NEWS RELEASE

Copenhagen, 18 April 2005

Eco-innovation can boost environment and economic growth

Presenting state of play for ETAP: Timo Makela, Director, European Commision, DG Environment

Non-toxic anti-fouling paint for ships, based on nanotechnology; enzyme-based pig fodder allowing reduced phosphorus discharges from pig farms; passenger cars running more than 20 km per litre. These are only three of a wide range of examples of environmental technology up for discussion on the conference hosted by the European Environment Agency and the Danish Ministry for the Environment.

Connie Hedegaard, Danish Minister for the environment says: "Growing CO₂ emissions caused by energy production and more environmental problems from a growing number of animal husbandry are just two examples where economical growth will create bigger environmental problems if we do not use the right instruments. Therefore the fundamental challenge is to enhance the synergy between environmental protection, growth and new jobs. In Denmark we have actually shown that decoupling is not only a theoretical possibility - it is something that we can see in real life. Now we have to increase the list of real-life stories of smart eco-innovation."

The conference takes place at the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen on 19 and 20 April. The Danish Minister for the Environment Mrs. Connie Hedegaard, and Executive Director of the European Environment Agency Prof. Jacqueline McGlade will be heading the conference.

Prof. Jacqueline McGlade says: "Environmental technology can decrease material inputs, reduce energy consumption and emissions, recover valuable by-products and minimise waste disposal problems. In order to map all these technological improvements, the agency has built a web portal which will allow all users to share best practices and assess progress within the sector of intervention, pollution management and resources management."

In preparation for the conference, the Danish Ministry for the Environment has just presented a new report on the environmental aspects of nanotechnology, biotechnology and IT.

Additional information, the conference programme, background material etc. are available on the conference website: http://www.frontlinien.dk/eco/index.htm

Participate in the conference

The press is very welcome to take part in the whole or part of the conference. All you need is to register to the organising committee by sending an email to Mrs. Christine Molin cm@ipl.dtu.dk

Further information

Prior to the conference it is possible to make arrangements for interviews with the introductory speakers. Please contact Mrs. Teresa Ruch Olsen, communications officer at the EEA, email: teresa.ruch.olsen@eea.europa.eu, phone +45 3336 7159 (mobile: +45 2368 3669) or Mr. Per Meilstrup, Head of communications at the Danish EPA, email: pme@mst.dk, phone +45 3266 0107 (+45 2043 0107)

Speech

Speech by Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency.

About the EEA

The European Environment Agency is the leading public body in Europe dedicated to providing sound, independent information on the environment to policy-makers and the public. Operational in Copenhagen since 1994, the EEA is the hub of the European environment information and observation network (Eionet), a network of around 300 bodies across Europe through which it collects and disseminates environment-related data and information. An EU body, the Agency is open to all nations that share its objectives. It currently has 31 member countries: the 25 EU Member States, three EU candidate countries - Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey - and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. A membership agreement has been initialled with Switzerland. The West Balkan states - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro - have applied for membership of the Agency.