26/01/2007
Portugal becomes the newest member of the club of global climate and energy innovators
26 January 2007
Portugal’s Socialist Government becomes the newest member of the club of global climate and energy innovators, a growing group of Governments taking the lead in decisive action to meet EU climate change targets.
A series of measures announced by Prime Minister José Sócrates and agreed by his Council of Ministers, Portugal has set targets for renewables and biofuels well above those proposed by the European Union. The Socialist Government will also take a number of innovative measures such as a pilot wave power project in the north of the country, tax measures to discourage the use of high consumption light bulbs and the most polluting cars, removing the obstacles to the micro-generation of home electricity from renewable sources, and climate and energy requirements in public procurement and public contracts.
PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said “Socialist Governments are in the forefront of global action to combat climate change. It was my own Government that put Denmark on the road to such a high level of wind power. Germany, Spain and Finland are the other countries well on the way towards meeting their targets on renewable energy – all of them with Socialists and Social Democrats in power. The UK has not only made important steps in moving towards a low-carbon economy – Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have staked their reputation on putting climate change at the top of the global political agenda. Sweden’s ambitious targets for bio-fuels were the policy of Sweden’s former Social Democratic Government.”
“Now Portugal is joining the progressive club of climate and energy innovators. José Sócrates is setting an example that other Heads of Government should follow. When it comes to climate change and energy – as well as social and economic reform – no one can dispute that the Government of José Sócrates has delivered strong commitments and innovative policies.”
For more information, please contact:
Julian Scola, Press Officer
Party of European Socialists, rue du Trône 98, B-1050 Brussels
Mobile 00 32 486 117 394
