October 2010
Public acceptance of new energy technologies. Not in my backyard?
Can Europe win acceptance and support for low-carbon infrastructure
projects crucial to mitigating climate change?
Technological advances are making it possible to derive energy from greener
sources. But wind turbines, solar panels, biofuels, biomass plants or carbon
capture and storage (CSS) are not free of controversy. This puts politicians and
decision-makers in a difficult position. Unless the public accepts these new
technologies, the EU will not reach its targets to decarbonise its energy sector
by 2050. The EU and its Member States have already developed tools that
allow for public involvement in decision-making on infrastructure projects. But
public consultation is not made mandatory, and public consultation does not
automatically lead to support either. Should the EU develop a specific strategy
to win public support of new technological infrastructure projects? Is it up to
Member States or regions to persuade local populations? Is public awareness
sufficient? How can the EU bridge the gap between theory and practice?
Grow smart! Focusing European Regional Policy on future well-being
In the context of economic change, in which a new strategy for growth and
jobs will take the stage and the future of cohesion policy is being discussed, it is
important to boost the debate on the economic dimensions of public policies,
but also to have an interdisciplinary approach and refocus on the factors that
give a real contribution for peoples lives and make our territories more liveable
and attractive. On the other hand, territory is one of the main components that
influence peoples happiness. The place where we live and its several associated
dimensions are a reality which deserves to be studied deeply. Our proposal is
to launch a debate on how territories can take advantage of their potential in
order to develop public policies that enhance economical and social well-being.
The emergence of renewed concepts of metropolitan areas can also give an
important input to the cohesion policy debate.
05C05
14:30 - 17:00
Venue: Committee of the Regions, JDE 52
Organisers: Comment Visions (Royal Dutch
Shell, European Voice, Euronews)
Speakers: Connie Hedegaard, European
Commissioner for Climate Action, Belgium; Ron
van Erck, policy officer, European Commission,
DG Energy, Belgium; Annabelle Jacquet,
deputy head of cabinet of Jean-Marc Nollet,
vice-president, minister in charge of energy
and sustainable development, Wallonia Region,
Belgium; Nick Pidgeon, Professor of Applied
Psychology, Cardiff University, United Kingdom;
Andrea Athanas, Senior Programme Officer,
Energy, International Union for Conservation of
Nature, IUCN
05C06
14:30 - 17:00
Venue: Permanent Representation of Portugal
to the EU
Organiser: Creative and Inclusive Economic
Growth Network
Chair: Robert Stüssi, World Electric Vehicle
Association, WEVA, and of the European
Association for Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell
Electric Vehicles,AVERE, Portugal
Speakers: Arnoldas Abramavicius, Member of
Committee of the Regions, Zarasai municipality,
Lithuania; Anca Boldor, Councellor, Bucharest
Municipality, Romania; André Jorge Dionísio
Bradford, Azores Government Presidency,
Portugal; Sandra Johansson, Region Halland,
Sweden; Teet Kallasvee, Member of the
Committee of Regions, Haapsalu City council,
Estonia; Gunita Laiveniece, Grobina Region
Council, Latvia; Tomas Riste, Region Värmlands
Regional Board, Sweden; Antonio Sorgi,
Directorate of Presidency, Legislative and
European Affairs, Planning, Parks, Energy and
Environmental Assessment; Màrio Vale, Institute
of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of
Lisbon, Portugal; Luca Zaia, President of Veneto
Region, Italy
34 OPEN DAYS 2010 – European Week of Regions and Cities