04/02/2005 - A Web portal,
which provides easy access to information
on environmental technologies, was launched
today at the HELECO '05 conference in Athens,
Greece. The portal, developed and managed
by the European Environment Agency, provides
an entry point to information on technologies
that are cleaner and more resource efficient
and which can improve environmental monitoring.
The portal was launched by former EU Commissioner
for Environment Mr Yiannis Paleokrassas
on behalf of the EU's current Environment
Commissioner Stavros Dimas.
The site is a first step in implementing
Action 4 of ETAP - Develop an EU catalogue
of existing directories and databases on
environmental technologies - by offering
knowledge development support and eliciting
the exchange of ideas and research results
on eco-innovations.
The portal functions as an environmental
technology information facility. The system
has been set up to enable anyone to publish
web content via the portal suitably monitored
for quality control. There are thirteen
main technology categories covered; most
of them are mentioned in ETAP.
Environmental technologies can decrease
material inputs, reduce energy consumption
and emissions, recover valuable by-products
and minimise waste disposal problems. The
application of such technologies will enhance
eco-efficiency, support the application
of environmental management systems (both
formal and less formal ones) and facilitates
the identification of cleaner production
equipment. The EEA is also interested in
technologies that improve environmental
monitoring and the gathering of information
which can help in the identification of
emerging issues, through remote sensing,
biomonitoring etc.
The portal was launched during Roundtable
3 of the conference where the Environment
Technology Action Plan was discussed. The
EEA presented the portal as well as progress
in developing eco-innovation indicators.
Methods are currently lacking to measure
eco-innovation, which can supplement the
European Innovation Scoreboard with environment
related innovation indicators that can monitor
progress over time and make comparisons
between regions. The EEA is preparing a
workshop on this topic for the autumn of
2005. The EEA will also host a conference
on Eco-innovation in April organised in
partnership with the Danish Ministry of
Environment in collaboration with Risø
National Laboratory (Denmark) and the Technical
University of Denmark.
Environmental Technologies Portal:
http://technologies.ewindows.eu.org/
Environmental Technologies leaflet:
http://org.eea.eu.int/documents/etp
Environmental Technologies Action Plan:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/cnc/2004/com2004_0038en01.pdf
HELECO ’05 Conference:
http://www.erasmus.gr/congresses/HELECO05EN/
Conference on "Eco-innovation: Potentials
and challenges of tomorrow's technologies
- Perspectives for business, Europe and
the environment", at EEA, Copenhagen,
19-20th April 2005. Contact person, organising
committee: Mads Borup, Risø National
Laboratory, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark, mads.borup@risoe.dk,
(+45) 46 77 51 83
European Innovation Scoreboard:
http://trendchart.cordis.lu/scoreboards/scoreboard2003/index.cfm
