Antirion – Copenhagen one climate: A Climate of Global Collaboration

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) December 15, 2009 - The Rion-Antirion Bridge “Charilaos Trikoupis”, a landmark of contemporary Greece, has contributed to the reinforcement and emission of messages of international interest. This time however, the message concerning behavioural change that coincides with the Global Climate Conference in Copenhagen and which is also necessary for climate reversal in the literal sense, needed to be sent out loud and clear.

The Rion -Antirion Bridge does not just offer beautiful scenery. It is also a bearer of steadfast activity concerning climate change such as policies relating to reduction and offsetting of pollution by the operating company but also the promotion of eco-driving in which citizens contribute in containing the threatening destruction.

On this basis, institutions and authorities such as the European Commission, the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climatic Change, the Parliamentary Committee of Safe Driving, the Road Safety Institute “Panos Mylonas”, the National Alliance for Safety and Civilization on the Road, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), as well as the Municipality of Antirion, have become partners in the campaign for giving information about the Copenhagen Conference and eco-driving. They look at the Copenhagen representative directly in the eyes so that it becomes clear that there is one climate from one end of the planet to the other and it is usually the insignificant parties that are at more risk than the significant parties.

On Monday the 7th of December, a banner of enormous dimensions was hung on the deck of the Bridge conveying the message, “Change Before Change Comes” in English and “The Climate is changing. We too” in Greek. The partners of the Antirio-Copenhagen ecological and economical initiative put their words into action arriving at the Administrative Building and the Antirion toll station to cut the campaign’s green ribbon. Thus, from the 7th until the 18th of December, the duration of the Copenhagen Conference, drivers using the bridge will receive a useful notebook with information about the Conference and advice on “green” driving. The carbon dioxide produced during the printing stage of these notebooks has been offset via the investment of renewable energy resources.

During the press conference that opened this campaign, it was pointed out that an average vehicle that travels along the 2,450 km imaginary straight route between Antirion and Copenhagen produces 460 kg of CO2 whereas the same vehicle under eco-driving conditions produces 322 kg (-30%).

The microphone was passed to the speakers in the following order: Bernard Galtier (Managing Director & General Manager of GEFYRA LITOURGIA S.A.), Georgios Kolovos (Mayor of the Municipality of Antirion), Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela (Representative of the European Commission in Greece), Annie Mitropoulou (MEDITERRANEAN SOS Director) and Vassilis Anastassopoulos (Vice-Rector, University of Patras – Representative of the Road Safety Institute Panos Mylonas) who stated the following:

Bernard Galtier:
We chose to start the new eco-driving campaign on the commencement day of the Climate Conference in Copenhagen. This initiative intensifies the scope of our policies for the reduction and offsetting of CO2 emissions. The same initiative constitutes part of our safe driving programme since eco-driving means safe driving. Our actions are also aimed at child passengers, who are more receptive than their parents to good practices and because the future belongs to them.

Georgios Kolovos:
Climate is a global issue and the threat of life existence on the planet concerns all of us whether we live in a small city in western Greece or in the capital city of Denmark where all eyes are cast. If we take into account, other than the rising sea level, the issue of drought and gradual desertification of the Mediterranean's sea side areas, then Antirion has priority compared to Copenhagen and other major capital cities of the world.

Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela:
The European Union’s stance is that climate change is an issue that concerns all of us and not only the country leaders meeting in Copenhagen. According to the Euro barometer 63% of citizens in United Europe considers climate change a serious problem, 24% consider it somewhat serious, whereas 13% believe it is not important. At the same time 62% believe that there are solutions for climate change whereas 19% believe that the enterprising world does not materialize policies concerning the environment. I am happy to be in the vicinity of a European project which stands out for its partnership competency on the environment. I'm also happy that the pamphlets being distributed bear the European Union flag.

Annie Mitropoulou:
The commencement of both the campaign and the Conference is a particularly successful symbol. The fact that we are in Antirion to talk about Copenhagen proves that global issues are also local issues and that local issues are also global. Copenhagen is a landmark. From this Conference we expect a commitment for drastic reduction of emissions, the provision of assistance from developed countries to developing countries, and the setting of ground work for the termination of deforestation as well as other respective policies.

Vassilis Anastassopoulos:
The Bridge is a vital factor in the area with social and environmental activities working to its benefit. The University of Patras supports the Road Safety Institute, which GEFYRA S.A. is also a member; therefore, it supports activities such as the one in question which was materialised by the company and whose concern is not only safe driving but also ecology. In the near future will need to focus on the 25,000 students and professors of the University who on a daily basis create a transportation volume that exceeds the total transportation volume in the Patras city centre.

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